Di Henshall X Florabelle Living
- With over 30 years and 2,600+ projects under your belt, what keeps you passionate and creatively energised in this ever-evolving industry?
I have likened being in the design industry as that of being a singer or a restaurateur or any other creative industry, inasmuch as the drive in inherent in us, we live to create and we live to bring beauty and joy to our clients’ lives. Travel is essential to anyone in creative endeavours, as it not only broadens our mind, but inspires by living and experiencing different cultures, architecture, food and drink.
- As both a designer and a qualified builder, how does your construction knowledge influence the way you approach interior design projects?
It is like having a foot in both camps – the construction knowledge balances the lustful creative side, so the design solutions are based on technical knowledge and practical application as well as pushing the boundaries of what looks fabulous.
- In your masterclass, you beautifully quoted Zaha Hadid. How do you personally define a space that both excites and calms—what’s the key to achieving that balance?
The word balance is the key. We talk about form following function, or function following form, but as I say many times it is making something look amazing, exciting and interesting, yet calming because the design soothes the soul by delivering a reassurance of solidity and stability.
- You’ve completed award-winning designs across residential, commercial, and hospitality spaces. How do you adapt your creative process for each sector?
Working with residential projects, I need to be a conduit between what one partner wants and what sits well with the other. It is another balancing act, to make sure that both stakeholders are thrilled with the result. When working on commercial and hospitality projects I am often having to inspire and reassure a number of stakeholders, being the body corporate or the staff members whose working lives are going to be affected with the design solution. The creative process is the same, but both require an innate sense of what is going to sit well with each party, but still pushing them out of their comfort zone so they discover a new way of looking at the project with a fresh perspective.
- Lighting was a big theme in your recent presentation at Florabelle. What’s your number one piece of advice for designers when it comes to lighting a space effectively?
Lighting is made up of general lighting, task lighting and feature lighting. Lighting has to be practical is many areas, so this needs to be addressed first, but the real excitement comes from the task lighting and feature lighting, which can literally change a space from being practical yet boring to something that delights. Designers should think about what the space is used for, cover the practical issues first and then really think laterally about how the space can be transformed by using amazing fittings that make the project come alive.
- You’ve long been a supporter and customer of Florabelle Living—what draws you to our collections, and how do we support your design process as a one-stop shop?
The best part about Florabelle’s product range is its vastness of application. There is not one single genre that pigeon-holes us into a particular style. There are pieces throughout the massive collection that can be used in harmony with each other, drawing from several different standpoints, making the design solution look like it has evolved over a period of time instead of looking like it was plucked from a showroom.
- You spoke about timelessness in design—how do you create interiors that feel current but won’t date five years down the track?
Stick to basics for the majority of the design. It is usually one or two pieces that make a good design stand out from the crowd, the main focal point, drawing the eye to a statement piece. It is usually these pieces that might be regarded as trendy for the time, which, at some point, could be changed to suit the changing trends of modern living.
- What are some of the biggest design or lifestyle trends you're seeing emerge for 2025—and how do you think designers can stay ahead of the curve?
Speaking of curves, that is a trend that is omnipresent. Curves have been used for millennia, both in architecture and furnishings. The current trend for curves comes from our desire for softness and a return to more natural shapes. This trend, in some form or other, will be around for a while. Our desire is for peace and tranquillity, spending more time with friends and family, with such upheaval in the world around us. That is why our homes and how we enjoy them are so much more important to many of us. This also applies to workspaces and you can see how these have evolved into a human experience rather than just a chilly, hard-surfaced work environment.
- For young or emerging designers, what advice would you give when it comes to building confidence in your own design convictions, especially when clients push back?
Research, learn, experiment and research, learn and experiment. This is a continuing cycle in our industry, that never stops. Before you can convince your clients you have to convince yourself. If a designer comes up with a design layout, the first thing I want to know is, Do You Love It Yourself? If the answer is; I think this might suit my client, then the designer hasn’t convinced themselves of their design conviction, so whatever you design, make sure that you love it as much as you want your client to do. In other words, follow the brief and then push the boundary so they have see how much you are convinced of your creativity balanced with practicality, which in turn gives them confidence to go with your design solution.
- You’ve achieved national and international recognition, published magazines, and now run successful masterclasses. What’s next for Di Henshall, and what continues to drive your vision forward?
I love learning, researching and experimenting and starting the Masterclass programme was a fabulous thing to do, because it forced me to delve into my own philosophies, but also to fact-check what I was sharing with the delegates. It is wonderful to get feedback and have discussions with so many people that are just as passionate about the industry as me. I will continue to write (for our magazines), travel (for my sanity and inspiration), talk to delegates (as long as they will have me), keep pushing boundaries of design and building methods and keep jumping out of bed in the morning with a feeling of “What the heck is going to happen today!”
