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Alexandra Donohoe Church is one of Australia's most sought-after interior designers — founder of Decus Interiors, a Sydney-based studio she has led for over 16 years that has become synonymous with a rare kind of beauty: restrained, layered, and deeply felt. Her work has graced the pages of Architectural Digest, Elle Decoration, Vogue Living, and Belle. But what sets Alexandra apart is not her portfolio — it's how she thinks. She grew up between Sydney and Seattle, came to design via landscape architecture, and built a business starting alone from her apartment in 2009. That she now leads a team of 10–12 on some of Australia's most exquisite residential projects is both a triumph of vision and a testament to something quieter: the courage to do less, not more.
In this episode of Build Beautiful, we go beneath the surfaces Alexandra creates — into the psychology, discipline, and emotional intelligence that make her work unforgettable. This is a conversation about what it means to truly listen. To read a client's life, not just their brief. And to build a studio — and a creative self — that lasts.

In this episode, we explore:
Growing up between Sydney and Seattle — and how living across cultures shaped her eye for space
The unexpected path from landscape architecture to interior design — and why she never looked back
How she reads between the lines of a client brief: decoding desire, not just preference
What clients think they want vs. what they truly need — and the art of delivering both with integrity
Creating 'tension in a space' — why conversation between art, furnishings and architecture matters more than matching
The psychology of restraint: why editing is her most powerful design tool
Running a studio for 16 years — what she's outgrown, what she's fiercely protected, and what's kept her going
The emotional weight of creative leadership — and the discipline required to carry it with grace
Her obsession with detail: the proportions, edges, and grooves most people will never consciously notice
What 'building beautiful' means to Alexandra — in work, and in life

Why this conversation matters
In a design world saturated with trend cycles and visual noise, Alexandra Donohoe Church offers something rare: a practice built on discernment, psychology, and restraint. Her philosophy — that great design is an extension of the client's inner world — is a reminder that the most enduring spaces are not designed to impress, but to hold. At a time when authenticity is more sought-after than spectacle, this conversation is a masterclass in what truly matters.

About Alexandra
Alexandra Donohoe Church is the founder of Decus Interiors, a Sydney-based interior design studio she established in 2009. Over 16 years, she has built a reputation for creating luxury residential interiors that balance refined beauty with the unexpected — resisting signature style in favour of deeply personalised spaces that feel like extensions of their inhabitants. Her work has been published in Architectural Digest, Elle Decoration, Design Anthology, Vogue Living, and Belle. She leads a team of 10–12 designers on high-end residential projects across Australia and internationall
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Darren Genner, co-founder of Studio Minosa, is one of Australia's most awarded interior designers — a man who began his career on a factory floor producing 34 kitchens a day, and built one of the country's most quietly powerful design studios over 24 years. Alongside his partner Simona, his studio is known for its signature approach to 3D visualisation, its "Design Life Better" philosophy, and an unwavering belief that great design starts with function — not finish.

This is a conversation about what it means to build a creative life from the ground up. From sawdust and apprenticeship to bespoke interiors, award-winning process, and the resilience required to survive the GFC, a studio robbery, and the strange fog that followed Covid. It is also — in the most unexpected and moving way — a love story.

In this episode, we explore:
How a kitchen factory apprenticeship on a production line became the unlikely foundation of a world-class design philosophy
The mentor who told a young Darren: "A chef will never tell you the ingredients" — and why watching became his greatest tool
Meeting Simona at a Poliform showroom — the chance connection over Italian kitchens that changed everything
Starting Studio Minosa with $400, a shared dinner idea, and a water-conscious Corian washbasin called the Puddle Scoop
The white box method: stripping all colour from 3D renders so clients can truly understand space, function and scale before choosing materials
Why being an early adopter of 3D visualisation — long before SketchUp — gave Studio Minosa a 24-year competitive edge
The bad client experience that forced them to rethink contracts, communication, and the courage to have hard conversations
How the GFC, a studio robbery, and the post-Covid slump each tested — and ultimately forged — their resilience
The "Design Life Better" tagline: not a catchphrase but a moral compass, developed with a Nike brand strategist in 2016
Hiring for personality over skill, building a team that stays for 10+ years, and why fewer clients done better is now the goal

Why this conversation matters
In an industry that often chases aesthetics over substance, Darren Genner is a reminder that the most enduring design practices are built on craft, curiosity, and the courage to put process before polish. Twenty-four years in, Studio Minosa is proof that when you genuinely design life better — for your clients and for yourself — the work takes care of itself.

If this episode resonated, please like, subscribe and share — it helps Build Beautiful continue to tell deeper stories from the world of design, architecture and creative life.

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If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].

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Refugee Roots to Merivale Design Director: Nasim Koerting on Creative Freedom
In this episode of Build Beautiful, Refugee Roots to Merivale Design Director: Nasim Koerting on Creative Freedom, Nasim Koerting shares how her refugee background shaped her identity, leadership style, and creative direction at Merivale — Australia’s most iconic hospitality group. From migrant identity and self-worth to creative freedom, intuition in design, and leading large-scale hospitality projects, this is a deeply personal conversation about building atmosphere, soul, and meaning into public spaces.
As Design Director at Merivale, Nasim works across some of Australia’s most recognised venues, helping shape spaces that are known not just for their style, but for their emotional impact. We explore what it means to design from intuition, how constraints can elevate creativity, and why the journey matters more than the outcome.
If you are a designer, creative, migrant child, or anyone navigating identity and ambition, this conversation will resonate.

In This Episode:
00:00 – Introduction: From Refugee Roots to Merivale
01:20 – Discovering interior architecture by accident
03:00 – Growing up as a migrant child in Australia
05:55 – Breaking cultural expectations in creative careers
09:50 – The pressure to prove yourself as a refugee’s child
11:03 – Publication, ambition, and the myth of “making it”
14:20 – Moving overseas: Israel, Spain, and London
16:38 – Creative direction in London and non-linear career paths
17:40 – The call from Merivale
18:13 – Leading design at scale across iconic hospitality venues
19:51 – Creative freedom vs brand and business constraints
21:00 – Sourcing vintage pieces in France
23:36 – When design mistakes become breakthroughs
25:42 – The collaborative Merivale design process
31:26 – Why Merivale built an in-house design team
32:21 – Living with your spaces and constantly evolving them
36:31 – Where creativity really happens
38:36 – Leadership, self-doubt, and managing large teams
41:12 – Burnout, boundaries, and reclaiming creative energy
45:45 – Advice to young designers from migrant backgrounds
53:25 – What “Build Beautiful” means to Nasim
Connect with Nasim Koerting 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nasimkoerting/
Connect with Build Beautiful
Instagram: @buildbeautiful_podcast
Website: buildbeautifulpodcast.com
Subscribe for more conversations about design, property, art, and the people behind the work.
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How does an online art gallery grow into one of Sydney’s largest contemporary gallery spaces?
In this episode of Build Beautiful, Linda Habak sits down with Sophie Vander, founder of Curatorial & Co., to explore her journey from launching an online art gallery in 2015 to building one of the most visible and welcoming contemporary art galleries in Sydney.
Located on William Street, Woolloomooloo, Curatorial & Co. is known for its floor-to-ceiling glass frontage, accessible approach to art, and commitment to supporting emerging Australian artists. But Sophie’s story is more than business growth — it’s about vision, motherhood, leadership, and redefining what a modern art gallery can be.
We talk about pricing transparency in the art world, scaling a creative business, opening a gallery in March 2020 just as COVID hit, building an art consultancy arm, and expanding into international art fairs.
This is a conversation about courage, accessibility, and building something meaningful — slowly, intentionally, and with heart.

About Sophie Vander
Sophie Vander is the founder of Curatorial & Co., a Sydney-based contemporary art gallery that began as an online art platform in 2015. Today, Curatorial & Co. operates one of Sydney’s largest gallery spaces and supports emerging and mid-career Australian artists through exhibitions, art consultancy, and international art fairs.
Her work sits at the intersection of curation, entrepreneurship, and motherhood — building a business while raising four daughters and redefining accessibility in the art world.

Connect with Sophie & Curatorial & Co.
Website: https://curatorialandco.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curatorialandco/
Location: 80 William Street, Woolloomooloo, Sydney

Connect with Build Beautiful
Instagram: @buildbeautiful_podcast
Website: buildbeautifulpodcast.com

If you’re interested in contemporary art, Sydney art galleries, emerging Australian artists, art consultancy, women in business, or creative entrepreneurship — this episode is for you.
Subscribe for more conversations about design, property, art, and the people behind the work.
Together — we build beautiful.

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If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].

Send us your feedback, thoughts or comments!
One moment changed everything - architect Carla Middleton saved her husband’s life during a sudden cardiac arrest. What followed was trauma, burnout, and the slow, intentional work of rebuilding her nervous system, her life, and a thriving architecture practice.
In this deeply honest conversation, Carla shares how meditation, nervous system regulation, and values-led leadership helped her move through trauma and why success without wellbeing is not sustainable. This episode is for anyone navigating burnout, creative pressure, or building a business after a life-altering moment.
Topics include trauma recovery, burnout recovery, transcendental meditation, nervous system regulation, and the real life of an architect running a successful practice.

#BurnoutRecovery #TraumaHealing #NervousSystemRegulation 
#Meditation #TranscendentalMeditation #LifeOfAnArchitect 
#WomenInBusiness #CreativeLeadership #BuildBeautiful

To get in touch with Build Beautiful or to follow us head to our socials: 
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on Facebook
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If you'd like to be on the podcast, or want to collaborate with Build Beautiful feel free to contact us on [email protected].