​As a Gold Coast owned and operated business for more than 40 years, Affordable Decorators is extremely proud to introduce you to our new Designer Series. Because in a world where you can shop anywhere, there is so much skill and talent on offer when you choose to go local.

As part of Affordable Decorators’ new Designer Series – Working with local, we interview and celebrate the best local thriving talent in our industry. To kick off our exciting new Designer Series, we sat down with Rita Slompo of Gold Coast based Vida Design Studio.

Rita Slompo designs experiences and places to be lived in and loved. “Spaces that make people thrive and live at their best potential,” Rita says.

As part of Affordable Decorators’ new Designer Series—Working with local, we caught up with Rita Slompo of Vida Design Studio.

She’s a former architect and urban designer with a life-long passion for interior design — a profession she has been practicing since 2011. Rita is also a lighting designer and a building biologist, a role that considers all aspects of a building and how it influences our health and wellbeing.

We all know that great design is an artform. It also has a significant impact on our health and wellbeing. At its core, design for health and wellbeing is about creating environments that foster wellness and enrich our lives, a core value the Vida Design Studio knows and practices.

“We look at every project with a holistic view, considering not only the aesthetics of a space, but also all health aspects involved, such as materials, lighting, ergonomics, orientation, and even the energetic and psychological qualities specific to each client,” Rita says.

Affordable Decorators’ most recent collaboration project with Vida Design Studio includes this beautiful family home in Tallebudgera Valley.

“My inspiration comes mainly from my clients… I remember the first time I came here, I was so amazed by the land, the space is so beautiful. I love Tallebudgera Valley.

“So one of the things that I really wanted to make sure of was that the house was connected to and responding to the environment… because the views here are absolutely amazing.”

Of course, working with a team of talented professionals is an integral part of the design process.

“Affordable Decorators is one of my main suppliers. I know when challenges come, and occasionally they will, the Affordable Decorators team have the experience and expertise to suggest solutions and ways that we can overcome those challenges,” Rita says.

“I really trust Charmaine and all of the advice from Affordable Decorators, they do this everyday. You know, curtains and wallpaper is their life. I trust that when I take a client to Affordable Decorators, they are going to be very well looked after in the process from selection to installation.

“Happy clients are always my outcome.”

When it comes to design, Rita says curtains are a foundational component that add layers to a space. They can either be a feature in of itself or an important background panel for everything else in the space.

“So in this case they are working together with all the other colours that we have. They are a feature without competing with everything else,” she says.

In the media room, Rita says the black velvet combines with the automation to give the space an authentic cinematic feel.

“For every room we went and selected seasonal colour, material, texture, there are some fabrics that I really love, like the sheer curtains in the master bedroom, and it works perfectly with the light,” she says.

In these historical times, Rita says it’s essential to understand the role that well designed spaces play in our lives, and more specifically in our psychological and physical health—a design value she brings to every project.

“Since I was six years old, I knew I wanted to be a designer… Now, with up to seventeen years having the bliss of working with what I love most, my passion is to create beautiful and unique spaces that reflect the dreams, lifestyle, and personality of my clients into their homes.”

Fabric Directory

Design – https://www.vidadesignstudio.com.au/

Build – https://www.pivotalbuildingprojects.com.au/

Images – mattcolemanfilm