SHAPING THE FUTURE
Far from ‘just’ considering carpets and curtains, this interior design studio supports clients to live their best lives.
Far from ‘just’ considering carpets and curtains, this interior design studio supports clients to live their best lives.
WORDS PIP CROMBIE | PHOTOS KATIE COX
Sally Lines
I first connected with Urban Lounge’s Sally Lines more than 20 years ago, in her early days of interior design and mine with UNO. Catching up with her now as her business nears an amazing 25-year milestone is very special. These days, she’s creative director of the Mount Maunganui design studio, among a team of nine multi-disciplinary design specialists who collectively bring visual impact and functionality to new builds, interior and exterior renovations, and commercial projects big and small, locally and beyond. This is one of the biggest, if not the biggest design studios in the region, the team bringing diverse expertise and a sprinkle of magic in all they touch.
“I really can’t believe it,” says Sally. “Urban Lounge has been shaped by every person who’s worked here. Each team member has brought a different flavour, perspective and contribution to the company over the past decades. The celebration we’re planning will acknowledge what we’ve built together and include team members past and present . Urban Lounge is not simply about me – it’s bigger than me. It’s about the whole team and the future of the company.”
Last year, Louise Blackmore stepped into the management and expanded leadership role. “I freed Sally up to be the creative director,” she says. “Me managing the day-to-day aspects of the business allows Sally to concentrate on the creativity she’s known for.” Thanks to her background in furniture design, Louise still contributes creatively too.
The perception of interior design has changed since the business began. “It was seen as a privilege, but most people now ensure a budget is incorporated into their project, as the process can be long and decision fatigue is very real,” says Sally.
“There’s research to show that interiors seamlessly melding with exteriors and the multitude of environments in which we live and work do impact our thinking, our sleep, the way we function on a daily basis. We focus on acknowledging the five senses in our design ethos. Do you want to block road noise, harness natural light, encourage airflow? Our value lies in the discussion, our experience and understanding how our clients live. It’s about examining the psychology behind a space and creating something that works in three dimensions, not simply producing an attractive, two-dimensional image.”
This comment leads me to ask the question every business seems to be dealing with today – what of the impact of AI in the design arena? “Yes, we’re certainly seeing it used, and of course we use AI in our administrative platforms,” says Sally. “AI can be helpful to visualise ideas, but an image is not a resolved interior. It doesn’t account properly for natural light, the site, surrounding trees, council requirements or how somebody actually lives. The result can be flat and one-dimensional. People sometimes treat AI-generated concepts as gospel, then discover that it doesn’t work in practice and call us in to rectify the problems. There’s more efficiency with a designer.”
Louise agrees. “Our approach is about keeping people in the process. AI can’t pull the extraordinary out of the bag; good design starts from scratch, provides practical solutions and beautiful aesthetics.”
From interior designers Kayla Celliers and Mel Walker, who you’ll encounter first as a new client, to registered architect Julianne Chou, your project will be sensitively approached by the entire Urban Lounge team. Sales and account manager Victoria Martin Gardner beams in from Melbourne, where she extends the business’s prowess in Australia.
From the first meeting, the process is design-focused and clients are encouraged to visit the studio to immerse themselves in product samples. “We meet representatives from all sorts of industries every week, so we’re constantly exposed to beautiful new things; however, our skill is looking beyond trends, analysing each project as a stand-alone and applying sound design principles,” says Sally.
Their workload shifts between residential and commercial projects, often in a 60/40 split one way then the other as the market changes. Christine Morris oversees the operational delivery of commercial projects, managing client budgets, purchasing and project administration for clients including Metlifecare and other boutique lifestyle villages. This work keeps around two of the team occupied almost permanently.
When I ask Sally what the most meaningful project of her career has been, she doesn’t hesitate. “For the past 10 to 15 years, we’ve had the privilege of working with Stand Tū Māia”.
Secondary specialist service Stand Tū Māia works as an alternative option to state care for children and families affected by complex trauma in New Zealand. “We’ve helped redevelop environments designed to support children and families, transforming spaces that once felt institutional into places that feel like a home, while remaining robust and durable,” says Sally. “Of all the beautiful homes and commercial interiors we’ve completed, this work remains especially important to me. I’ve attended openings with children and their families and cried every time. The organisation’s board and staff do incredible work, and we love being able to contribute.”
You’ll hear more from the Urban Lounge team in upcoming issues of UNO. “There’s so much more to interior design than choosing pretty things,” says Sally. “I hope our new column will help readers think more deeply about what they’re creating and why. We’ll be giving practical help based on the team’s collective expertise in a myriad of areas.” Watch this space!