Australia’s go-to destination for design inspiration, since 2008.
Logo
Cart IconCart (0)|Account
Homes
Architecture
Interiors
Climate
Gardens
Art
Creatives
Food
Travel
On the Market
News
Podcast
Subscribe
The Design Files 
Magazine →
Go to 
The Design Files Directory →
Search 
PRODUCTS →
Small Business

How This Weaver Takes The ‘Ordinary’ To Create Something ‘Extraordinary’

Sundance Studio founder Emma Shepherd creates everything from textile hangings to patchwork pillows from her family farm in Flinders!
Small Business

How Sense Of Self Became Melbourne's Go-To Bathing Destination

Creating a Squarespace website that embodied the brand's core ethos was a key factor in the success of the Melbourne day spa.
Small Business

Meet The Designer Behind Some Of Australia’s Dreamiest Gardens

Get to know Tim Pilgrim and the inspirations behind his business designing idyllic, cottage-style gardens!
Small Business

How Interior Decorator Lauren Egan Built Her Biz From The Ground Up

The Melbourne-based interior decorator shares how she did it and her advice for small business founders.
Small Business

Meet The Small Melbourne Brand Reinventing The Humble Gumboot

From a humble farm in South Gippsland, Merry People has grown from a grassroots start-up, to a successful brand sold across the globe!
Small Business

Inside KeepCup's ‘Reuse Revolution' + Impressively Sustainable Melbourne HQ

Co-founder Abigail Forsyth shares an inside look at the brand's innovative new Helix range and office, complete with solar power, native gardens and beehives!
Small Business

A Local Business Championing Sustainable Construction Wins The Melbourne Design Week Award 2022

Managing director of Revival Projects, Robbie Neville, talks to us about his mission to bring change to the construction industry.
Small Business

Building A Family Legacy On Local Manufacturing, With Abode Living

Amelia Marasco Adair takes us on a tour of the company's Camberwell HQ!
Small Business

These Australian-Made, Non-Toxic Home Care Products Have Natural Super Powers!

Meet the husband and wife team behind Koala Eco - the Sydney based brand behind these all natural, divine-smelling home care & personal care products.
audio icon
4.03
Small Business

Julia Busuttil Nishimura's Top Tips For Building A Community Online

Our fave foodie and social media star has built a thriving, engaged online community. Here's how!
Small Business

Launch It! How To Build A Website (All By Yourself) With Annie Portelli

Learn how to build a great-looking website, all by yourself. Seriously!
audio icon
02:40
Small Business

TDF Small Business Summer School : Styling + Photography, With Heather Nette King

Six expert styling and photography tips to help you launch your small business dream in 2021!
audio icon
02:40
Small Business

Our (Free!) Small Business Summer School Is Here!

We've partnered with Squarespace to help bring your business goals to life in 2021! First Up - Small Biz consultant Fiona Killackey shares her advice on getting started!
Small Business

This Dynamic Duo Joined Forces During Lockdown, To Create The BEST Kids Prints Going Around!

Introducing V. Happy Co, alphabet art prints (+ more) for kids!
Small Business

Expert Advice For Creatives, Freelancers and Small Business On Managing Your Finances In This Crisis

TDFs own bookkeeper shares her wisdom to help tackle the financial impact of COVID-19.
Small Business

How Sussex Tapware Future-Proofed Their Family Business

Vanessa Katsanevakis shares how she turned around her father’s 29-year old tapware foundry.
Small Business

Five Ways To Cultivate A Great Company Culture

Five ways to create a work environment that engages and inspires!
Small Business

Minimum Wines, Maximum Delight From Matt + Lentil Purbrick

Matt and Lentil Purbrick of Growth and Gathered share their new minimum intervention wine label.
Small Business

5 Ways To Make Instagram Great Again!

Our small business columnist on how to boost engagement and make the platform work for you!
Small Business

5 Tips For Hiring A Dream Team

How to find and hire the right employees, with tips from Lucy, and Paris Thomson of SIRAP.
Small Business

PR On Any Budget, With Tips From The Best In The Biz!

When it comes to publicity, is it simply a case of contacting media and hoping for the best? Four local PR experts respond!
Small Business

How To Get That Side Project Started

Groupon, Unsplash, WeWork, Craigslist and even Twitter were created initially as side hustles – maybe it's time to get your idea off the ground?
Small Business

How Can Your Business Give Back?

Make a positive impact through your workplace, with advice from the legends at Who Gives A Crap.
Small Business

10 Top Tips From Creative Small Business Owners

The best advice from all the small business owners we've chatted to over the past two years!
Small Business

Is Your Business All Set For 2019?

How to set goals for a successful new year with My Daily Business Coach.
Small Business

Knowing When To Call In The Experts, According To KeepCup

This Melbourne-born business has taken the world by storm, but they haven't gone it alone.
Small Business

How-To Network For Small Business · Creative Mornings

Two of the best professional development gurus we know share their tips on making connections to benefit your biz.
Small Business

Scaling Up A Small Business, With Firecracker Event

Our small business expert chats to caterer Cassie Lucas about scaling up, feeling the fear and doing it anyway!
Small Business

How To Build Community Around Your Business

How investing in Community has been the secret to success for Australia's favourite independent bookseller, Readings.
Small Business

Demystifying Supply Chains + Logistics With T2

Overwhelmed by business buzzwords? This case study with the legends who turned a single shop in Fitzroy into a global powerhouse should clear things up.
Small Business

EOFY Money Matters With Counting Clouds

TDF's very own brilliant bookkeeper gives us the lowdown on small business finance.
Small Business

5 Steps To Launch A Business

Our small biz whiz, Fiona Killackey, talks with the founders of new locker brand, Mustard, on launching with a bang.
Small Business

Analysing Analytics · Studio Elke

Fiona Killackey chats to Elke Kramer and Kate Hurst of object and jewellery brand Studio Elke, about the importance of crunching the numbers.
Small Business

Building A Team · Foolscap Studio

Adele Winteridge, founder of award-winning Foolscap Studio, talks balancing people, purpose and profit.
Small Business

How To Collaborate Right · Robert Gordon

It may be trending, but is creative collaboration worth the effort for your business?
Small Business

New Year's Resolutions Of An Overly-Ambitious Multitasker · Elle Murrell

Our Managing Editor, Elle, tackles 'Adulting', with three key 2018 goals.
Small Business

New Year's Resolutions of a Filmmaker · Paris Thomson

How to make your dreams come true in 2018, according to the ever-inspiring founder of SIRAP motion studio!
Small Business

The Planthunter's 'Things to Meander Towards in 2018’

Our gardens columnist Georgina Reid keeps new year's goal-setting real, with a trio of 'things to meander towards in 2018’.
Small Business

New Year's Resolutions of a Freelance Photographer · Caitlin Mills

A fortnight into 2018, Caitlin Mills has her sights set on the balancing act of professional improvements plus chill-out time and companionship.
Small Business

A Business Guru's Guide to 2018 Goal Setting (Part 2!)

Our Small Business Columnist Fiona Killackey offers her tips for setting and reaching your business goals.
Small Business

Goal Setting with 6 of Australia's Fave Creatives · Part 1

A bunch of brilliant local creatives and entrepreneurs talk 2017 highlights, aims for 2018, and big-picture planning.
Small Business

New Year's Resolutions of an Editor/Stylist · Lucy Feagins

Our Editor/Founder/Boss Lady shares three of her 2018 goals.
Small Business

Going Global · Georgia Perry

Our last Small Biz column for the year offers global inspiration for local small business.
Small Business

Website Optimisation · Cultiver

A case study on the Sydney-based linen brand, with tips to make the most of your online presence.
Small Business

Partners in Life and Work

Words of wisdom from successful couples who live and work together.
Small Business

Get CV Savvy

We talk stand-out job applications with Anna Ross of Kester Black and Abigail Crompton of Third Drawer Down.
Small Business

Recommended Reading

Two of our favourite book lovers share their top reads.
Small Business

Marketing Strategy · Bonnie and Neil

Fiona Killackey discovers how the homewares studio has managed to balance marketing needs with creative output.
Small Business

The Value of Mentors

Sommelier Matt Skinner, artist Reko Rennie, and the Dowel Jones duo reflect on the importance of positive role models.
Small Business

Retail Strategy · Dinosaur Designs

Dinosaur Designs Co-Founder and Creative Director Lousie Olsen shares insights into the success of her iconic retail brand.
Small Business

Advice on Changing Tack

Annie Abbott of footwear phenomenon Habbot, and Mr Draper’s Alistair Birrell talk plotting a new career.
Small Business

Achieving Work/Life Balance

This afternoon we explore the ideal of ‘work/life balance’. Is it ACTUALLY attainable? Tamara Maynes of The Establishment Studios and Emilio Fuscaldo from Nest Architects think IT IS, and kindly share some of their valuable insights!
Small Business

Mastering Visual Content · Pony Rider

A case study on creating a strong aesthetic and consistently engaging visuals for your brand.
Small Business

Tips on Motivating Teams

Amanda Henderson of Gloss Creative, and Berry Liberman of Small Giants share food-for-thought on motivating their respective teams.
Small Business

Kitchen Essentials

The tools restauranteur Michael Pham, cook/author Julia Busuttil Nishimura, and caterer Cassie Lucas can't cook without!
Small Business

Email Marketing · Third Drawer Down

Our Small Business columnist talks segmenting audience, the power of personalisation and loveable GIFs.
Small Business

Top Creative Apps

Inspiring intel from our favourite local creatives.
Small Business

Ideas on Productivity

A new short and snappy series of inspiring quotes from our fave local creatives.
Small Business

Profit with Purpose · Koskela

Can money and meaning co-exist?
Small Business

Chelsea Bagan of Trophy Wife Salon

Chelsea Bagan runs Trophy Wife, a unique nail art service and beauty salon in Richmond.
Small Business

Abigail Crompton of Third Drawer Down

Lessons learnt with Abigail Crompton, the inspiring entrepreneur behind Third Drawer Down, a multifaceted creative retail and design / production business in Melbourne.
Small Business

Sophie Storen and Nicole De Bono of Cookes Food

Small Business

Christopher Boots

Small Business

Annie Abbott of Habbot

Small Business

Daine Singer, Gallerist

Small Business

Jeremy Wortsman of The Jacky Winter Group

Small Business

Cindy-Lee Davies of Lightly

Small Business

Amy and Joel Malin of Modern Times

Small Business

Anna Ross of Kester Black

Search
Subscribe
Homes
Creatives
Gardens
Climate
Explore
Magazine
Home ToursArchitectureInteriorsApartments
Studio VisitA Day In The LifeSmall BusinessFamily
Coastal GardenCountry Small GardensSuburban GardenPublic Garden
Sustainable HomesGreenPowerHelpful Guides
ShoppingOn The MarketMid Century HomesRenovationsTDF Talks PodcastNews
Latest IssueFAQStockistsManage Subscription
Homes
Creatives
Gardens
Climate
Explore
Magazine
Contact Us

The Design Files’ original content and photos are copyright protected. Please email us before reposting our content on other publications, personal websites, or Instagram. Feel free to share our images on Pinterest using the credit ‘via thedesignfiles.net’. Thank you!

The Design Files acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

First Nations artists, designers, makers, and creative business owners are encouraged to submit their projects for coverage on The Design Files. Please email submissions@thedesignfiles.net

CONTACT
Editorial: bea@thedesignfiles.net
Submissions: submissions@thedesignfiles.net
Advertising: ads@thedesignfiles.net

AboutAdvertisingContactContributorsFAQsPrivacy PolicyArchive