“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” Omar Khayyam
And so another year passes, a year filled with momentous events in Australia and across the world. Events that have shaken, stirred and surprised. As we look back on the year that was, what did 2023 mean to you? For us all at KWD, it was a year of evaluation, evolution, elevation, and celebration. And above all, gratitude for our immense blessings and the continued opportunities to do what we love most – designing homes for joyful living. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of the KWD journey over the last 10 years.
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10 YEARS…
By Kate Walker’s side from the very beginning of the KWD journey, KWD’s Executive Team has driven the evolution of the design studio. From working around the dining table in Kate’s home in 2013, to opening a small studio in Mt Martha Village, to expanding the design studio over several spaces within Mt Martha village with a team of 20 professionals, KWD’s growth has been considered and measured with each member of the Executive Team contributing to the stability and success. Our trajectory has been guided by a united vision for exemplary customer service, a commitment to excellence, and creating an environment that inspires creativity, loyalty and team spirit. Along with these stellar individuals, what we have built wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible supply partners, trades, architects, building designers and landscape designers we work alongside every day, and without our wonderful clients who trust us with their most important asset, their home. Here’s cheers to the next 10 years!
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FOUR DAY WORKING WEEK…
As the Founder and CEO of KWD, Kate Walker is always striving to be at the forefront of new developments in best business practice. A progressive thinker and innovator, she was intrigued by the rise of the four-day working week movement, and dived into the research and findings about the weekly structure. After assessing the benefits and the repercussions, Kate felt that the time was right so she set this system in motion. Explains Kate, “Whilst KWD is not in the realm of large organisations where output is easily measured, we are focused on having a culture that appreciates passion, talent and commitment. By fostering this positive environment, the ensuing level of productivity and energy produces incredible results for our clients, a collaborative atmosphere and the work/life balance that was our core goal. For the KWD team, the benefits are significant and outweigh the effort it took to engage in this change.”
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A SHARED VOICE…
“Earlier this year I was honoured to be invited by our friends at The Montauk Lighting Co. to be a guest speaker at a special Q & A event with leading members of Perth’s vibrant and innovative design community. It was a privilege to have the opportunity to tell them about my journey, to talk about the KWD design studio, and to respond to questions they had about the business of interior design. I am not a public speaker. Being in front of an audience does not sit comfortably with me, and I inevitably feel incredibly nervous. However, I believe in facing my fears, in pushing myself outside of my comfort zone, and in giving back to the industry that has served me so well. As Maya Angelou said, “When you learn, teach. When you get, give.”
This event was a turning point for me. I felt validated. The warmth, generosity and support I felt from my fellow designers was extraordinary. We laughed, we were raw, and we took comfort in the knowledge that so many professional, experienced, intelligent and talented people, suffer from imposter syndrome. We are not alone. I encourage you all to speak your truth, to face your fear and do it anyway, and to have the courage of your convictions. Recognise your achievements, talk to your peers, learn to accept compliments, focus on learning and growth, and practice self-care. We are all humans trying to do what we can to make our mark on the world. Our best way forward is to support and encourage others, applaud their successes and acknowledge our own.” Kate Walker
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IN PRINT…
Interior design magazines are a delightful form of inspiration for all of us at KWD, and their acknowledgement and recognition of our work means so much to the team, our partners and our clients. Over the last ten years, KWD projects have been published in local and international magazines, from House & Garden, Home Beautiful, Inside Out and Grand Designs Australia to Home Design, Vogue Living, Country Style and Belle – and this year was no exception. We are so very grateful for the support of each magazine’s editorial team. As ARE Media’s CEO explained recently, “We are really seeing a clear trend around offline media having a resurgence. I think this is directly connected to the overwhelming amount of content and connections that people deal with in a digital sense on a daily basis. Part of our growth is due to people feeling like they need a break from the ‘digital pressure and noise’ and to begin to enjoy content that inspires and informs in a deliberately engaged and analog way.” As avid readers of design magazines, we couldn’t agree more.
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HARD COVERS…
We love a hard cover coffee table design book at KWD, and we love them even more when they feature our projects. This year Inside Out magazine released its first ever hard cover volume featuring a beautifully photographed collection of exemplary modern Australian homes from across the country – including KWD’s Channel Street project. The pages of Modern Country Homes are an ode to the pioneering spirit of good design and the inspiring stories behind the creation of each of these creative modern homes. Australian House & Garden magazine also released its first volume of Classic Contemporary Australian Homes featuring beautifully photographed houses from today’s tastemakers in Australian architecture, interior design and decoration – a stunning array of projects that reflect today’s fresh, warm and aspirational Australian aesthetic. One of KWD’s most loved projects, Beechwood, graced the publication with a stunning 20 page feature. A heartfelt thank you to Eliza and Tanya and the editorial teams of these stunning design books that capture Australian homes so perfectly.