Interior Designer Brisbane & Gold Coast: Your Questions Answered
How does working with an interior designer in Brisbane or on the Gold Coast actually work — especially if you’re coming from Melbourne? Here’s everything you need to know.
Whether you’ve just purchased an apartment in New Farm, a holiday home in Noosa, or a beachside retreat on the Gold Coast — the question I hear most often is: “How does this actually work when I’m not there?”
The short answer is: better than you’d expect. I have been working with Queensland clients — and Sydney based clients— for years. I have an established network of reputable trades across Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. I visit every property in person. And I am present, on-site, at every key moment that matters.
The longer answer is below.
How it works
Do you come to Brisbane and the Gold Coast in person?
Yes — and this is non-negotiable for me. Every project begins with an in-person consultation at your property. I visit Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast regularly, and your initial consultation takes place on-site at your standard consultation fee.
There is simply no substitute for standing in a space, understanding its light, its flow, its proportions — and sitting down with you face to face to hear about what you want your home to feel like. That first in-person meeting shapes everything that follows.
“While much of the project can be managed remotely, I am always there in person when it matters most — at the beginning, at key decision points, and at the final installation.”
Remote tools make a project seamless and efficient. But they don’t replace human presence, and I never try to make them.
When will you be on-site, and when is it done remotely?
Here is an honest breakdown of a typical project — when you can expect me there in person, and when I am working on your behalf remotely.
01 — Initial consultation | IN PERSON
I visit your property in Brisbane, Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast. We walk through the space together, I take measurements, assess the light and flow, and we have a proper conversation about your brief. Charged at my standard consultation fee.
02 — Design concept development | REMOTE
I develop your full design concept — mood boards, floor plan, furniture selections, fabrics, colours and finishes — and present it digitally for your review and approval.
03 — Design presentation | VIDEO CALL
We walk through the full concept together on screen. You see and approve everything before anything is ordered.
04 — Sourcing days | IN PERSON
Planned visits to furniture showrooms and fabric suppliers across Queensland — together or on your behalf. Many clients fly up for a sourcing day; others prefer to leave it entirely to me. Either works beautifully.
05 — Procurement & coordination | REMOTE
I manage all ordering, delivery scheduling and trade coordination. You receive regular photo updates throughout.
06 — Installation & styling | IN PERSON
I am on-site for the final installation and styling. Every piece in place, every detail considered. You arrive to a finished home.
Do you have trades in Brisbane and on the Gold Coast?
Yes — and this is one of the most valuable things I can offer a Queensland client. I have an established network of reputable tradespeople across Southeast Queensland: painters, electricians, curtain and blind installers, furniture delivery and assembly teams, and specialist finishing trades. People I have worked with, whose standard of work I trust completely.
My established trade networks cover:
If your project requires additional specialists — custom joinery, a kitchen update, bathroom work — I can coordinate those too, or work alongside trades you already have a relationship with.
THE EXPERIENCE
What are sourcing days — and should I be there?
Sourcing days are dedicated days where we visit furniture showrooms, fabric houses and decorative suppliers together — making real decisions with real materials in front of us. I plan these around my Queensland visits, and many Melbourne-based clients fly up to join me for the day.
Clients consistently tell me sourcing days are one of the most enjoyable parts of the whole project. You’re not wandering alone trying to make decisions without context — you’re with someone who knows exactly what we’re looking for and why.
“It felt like shopping with someone who actually knew what they were doing. I didn’t second-guess a single decision all day.”
That said, sourcing days are entirely optional. If you’d prefer to leave all of that to me, I am completely comfortable managing it on your behalf — presenting everything digitally for your sign-off before anything is ordered.
I’m buying a holiday home in Queensland but I live in Melbourne. Can you you do this project?
This is exactly the client I work with most often — and yes, wholeheartedly. Whether it’s an apartment in Broadbeach, a Hamptons-style home in Noosa, or a river-view apartment in New Farm Brisbane, the process is designed around the reality that you are not local.
Interstate projects are not a workaround — they are a core part of how I work. The process is well established, and clients consistently find it far less stressful than they imagined.
Where in Queensland do you work?
Brisbane — New Farm, Teneriffe, Fortitude Valley, South Bank, Bulimba, Ascot, Hamilton, Paddington and surrounding inner-city suburbs.
Gold Coast — Broadbeach, Burleigh Heads, Mermaid Beach, Surfers Paradise, Main Beach and Palm Beach.
Sunshine Coast — Noosa, Sunshine Beach, Peregian Beach, Buderim and Maroochydore.
I am also based in Melbourne and Geelong, serving clients across Victoria including the Surf Coast and Mornington Peninsula. If your property falls outside these areas, please get in touch — I am always happy to have a conversation.
How do I get started?
The first step is a complimentary 15-minute call — a relaxed conversation about your project and whether we’re the right fit. No obligation, no pressure.
From there, we schedule your initial in-person consultation at your Queensland property, charged at my standard consultation fee. That visit is the foundation of everything that follows.
Book via the button below, or email me directly at erica@ericafanninginteriors.com I look forward to hearing about your home.
Ready to talk about your Brisbane or Gold Coast home?
Book a complimentary 15-minute call. I visit all Queensland properties in person.
Book your free call → contact Erica today.
