b'blue skyReseneReseneResene Blue Bark Ivanhoe JuniperReseneReseneResene Spitfire Ravine Half LinenOne to watch: Anna McMillanstorage solutions and providing multi-functional living zonesall within a pretty tight floor plan! The clients were so great to work with and I loved the whole process of designing the spaces, selecting the finishes and then furnishing the spaces for this lovely family. Seeing their joy at the end result was incredibly fulfilling.M aking a life changing shift in careers is incrediblytransforming spaces and creating homes that could haveReseneIs there anything youre looking to specialise in during daunting, especially when youve already spenta positive impact on those living in them. Jungle Mist your career?more than a decade and a half headed down aResene Eighth I really enjoy working on residential projects as I love different path. But for people like Anna McMillan, whereHow would you describe your design aesthetic? Thorndon Cream the impact you can have on the way people interact youve come from forms a vital foundation for buildingId say my design aesthetic is relaxed coastal luxe. HavingResene withtheirspacesandtheenergythatcomesfrom future success while pursing your true passion. grown up near the water (and my star sign being Cancer),Rice Cake creating a fresh, stylish and functional home that bringsThe soft, flowing shapes observed with fuel on water Aftermorethan15yearsincorporatesalesandIm drawn to the coast and love the references it providesabove right: McMillan Designthem joy. are also reflected in the architectural forms of the space, marketing roles, Anna found herself craving somethingin design, from colour to texture to lifestyle. is a boutique interior designwith the three levels of the building appearing to float new. Her enthusiasm for interiors led her to enrol in theWhen working with clients though, its really importantstudio based on SydneysWhat would be an absolute dream project for you toand swirl against one another. The flowing curvaceous Interior Design programme at Sydney Design School.that my design responds to their needs and reflects theirlower North Shore. Throughwork on? shapes are further enhanced with colour, such as the Butratherthanwaituntilshefinishedherschooling,personality and lifestyle, so not every project is going toit, Anna specialises inIthinkmydreamprojectwouldbeatotalhomerich mulberry private dining area in Resene Spitfire, the Anna applied her business savvy to concurrently pursuefollow that specific design style. So, Id say my overridingtransforming homes for busyrenovation designed in collaboration with an architectdusty blue dining booths in Resene Ivanhoe, and the bar families and professionals who herlong-helddesiretostartherownbusiness.Withdesign ethos is relaxed and liveable. are looking to create warm,and landscape designer. I really like the idea of partneringon the mezzanine in Resene Juniper that overlooks the her decision to launch McMillan Design a year beforeinviting homes that reflectand collaborating from the outset of a project to ensuredining area below. These gorgeous colours are taken graduation, she was already ahead of the game with a footWhere do you look when you need inspiration? their personality, supportall elementsboth external and internalhave beenthrough to the soft furnishings and finishes, such as the in the doorand a Resene Total Colour Awardby theNature is a constant source of inspiration for methetheir lifestyle and give themthoughtfully designed as a whole. mulberry leather booth cushions, the deep teal velvet time she had her diploma in hand. textures, the colours, the moodand I love looking toenergy. Her focus is mainlycurtain and deep green marble in the bar area, adding We talk more with Anna about her bright new future,new bar and restaurant venues for ideas. Im also inspiredon residential projects rangingTell us about your Sydney Design School project thatto the warm, sumptuous feeling of these spaces.where she finds inspiration and the Resene colours shesby other designers and one of my favourite firms is Harefrom full-scale renovations,won you the Resene Total Colour Rising Star Award.to individual room makeovers. currently crushing on. + Klein. I love their layered, textural design style, whichThe walls, ceiling and trims ofThe brief was to create an innovative restaurant andWhat do you like about Resene?I find beautifully understated yet loaded with personality. this dining room, designed bybarspaceintheheritage-listedfoundationsoftheI find Resene paints have a beautiful depth of colour What made you decide to pursue a career in interior design? Anna, are in Resene Eighthiconic Sydney Harbour Bridge at Lavender Bay. Withto them. And, being a Kiwi, I was well aware of Resene Ive always been a passionate renovator, starting with myWhat have been some of the highlights of your designThorndon Cream. Image the location steeped in history, I took my inspirationwhen I started my design journey here in Australia, first property at 26 years olda very dated, daggy one- career so far? by Fiona Galbraith, from the sites former use as a mechanical garage andhaving used Resene when I was living in New Zealand. Resene above: Anna received the Resene Total Colour Rising Star Award bedroom redbrick apartment. Since then, Ive completedIvebeenluckytohaveworkedonawiderangeofwww.fionagalbraith.com developed my design around the concept of FUEL.Double Sea Fog for her restaurant concept, FUEL. She chose Resene Blue nearly 10 renovation projects. I guess Ive also alwaysprojects since I started McMillan Design, from bathroombelow right: For thisFromthat,Iembracedthesoft,flowingcurvesofWhat are your current favourite Resene colours? Bark as her hero colour throughout the main walls of the lower had an interest in design, especially the transformativerenovationsandroommakeoverstototalhomerenovation project, locatedpetrolonwaterandbuiltacolourschemerichinMy favourite Resene colours at the moment are gorgeous,level and staircase, dusty blue Resene Ivanhoe to colour the effect it can have on the way we engage with a spacerenovations. The highlight was a renovation I worked onin Barden Ridge, Anna chosepetrol-infused tonesfrom deep teal blues to earthysoft, muted green and blue tonesin particular: Resenedining booths, Resene Juniper for the mezzanine bar and Resene and how it makes us feel. Fifteen years on, when I waslast year. My clients had bought a very tired, dark 80sResene Rice Cake for theberry tones to soft green accents and touches of brass.Ravine, Resene Coast, Resene Clouded Blue, ReseneResene Spitfire for the private dining area. Resene SpaceCote Low exploring what life outside my corporate career mighttownhouse and wanted to create a contemporary, lightwalls and trims as a tranquilTherichcolourpalettestronglyjuxtaposestherawHalf Linen and Resene Double Sea Fog.Coast Sheen was specified for the majority of the interior paint surfaces backdrop for the home officeResene for its durability, but Anna specified Resene Super Gloss for the look like, I had an epiphany when I realised that I couldfilledfamilyhomebeforetheymovedin.Itinvolvedand lounge space. Image concrete walls, creating a sense of intimacy, warmthClouded Blue curved dining booths and private dining walls to create interest potentially build a career and business doing exactly that:completely gutting the two-storey home, creating cleverby Fiona Galbraith. and sophistication. See more of Annas work at www.mcmillandesign.com.au. and contrast through the addition of glossy surfaces.54 blackwhitemag.com blackwhitemag.com 55'