Disa Lifestyle Behind The Scenes with Carli Robinson
Disa Lifestyle Behind The Scenes with Carli Robinson
Carli Robinson has made her name in the design world by creating interiors that are elegant, timeless, and infused with creativity and passion. With an extraordinary eye for detail, her designs are warm, classic, and inviting - an aesthetic that’s reflected in her stunning portfolio of light-filled, luxurious and spacious feeling property projects.
Below, Carli answers all your burning questions about design, interiors, and how she got to where she is today.
How did your journey into design begin, Carli?
Art and creativity is in my blood. My dad is an incredibly talented artist and makes sculptures in his own unique style. I used to love going to his studio and getting involved in the whole process. I was completely fascinated by how he turned a concept into a reality. He would sketch something with a pencil and paper, and a few weeks later it would be standing in the studio as a sculpture.
As a young girl, I was very involved in my parent’s business - manufacturing architectural pieces, custom-made furniture and lighting for high-end hotels. I then spent several years working on refits and renovations for the world’s most prestigious Superyachts. When I completed my interior design qualification, opportunities presented themselves to apply my skills and knowledge to the interior design world and from there, my passion for interiors grew. I’ve since completed many high-end residential projects, and most recently, a 60 metre luxurious Superyacht interior design project.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
I don’t think my aesthetic fits into any one style box. I like to think I’ve created my own style by mixing the old and new. I enjoy adding interesting, unique, and out of the ordinary elements to an interior. Rather than following trends, I like to create them. I really love a luxury country home with rustic features to make it more homely.
When I design a space, my biggest focus is how you feel when you walk in the door. I create that wow effect by designing soft, airy, and harmonious spaces that give a sense of calm and relaxation. The biggest pleasure I get from my work is the owner’s reaction to walking into their newly designed space for the first time. That reaction is priceless!
Where do you turn for design inspiration?
Nature is my number one place to find inspiration. I spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen designing, sourcing items, and finding new suppliers - so it’s hard for me to feel inspired online.
Instead, my best and most successful ideas come when my husband and I go on hikes. The colour combinations and textures I find in nature completely fire up my creativity. I love collecting interesting stones of different colours, textures and shapes. I once made my husband carry all sorts of rocks on a 10km hike. He wasn’t too impressed! But these were fascinating pieces that I later used for mood boards to create beautiful interiors.
Can you explain the process of an interior design project?
My first and most important duty is to get to know the client. I find out what they like, what they dislike, discover their favourite styles and furniture pieces. I also ask how they want the space to look and feel as well as who’ll be using it - gathering all the information I need to make sure we deliver above and beyond the client’s expectations.
The client can be as involved in the project as they like. Some clients don’t want to be involved after the initial meeting. They trust me to apply my knowledge and skills to create their perfect interior, and they really enjoy the grand reveal at the end. Others enjoy being part of the process - so I give them furniture, paint and colour options to choose from along the way. This approach works particularly well when it comes to choosing art for your home. Art is such a personal thing, so I help them choose art they love as well as art that suits the look we’re creating.
We offer a full interior renovation service along with colour consulting, product sourcing and custom-designed pieces - so we always go above and beyond to deliver for each client. We also have a beautiful selection of home decor accessories to choose from. The options don’t stop with Disa Lifestyle’s product ranges.
We hold the client’s hand from start to finish to make sure they’re happy and satisfied every step of the way. I’ve built a great relationship with all my clients based on open communication, honesty, and genuinely listening to their needs to create their dream space.
What’s the best piece of design advice you could give?
Planning, planning and more planning!
Before you spend a penny on your interiors, having the concept on paper or the final result in mind is the best way to guide you towards the next steps.
I believe in starting a project with the end in mind and working your way back. This guarantees you’ll get the outcome you hoped for. In life, things don’t always work out exactly as we plan. But there’s also excitement in overcoming problems with good solutions and changing things accordingly to make a plan work.