Friends of Flinders #9
Father, interior designer, TV presenter, writer and more. We take 5 with Darren Palmer to chat about his professional journey and what inspires him.
Hi Darren, where do you call home?
Bondi Beach, NSW
What’s your favourite local?
Locally it would be Bills in Hall Street, Bondi Beach. You cannot go past the ricotta pancakes. I also love to venture to Potts Point to my favourite restaurant, Bistro Rex. Great food and atmosphere.
Where is your favourite place to visit in Australia
It would have to be between the quietness of Hyams Beach and the energy of Byron Bay…both places are located close to the beach, which is a must for me, but also out of the hustle and bustle of the city and I can relax, enjoy time with my family and reconnect with nature as that is where I also get a lot of my design inspiration from.
What do you do?
I do a few different things. I’ve worked in Interior Design since 2005. I’ve been buying and renovating real estate for the same amount of time. I am currently renovating my own house and have just completed designing my own Tiny Home in Hyams Beach. I’ve been fortunate to work in TV since 2009 and am currently a judge on The Block on Channel Nine. I am also an author (Easy Luxury in 2014 and HomeSpace in 2016 and have written for House and Garden, GQ, Vogue Living, Domain and many more publications in the home and lifestyle space. I have my own homewares range which includes décor items, linen, soft furnishings and some exciting additions to come. I also have my own accredited online Interior Design course with The Interior Design Institute. I am a proud ambassador for the YourTown charity and first and foremost I am a dad and husband.
How did you get into your profession?
It’s seems like a cliché but from the time I knew people worked I knew I wanted to make houses. Growing up in regional qld I didn’t really know that interior designer was a job so instead I took a sideways step into a different field of design.
I started by studying graphic design and fine art and transitioned to interior design about 10 years after working in advertising.
After about a decade I realised that every magazine I read was an interior design magazine, every book I was given as a birthday gift was an interior design coffee table book and every room I walked into I immediately reworked in my mind, moving doorways and windows and walls. It was pretty obvious I needed to make a change so I substituted one field of design for another, from 5 days a week and a few hours of interior design to fulltime interior design.
I designed my own apartment first, then renovated the property, was very fortunate to get published, worked some amazing mentors and learned a whole lot on the job and then gathered momentum. I was able to take one step at a time, getting more knowledge and experience over the years and I’m still learning.
What’s the most important thing about your profession?
The most important thing to me about my profession is the ability to transform things. To see something with potential and then realise that potential through problem solving and understanding constraints and working within parameters.
I love being able to have an idea and then be able to stand in it when it’s completed.
If you weren’t doing what you do, what would you be doing?
I’d be doing what I do now, just at a leisurely pace.
What does a perfect weekend look like?
I love to do nothing. Literally nothing. No plans. No obligations or responsibilities. A few days of just quiet amongst nature with nothing to do and not a care in the world. Sounds like heaven to me.
What advice would you give your younger self?
You are capable of doing anything you set your mind to.
Life has more in store for you than you can imagine.
Pay attention in French because you’re going to need it.
Favourite Flinders piece?
The Bondi Jacket and pants in Tan. Not because it’s where I live, it’s a great fit, great fabric and great colour. I’m wearing it with a plain white T and white sneaker for a smart casual look.