Rowena Cornwell, director at Coop Creative, specialises in bespoke high-end residential interiors and hospitality fitouts.
Working as a fashion coordinator in her 20s, she developed an eye for detail, composition and the human form and found the voyeuristic nature of what went on behind the scenes far more entertaining than the beautiful models, clothes and music.
Architecture & Design spoke to her about the influence of fashion on her designs, hospitality trends and where she draws inspiration from.
You specialise in lifestyle commercial projects. How has the changing Australian attitude to lifestyle changed and how has that been reflected in interior design?
As a result of the internet, the Australian public are a lot more aware of design trends both here and internationally. What we’re finding is that our clients are now seeking a more authentic and memorable experience in their interior design and are much more discerning. An attractive armchair or an expensive light fitting doesn’t cut it anymore – if we’re designing something in Byron Bay, for example, people want to feel like they’re in a space that is designed for Byron Bay.
Are there any interior design trends in hospitality that you've been happy to see the back of?
There are a lot of hospitality interiors that have a vintage aesthetic with retro overlays that are quite nostalgic interior experiences. It is still a big trend but it will die down. I don’t see this as progressive in design and would be happy to see the back of it.
What's your favourite project so far?
My favourite project would have to be Spicers Balfour Hotel and the ongoing relationship that I have with the Spicers Group, working on a second stage. The project involved an extensive refurbishment and adaptive reuse of a dilapidated old Queenslander home of timber and tin. I really enjoyed unveiling the potential that existed within, transforming it from the inside out into a beautiful boutique hotel.
You were a fashion co-ordinator before you became an architect. Why did you make the change?
I was looking for a design field and response that was more sustainable rather than responding to the season every six months. I wanted something that I could delve more deeply into and that had more longevity.
Has your early exposure to the fashion industry impacted your interior design work?
We approach all of our interior projects by considering the human form in the space – how a person might move, what you see and don’t see of people within in a space and what they see and don’t see. We’re controlling their views all the time. Working in millimetres in fashion has provided me with a fine eye for textural detail, finishes, colour, pattern and movement. Fashion is what I look for in forecasting interior design trends. Architecture starts with what people are wearing on the streets – it’s about translating fashion into architecture.
Where do you take inspiration from?
I am a big composition person – I look at a lot of artists both contemporary and classical such as Pierre Bonnard. I’m inspired by the way he interprets the human figure in a space and his use of texture, colour and form. I also like to relate back to fashion trends, seeing what Prada and Bvlgari are doing and often looking to US Vogue Creative Director, Grace Coddington’s use of colour, form and composition. I am always studying and looking at composition – the foreground, background, scale, light and shade.
If you weren't an interior designer, what would you like to be doing?
I’d like to have Margaret Throsby’s job on ABC Classic FM. She interviews some of the world’s most interesting people. I’d also like to create my own hotel group like Kit Kemp has done with Firmdale Hotels.
