“I first became consciously aware of the power of colour when I decorated my first Sydney apartment in the early 1980’s. It went from a dreary beige to a colour inspired by the view of the Blue Mountains. It was breathtaking and lifted my spirits every time I walked into that room.

My training in colour and paint began a few years later when I did a course on traditional painted finishes techniques in London. On my return to Sydney, I set up a specialist painting company, Crump & Stubbs, adapting the traditional techniques to painting walls in more contemporary interiors.

I remember mixing up dozens of eggs for egg tempera frescos for the restaurant of The Royal Hotel in Paddington and painting Grahame Murphy’s apartment in distemper made from rabbit skin glue! Working onsite, mixing colour and handling paint was invaluable experience.

While working for the new Museum of Contemporary Art in the 1990’s, my passion for art was ignited and I began studying painting with Sydney artist Charlie Sheard. Though an abstract painter, Charlie was passionate to keep alive the colour secrets of the great masters like Velasquez and Titian, which were just as applicable to a contemporary painting. This gave depth to my understanding of colour dynamics.

Working with designers and decorators over the years, I had seen even the professionals’ struggle. Clearly there was a need for advice. After suggesting the idea to Peter Lewis from Porters Paints in 1998, colour consultancy was born. However, it was very important for me to remain independent from any paint company in order to work with as many paint ranges as possible, including New Zealand paint ranges Aalto and Resene. Before long I expanded the concept to work with all the architectural materials and interior finishes.

“When all the materials, finishes, paint and fabrics resonate together and with the landscape, a house really sings”. Rikki is a passionate communicator on the home. Her own homes have appeared in Vogue Living, Belle, Inside Out and House and Garden. Her design column The House Whisperer in the Sydney Sun Herald was unique and led to a Sunday 2UE spot giving colour and design advice.

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LISA ROBERTS
Lisa trained as a furniture designer in the UK before moving to Sydney in 2000 where she studied interior design. Lisa has collaborated with Rikki for more than 15 years specializing in custom joinery design for kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms; and lighting and furniture selection.

“Lisa’s skills perfectly complement my own. Lisa brings a refined eye for detail to her joinery design and to her selections for both furniture and lighting. She is very knowledgeable about unique lighting and furniture designers working all over the world.

We both have a love for natural and  sustainable design.”