Established in 1991, Beautiful Room has built an enviable reputation by providing exceptional service and timeless design solutions.
Specialising in residential work, Maree Howley and Kate Blakeman can offer valuable insight at planning stage and expertise in the selection of paint colours and hard surface finishes. Our Designers thoughtfully layer quality and custom made furniture, window treatments, soft furnishings and accessories, creating beautiful rooms that reflect and enhance the lifestyle of each client.
Maree’s awarded and extensive experience provides valuable project direction and management. Maree can assist with the development of architectural plans for new builds, extensions and renovations as well as conceptual design and the selection of colours and finishes for kitchens, bathrooms and custom cabinetry.
Maree’s style, while technically executed, is primarily aesthetically led. Each space is a carefully considered balance of colour, texture, fine detailing and an overall sense of classic simplicity. Thoughtfully mixing high-end and contemporary furnishings, vintage finds and her clients’ treasured possessions in layers, adding emotional depth to ensure the finished result “feels like home”.
This desire to design and decorate on a deeper level gives Maree’s work its signature warmth and honesty. Maree is an awarded Design Industry leader, recognized for her contribution to mentoring and influencing a new generation of Australian Interior Designers. Maree’s ability to create truly inspiring spaces has cemented her reputation as one of Australia’s best designers.
Kate spent her childhood riding horses and climbing trees on a windswept Island in the middle of Bass Strait. She believes that your home should reflect all that you love and hold close to your heart; your family, your dreams and momentos of a life well lived.
Kate graduated from Monash University with a passion for design. Determined to fast track her career she undertook voluntary work experience at Beautiful Room which promptly lead to an invitation to join the design team full-time. Over the next few years Kate successfully juggled her full-time role as Maree's Design Assistant with further studies, officially graduating from RMIT in 2003.
Today, Kate continues to work closely with Maree from her studio in Mitcham. With a love of natural materials, Kate enjoys working with earthy, muted tones and pieces that have a patina or "a story to tell". Kates' gentle approach allows clients to discover their own design aesthetic, resulting in thoughtful, considered spaces that reflect and support the lives of those who inhabit them.