In Conversation With | Catherine Heraghty of The Stables

It’s rare for an interior designer’s initial design concept to become a reality without any client curve balls of compromise and negotiation. You could say that the ability to mind-read would make a designer's job much easier. Before Catherine Heraghty of the Sydney-based interior design studio The Stables began her Currumbin Valley project, located in a green ocean-side pocket on the border of Queensland and New South Wales, she knew her client, Kelly MacDonald, like the back of her hand. Catherine and Kelly have been best friends since their first day of high school some thirty years ago. 

Until six years ago, Kelly, her husband Anthony, and their two young sons lived in Sydney, close to Catherine and her partner and children. The MacDonalds moved north for Anthonys' work, buying a pavilion-style home that required renovation and expansion to suit their growing family. There was no question that Catherine would complete the interiors. “It was a very special and unique project because when you know someone that well, there are a lot of questions you don't have to ask because you already know. It's just so intuitive and instinctive,” says Catherine.  

The Stables has established a sought-after design signature of light-filled homes incorporating soft, muted palettes that outlast the interior design trend cycles. Catherine knew shades of green would be at the top of Kelly’s wishlist, specifically soothing tones like sage and olive. The designer brought the colour into the laundry and office joinery, and with gentle touches via artwork and decor. The home is otherwise a neutral canvas, where fresh white walls amplify the all-encompassing tree-top views out the expansive windows. 

When Catherine pares back hues in a home, she leans on a tried and true design element - texture. “It is one of the biggest tools we use in our design and styling,” says the designer, whose staff count is now at six. “We always find ways to inject it because it makes a space feel cosier, warmer and more interesting.” She skillfully employed texture in Kelly and Anthony’s large open-plan living and dining area to enhance a homely feeling. “The natural stone on the fireplace, the battening on the big curved wall at the entryway- those additions help bring the space in a little bit so it doesn't feel too sparse and cavernous.” 

Crafting spaces that ‘feel like a big hug’ is a driving inspiration across The Stables' expansive portfolio of beautiful homes. In the MacDonald’s house, the addition of handmade tiles, solid oak timber, and detailed custom joinery ensures the interior shell of each space sings with an inviting organicness and depth. The same consideration is given to the decor curation and styling. “We'll include a Dharma Door basket wherever possible because it always adds that warmth and comfort level,” says Catherine.  

Kelly and Anthony’s home delivers comfort by the bucketload and, by design, nurtures the family's lifestyle. Each space radiates an easy-going naturalness, which Catherine says is so reflective of how the MacDonalds love to live. With a chicken coop in their backyard, local bush trails for hikes and quad biking, and beautiful surf beaches nearby, the family spend plenty of time connected to the land and getting active outdoors. Indoors, their spacious kitchen is a valued spot where they come together and create—especially Kelly, who is a nutritionist. “Kelly does so much cooking for her business at home, and the family also entertains a lot. Everyone gathers around the island, and there is plenty of prep space,” says Catherine. 

When an interior designer has interstate projects on their schedule, logistical and communication challenges—plus more trips to the airport—are inevitable. However, Catherine’s experience creating Kelly and Andrew’s Currumbin Valley family home was enjoyable every step of the way. Being separated by hundreds and hundreds of kilometres can’t diffuse the connection Catherine has with her longtime best friend and her family. “Kel and Ant didn't change one single thing that I specified—everything in the original finishes schedule is in the completed home,” says Catherine. “There were no changes and no second-guessing. They just trusted me implicitly, which was so lovely. It was a dream project to work on.”