Annie MacLean is among Australian Design Review’s 30UNDER30 Interior and Product Designers for 2024/2025. Below, we get to know MacLean, who is the proud founder of her own practice and vows to increase the accessibility of interior design no matter the size or scale of the project.

Australian Design Review: Do you remember your first encounter with design?

Annie MacLean: I used to daydream a lot as a child. Redesigning a space in my head used to be my way to curb boredom and still very much is. I remember being eight or nine years old and sitting in an old country hall while my older sister performed with the local junior orchestra, and I spent the afternoon mentally redesigning the hall to pass the time.

When my mum later asked me if I enjoyed the day, I proudly told her what I did all afternoon (along with my grand visions for the hall). She said that one day I might want to become an interior designer. From that day on, that is all I have ever wanted to be.

Middle Park House. Photo: Pier Carthew

ADR: How would you describe your work?

AM: It’s a fusion of the two offices that I was fortunate to learn in and the result of a childhood spent growing up in a country town and spending a lot of time travelling overseas with my family. I like to think of my work as both minimal and refined, but with a feminine, understated and European-inspired edge. I love a pared-back palette of honest materials, including plaster, natural stone and soft timbers layered with antique pieces, textured furnishings and unexpected details. 

When in doubt, I always try to design a space that I would love to live in myself, which I think maintains a very attuned aesthetic no matter the project.

Rogers St House. Photo: Pier Carthew

ADR: What has been a highlight in your career so far? 

AM: A personal highlight is undoubtedly establishing my own business and working with amazing clients, but as I am only in my infancy as a solo practitioner, some of my greatest work achievements have been at previous offices.

I had the honour of attending the 2022 SubZero and Wolf Awards in Nashville and receiving the ‘Contemporary Kitchen’ first place award on behalf of our office for the Brighton House. It was such an incredible experience to attend the three-day event alongside talented designers from all around the world. Receiving recognition for a design that I helped create was a very humbling and inspiring moment.

ADR: If you could work with any designer, artist or other creative – living or dead – who would it be and why?

AM: Piero Portaluppi. I visited Villa Necchi Campiglio when I was in Milan a couple of years ago, and it is one of the most exquisite and captivating houses I have ever set foot in. I would love a masterclass in timeless design from someone like Portaluppi, who seemed like a visionary at the time, yet has somehow managed to design a house that still seems relevant today.

Middle Park House. Photo: Pier Carthew

ADR: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

AM: We are currently renovating our house, so any spare time is currently spent designing or working on the build with my partner Jake, who is conveniently a builder.

Our renovation has thankfully got to a stage where I can’t change my mind, but it has been such a rewarding and intensive experience designing something for myself on a very strict budget.

Traipsing across Melbourne to pick up vintage finds from Facebook Marketplace also seems to consume a lot of my other spare time, much to Jake’s frustration!

Middle Park House. Photo: Pier Carthew

ADR: What do you do to kickstart your creativity when you’re in a rut?

AM: I’ve always been a morning person and know that creativity strikes me best early in the morning when it’s still dark and my brain is fresh. I love a calm and dimly lit space with a candle flickering and my own playlist playing in the background. I feel like my focus intensifies and I always get my best creative work done when it is early.

ADR: What guiding values drive you and what kind of impact do you hope to make through your work?

AM: I realised how inaccessible interior design can be after stepping out on my own after working in high-end design for many years. I think good design doesn’t need to cost the earth, and simple details and honest and cost-effective materials can make a design appear more high-end than it is. It’s been a joy to work with my own clients across differing scopes and budgets, and hopefully bring a sense of refinement and consideration to their projects, no matter the scale. 

At the end of the day, my guiding principle is to design a home or space that improves the lives of my clients and makes renovating as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. As long as I get that right, every project is a success.

Rogers St House. Photo: Pier Carthew

ADR: Why did you enter Australian Design Review’s 30UNDER30?

AM: I have always followed ADR’s 30UNDER30 program, as it is an incredible opportunity for young designers to be mentored by some of Australia’s leading industry voices. This year felt like the right time to apply, as it is my last eligible year and I am also finally able to showcase some of my private work as part of my portfolio. 

I was so humbled and excited to be included in the final 30 alongside many talented designers. I am very much looking forward to all the conversations and experiences as part of the program.

ADR’s 30UNDER30 Interior and Product Designers stream is brought to you by major sponsor Neolith, alongside Krost, Miele, Interface and Tongue & Groove. The program is also supported by practice partners Arent&Pyke, BLP, BVN, Cera Stribley, COX Architecture, GroupGSA, Hassell, HDR, Richards Stanisich, Rothelowman, SJB and Williams Burton Leopardi. To find out more about the final 30, head to the winners page.