10 questions with Karen Brunetti

From BlackWhite magazine - issue 09, over the rainbow

The designer looks back at what shaped her first 25 years in interior decorating and colour analysis.

After investing years of time and energy into one career path, it takes a lot of bravery to make a change. Before pursuing a career in design, Karen Brunetti spent more than a decade working in childcare, rising through the ranks to a supervisory role. When the opportunity for voluntary redundancy arose at the daycare where she worked, she decided to take it. But rather than looking for another job in the same field, Karen investigated other options – and one really stood out.

“In those days, Melbourne’s Centre for Adult Education would advertise their courses and one title caught my eye: ‘Be Your Own Decorator’, which was a two-day course on the weekend. When my husband came to pick me up at the end of the first day, he asked how it was. I told him I knew it was what I wanted to do. I enquired where I could take a comprehensive course, and the rest is history.”

Aside from an uncle who was a bricklayer, no one else in Karen’s family worked in design or construction, but she says her mum’s passion for decorating and visiting open houses played a role in her decision to switch gears. “My mother had a strong liking for new homes, so we had a few moves during my younger life. I remember going with her and one of my brothers to walk through homes being built that were still in the framing stage and walking on the floor joists from room to room, working out where the bathroom, kitchen and bedrooms would be. I loved the smell of freshly cut timber shavings, and still do to this day!”

Her mum influenced her in subtler ways, too, empowering Karen to make changes as they suited her. “My mother would change the curtains in our dining area twice a year and move the furniture around from one area to the other. I was able to change rooms as my older siblings got married and moved out, so I decided that one room was better as my bedroom and the other room as my hangout sitting room where I could play my music loudly on my stereo,” she recalls.

When it comes to selecting materials, finishes and artwork, Karen not only has an eye for design but also an ear for it. She’s a great listener and makes it a top priority that her clients feel heard. From residential homes and townhouse developments to commercial projects that include aged care facilities, cafés, beauty salons and a wine bar, the results of Karen’s commitment to accurate colour consultations and assessing the needs of her clients is evident from the diversity of her portfolio and the shining testimonies from those she’s helped.

Karen looks back at the successes of her first 25 years of industry experience, discusses gaps in design education and underscores the importance colour plays in decorating.

Where else did you work prior to starting Blank Canvas Living?

Prior to starting my current business in 2017, Blank Canvas Living, I worked from a home studio under the name of KMB Design Concepts for 15 years and then was in a partnership with another designer at an interior design showroom in North Fitzroy for three years.

I knew that I wanted the opportunity to work for myself once I had finished my studies, but I wanted to gain experience elsewhere first, so I took on a number of part-time roles. After graduating, I worked in Melbourne with Myer Grace Brothers in their Interiors Department for three years. There, I learnt more about fabrics and assisted six designers with collecting fabrics to take out to clients at their homes, I did the visual merchandising of the display areas in our department and assisted customers coming in to look at fabrics before decorators would come out to their homes. Next, I worked part-time with a decorator at Finer Home Furnishings in Heidelberg for 12 months. Then, I was asked by a lecturer to do a term of teaching at the institute where I studied Interior Design, as a sessional teacher had left. I ended up teaching first and second year students from 2001-2010 between two campuses part-time while building up my own business. Later, I worked with a builder selecting materials, finishes, fixtures and fittings for their clients, then I freelanced with an architectural firm that did government school fit-outs and I would go out on site to meet with the principal and steering committee to get a feel for each school then I did the selections for the architects to pass onto the contractors to do the builds. Plus, I worked in a paint shop as a colour consultant and also a carpet showroom to gain more knowledge to assist customers wanting to choose new carpets for their renovation or new build.

How do you approach colour and what importance does it hold in your work?

In my initial consultation, I conduct a Colour Psychology Analysis Report with my clients. This approach provides me with valuable information and, ultimately, more accurate colour selections as it taps into what resonates with each client. From there, I can provide beautiful colour palettes for the areas they live in that are guided by how they want to feel in each room, tailored to their own personal emotions. Colour is a very personal element of our being. It is a bit like choosing perfume – not everyone likes the same scent, so we need to customise each design with what resonates with the client.

What has been your favourite or most successful project to date and what made it special?

I think I enjoy doing full transformations of homes the most, as those clients know they want a change but don’t know what to do or how to go about it, so I come in and transform their tired and cluttered spaces into a beautiful home for them to enjoy living in with their families.

One client in particular was a single elderly gentleman, a few years divorced and wanting to find a partner. His townhouse was cluttered with antique furniture, mostly dark timber, and there were no particularly inviting areas to sit. He had odd pieces of small mats used as rugs and a table with bench seating that was not very comfortable if you were sitting down for a meal for a length of time. Every bedroom was cluttered with furniture or cycling equipment. My task was to make it a comfortable, inviting and bright home to entertain family and friends. I worked with colours that would bring conversation, fun and adventure. We brought in a custom-made plectrum-shaped (guitar pick) Blackbutt dining table and bookcase, fabric dining chairs, new sofas for the living and family rooms, a custom bedhead, new bedlinen, cushions and decorated with photos of overseas skiing trips and other artwork from his travels that we framed and displayed on the walls throughout his home. The transformation was idyllic, and he loved how it all came together – and he then found a lady friend to complete his happy life.

Do you feel that we use too little colour, too much colour or just enough colour in the design of our homes?

I think most use too little colour in their homes. Everything you see in magazines is white walls, white furniture, white rugs, white homewares and white window coverings. I mean, how boring and bland is that? The rooms have no souls. It’s like looking at a ghost town! Unfortunately, so much of the upholstered furniture that is being manufactured is impractical for everyday living, especially those living with children or pets and the elderly, as it seems to all be white or neutral. We need to embrace colour to convey joy, happiness and enjoyment but also for the sake of practicality when we entertain in our homes. Much of the clothing we wear has dyes that can be imprinted onto white or cream upholstery via perspiration. I bet no one thinks of that when they bring home that expensive sofa and have visitors drop by. I am sure there is a lot of cursing when it gets soiled and when homeowners need to remove all the fabric pills from friction.

What is one piece of industry advice that you've received that has really resonated and helped guide you, or is there anything you wish you knew sooner?

I wish that when I was finishing my studies that the lecturers would have given us advice on what to charge for our services once we graduated. So many students have had trouble deliberating over this for many years and it is still being asked now by newly-qualified designers. This question comes up again and again in so many design network groups on social media, and there are no guidelines within the industry.

The other thing is that I wish I had learnt about colour psychology when I first commenced my studies. It is so complex and interesting how different colours have different effects on the way we feel. I eventually studied this separately over the course of two years and it is helpful for choosing the right colours that will resonate with clients.

If you could have dinner with any design icon of the past or present, who would it be and why?

Nate Berkus would be a designer I would like to sit down to have dinner with, as I feel I follow his lead to translate the unique personalities of my clients into their living spaces. Nate creates environments that feel deeply personal, incorporating sentimental elements together with sophisticated design.

The other designer I would love to dine with would be Marylou Sobel. She has a holistic approach wherein she envisages everything from the front door through the whole space to the backdoor and into the garden. She loves classic design, the use of colour, soft furnishings and making her clients feel special and listened to. This is the same approach I take with my clients, as I want them to feel listened to in terms of how they live or want to live, and how I holistically wrap all my services around them to meet their needs for their home to make it a very warm, inviting and welcoming place for them to live in with their families.

Where do you look to for inspiration for your design work?

My husband and I travel overseas each year where I soak up as much of the cultures, food, history, architecture, design and fashion as I can. It gives me great inspiration seeing the many wonderous locations we travel to and explore. We have so many beautiful cities around the world to experience. We are heading to Malta, Sicily, Tuscany and Milan this year and we will get to see our daughter and her fiancé in Milan. She has lived overseas for close to 9 years, so it is always wonderful to catch up with her and her partner.

What do you like about Resene?

I love Resene’s colour range. They have captured some unique colours that others don’t offer. I believe the paint options for various surfaces are very comprehensive for what I need to specify for clients. The quality of paint is excellent and doesn’t seem to need as many coats. Resene’s technical support is excellent, and it allows me to put lots of information into my paint schedules for my clients and their painters to follow. When I request drawdowns for myself and my clients, they are sent promptly. Resene’s service is second to none! I have encouraged many painters and colleagues to use Resene paints and they have all been grateful for the introduction. It is also great that the company has been around for a long time and that it is a family-owned business.

What are your current favourite Resene colours and why?

There are several Resene colours that I really like and would like the opportunity to use in future projects, such as Resene Foundry, Resene Half Tuna, Resene Half Tana, Resene Double Tana, Resene Tea, Resene Triple Bison Hide, Resene Sisal and Resene Triple Sisal. I love the richness of these blue, green and earthy tones.

› To see more of Karen’s work, peruse her portfolio at www.blankcanvasliving.com.au.

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