Julia Atkinson is the founder of interior design company Studio Home, a youthful and creative boutique agency located in scenic Queenstown. Hailing from Auckland Julia moved to Queenstown to follow her creative indulgences where she now designs innovative and playful spaces for Queenstown’s residential clients.
After a rough few years learning the highs and lows of launching a new business Julia has finally settled into a warm climate of satisfied clients, growth and successful completions. As well as running Studio Home full time Julia is the promoter of Australasian creative talent through her blog Studio Home Creative.
Bustling with the excitement of living out her dream job in the ultimate lifestyle business, Julia tells us of her latest achievements and plans for Studio Home as well as for her much loved blog Studio Home Creative.
Julia’s interest in the design industry stretches further than just the Studio Home design consultancy. She has been involved in set design for television and event decoration. She is a promoter of Australasian creative talent through her blog Studio Home Creative. The blog has also led to a guest blog at the Your Home and Garden and “Julia’s Guide to …” column at women’s lifestyle site Flossie.
Julia, when did you first launch your own home design consultancy?
Just a couple of months prior to my 26th Birthday, May 2007
What was involved with setting the business up?
I initially set up in Auckland following a two year stint as a design consultant and visual merchandiser with BoConcept. Guess I was feeling VERY disillusioned with simply working for a company so the set up of my own business was a bit of a knee jerk reaction. If I had listened to my dad about getting some money behind me first, then perhaps I would have found the last few years a little easier….although probably not as exciting!!! It was a very very easy process. I think I simply contacted an online site who registered my company and did all the paperwork in just a day. I then got a basic website and branding identity sorted and felt I was all ready to go….except for the customers bit!
Was it difficult starting out in a smaller town such as Queenstown?
Queenstown was really the beginning of my business. I moved down from Auckland in September ’07 following talks with a residential building company based locally here who I had worked with a little when with BoConcept. I was immediately dealing with their clients on arrival and got the ball rolling in terms of word of mouth. This is by far the most crucial element to succeeding in a smaller area. In Queenstown I felt I could really establish my own identity as I was fresh and a lot younger then the other designers already here. In Auckland I felt like a little fish in a big pond.
How did you go about getting your first clients?
For the first year all my clients were through the building company I worked with. This was great as, in a lot of respects I was still riding by the seat of my pants, and having their guidance was invaluable. This year however, word of mouth has been my saviour and renovations (as opposed to new builds) have been my bread and butter.
They say you move to Queenstown for the lifestyle, can you tell us how you mix this with business?
Hahahhaa…..I always have to laugh at the ideas of WHY people live in Queenstown. There are a lot of myths!!! For one, yes, it was absolutely a lifestyle move, indulging in the mountains and the South Island again, but if I hadn’t have taken the opportunity for work when I did, then I doubt I would be doing as well now if still in Auckland. Mentally either…ahahha
Is Queenstown where you draw a lot of your inspiration from, with all that beautiful scenery and those spectacular mountainous colours I would imagine you would have plenty to work with there?
Queenstown is just my absolute mecca!! I kind of find that most people have at least one thing in common as very few here are born and bred. QT most definitely attracts a certain type of person…and it seems I like them!! Yes, the environment is very inspiring, and more often than not I endeavour to create concepts that respect our location as opposed to dumping some mock tudor mansion scenario in the middle of the countryside!
At what stage did the Studio Home become profitable for you? And how long before it started paying the bills?
In all honesty, I think that only now am I beginning to break even. But it can’t only be attributed to slumps in work load (like the beginning of the year!) The reason I was able to bite the bullet and start Studio Home at as young age was my lack of understanding/ importance placed on money and finances. Lets just say I am A LOT better with all that now, but it is my weakness!! ech!
I understand that you generally work in home design but are currently involved with a café/lodge project somewhere between historic Roxborough and Alexandra, can you tell us a bit about that?
YES! I just completed my first commercial project with a restoration/renovation project on a very old building. I was so lucky to get the opportunity to work on the project as my client was a fantastic business women who has taught me a thing or two!! Speargrass Inn is a restaurant/cafe with outdoor dining and a private dining room (with verrrryyy cool wallpaper). There is also an original one roomed stone cottage which has been transformed into a snug three roomed accommodation. All located in the most captivating rural landscape. I am very proud hahahha
Have you had any areas that were particularly challenging to work with and how did you overcome this?
Yes, as I mentioned, keeping track of my finances and even on occasion making sure I invoiced enough for my time. I have found that mostly I have develop great relationships with my clients and suffer the guilts when it comes to charging them. Rest assured I have some VERY stern business friends who are sorting me out in this area!!
Now Studio Home is very well known among underground Australasian designers for its interactive community blog, something you created and are very passionate about – how did this get started and where do you hope to take it in the near future?
I started Studio Home Creative about 3 months after arriving in Queenstown, mostly due to the fact I had desktop (on screen) folders bursting at the seams with thousands of links to local, down-under creative talent. I initially got the idea after discovering Design Sponge then following links to hundreds of other fantastic design based blogs. It seemed like an easy thing to do and I thought it would be a fantastic way to establish my brand as more than just Julia Atkinson. I wanted Studio Home to represent something in its own right. The blog really took off after about 6 months and I picked up some fantastic local online stores as advertisers. I was completely blown away when I started getting invitations to write for others such as World Sweet World, the Your Home and Garden website (since folded), Flossie.com and Homestyle Magazine. Writing was something that I always wanted to do when I was younger, but never imagined as a blogger I could get my foot in the door!
Ideally I think I would love to blog/write full time, but am very happy just taking the ride to see where I end up at this stage. I am being featured in Urbis early next year, so with some luck that will give my readership another boost!
Which young and/or new designers are you most excited about for 2010?
Wow…I find this almost impossible to answer!!! I guess the most recent designers that I have posted about on my blog stick in my mind. I guess some favourites would be a better answer, as to me these people are timeless and always offering something truly fresh and original! Jonathan Adler, Ilse Crawford, Amy Butler and Shannon Fricke.
What can we expect to see more of from Julia Atkinson in the near future?
More crazy wallpaper and more satisfied customers!!!
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