Interior design for you and your brand

Barbie Payton, right, and Charlene Dandoulis discuss styling options for Charlene’s House of Alcheme, which will be opening in Maroochydore next month. 

BUSINESS WRITEUP: Onyx Studio Interior Design

Creating a commercial space that reflects your service offerings and core values can be enormously challenging. You want potential customers to quickly feel a sense of understanding and connection to what you do and how you can serve them.

That’s where Onyx Studio’s Barbie Payton can help.

“A lot of business owners are keen to start trading as quickly as possible, and unfortunately, they don’t always put a lot of thought into how they are going to make those connections,” said Barbie.

“It is fascinating that we subconsciously make an impression about whether we connect with a space within the first 15 seconds of entering it. The success of your space relies on people being first drawn into your business from the exterior, showcasing your product or service inside, then finally creating an emotional connection with your business,” she said.

“Getting this right is quite complex and involves extensive research into design psychology and human behaviour, even before the complexity of a build.”

Extensive experience

Barbie first started dabbling in design over 25 years ago while living in Sydney, and her growing awareness of the importance of interior design compelled her to complete two Diplomas in Interior Design and a Bachelor of Interior Design (Commercial).

“I have previously worked for major furniture suppliers and had my own fashion and editorial styling business, but I found myself drawn back to commercial design because of the profound way in which careful, meaningful interior design can change lives,” she explained.

“I connect with my clients to gain a true understanding of who they are, and where they want to be, and then translate my gained knowledge into a physical concept reflective of their overall business ethos. This allows me to create spaces that are a genuine reflection of a business’s values, strengths and business offerings.

“A professional designer has the ability to form concepts using all these elements,” said Barbie. “Most importantly, an attuned designer is able to bring this vision to life so the business owner can concentrate on strategy.”

Barbie’s focus is on interior design concepts and strategy for commercial businesses in the retail, hospitality, wellness and tourism industries.

“However, I do love taking on a residential project that allows me to be a little more bold or adventurous in its design.

Designs that tell a story

“I love the feeling of using design to ‘escape’ into another world and its ability to transform people on an emotional level,” said Barbie.

“Public spaces like restaurants, retail stores and boutique hotels invite us into a different and exciting world, even if only for a short amount of time. The ability to share a space with multiple groups of people, from multiple walks of life is not only challenging, but extremely rewarding.

“Being awarded a design project is an absolute honour. I acknowledge the responsibility that I have to my client, the hard work they are putting into their business and the end goal of providing for their community,” she said.

“There is nothing more rewarding than seeing my clients’ excitement during the various stages of working together. I have a huge sense of gratitude throughout the entire process and hope my work provides joy and success to those who choose to work with me.

“The best aspect of what I do is helping my clients feel understood, to see the value my design will bring to their business for years to come, and most importantly, for them and their customers to feel a genuine connection to their space.”

You can learn more about Onyx Studio at www.onyxstudio.design or contact Barbie on 0404 496 377 or hello@onyxstudio.design.