Charlotte Paule founded her eponymous multidisciplinary practice, House of Paule, in 2022. Over the past three years, Paule has combined her devilish attention to detail with her refined eye for materiality to successfully carve out a niche within the Melbourne interior design industry.

Reflecting on her career to date and her vision for the future following the 30UNDER30 high-performance and creativity retreat in Bali, Paule shares where her drive stems from and the impact the retreat has had on her approach to design as a creative practice and a business.

Australian Design Review: Can you tell us about House of Paule and what motivated you to start your own design practice?

Charlotte Paule: I founded House of Paule in 2022 after several formative years in the industry, working at Studio Kennon and Travis Walton Architecture. The decision to forge my own path in the design industry felt intuitive and driven by a deep-seated desire to shape my own direction. My upbringing was steeped in design. My parents are passionate antique collectors and my mother was an interior designer, so I grew up surrounded by objects with history and intention. 

Before design, I trained and performed as a classical ballet dancer, which taught me discipline, spatial awareness and the power of storytelling through movement – elements that continue to shape my approach to space.

Starting my own practice was also about carving out space for thoughtful, concept-driven design. My time at RMIT cemented this, nurturing a rigorous design process grounded in research and narrative. 

I am also deeply inspired by women in design, such as Eileen Gray and Charlotte Perriand, to name just two of my idols. House of Paule seeks to elevate the role of interior design by offering innovative, functional and refined solutions rooted in materiality, heritage, a love of making and craft, and my commitment to championing strong female voices in what remains a male-dominated construction industry.

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

CP: I think it’s vital to have respect for time. By this, I mean having a respect for how spaces evolve, how materials patina and how people grow into their environments. I believe good design should respond to these rhythms, not fight them. I’m passionate about integrating traditional making practices with new technologies, honouring craftsmanship while innovating thoughtfully.

I’m also driven by collaboration and communication – interior design is never done in isolation. The role of a designer is as much about problem-solving and coordination as it is about creativity. 

I want to continue elevating how people perceive our discipline – not just as decoration, but as essential to how we live, work and connect. Whether it’s creating a family home or regenerating a brand identity around a dynamic workplace, my goal is always to listen closely and design responsively.

ADR: What were some of your highlights from the 30UNDER30 high-performance leadership and creativity retreat in Bali?

CP: Meeting everyone on the retreat was a real highlight, especially being surrounded by other young creatives who are all at different stages of finding themselves, either as emerging business owners or as designers stepping into the industry. 

It was refreshing to hear so many diverse perspectives on why people design, and incredibly inspiring to learn about the different paths we’ve all taken.

One moment that stood out was the leadership workshop hosted by Griffith Consulting on the second day. It offered a rare pause for deep reflection and goal-setting, something I really valued amidst the pace of our industry. 

Another highlight was the sustainability tour at Potato Head, which was eye-opening. Seeing how the reuse of waste materials informed not just the architecture but also the furniture design brought a new dimension to how I think about sustainable design.

It felt so unique to be in Bali, away from our usual day-to-day, immersed in a group of passionate and talented creatives. The conversations, energy and connection were incredibly enriching. 

What stayed with me most was the sense that the future of design is in the hands of highly aware, thoughtful people, which is exciting.

ADR: Where do you see yourself in the next five years, and how has this experience at the retreat shaped that vision?

CP: Five years from now, I see myself growing my business further, taking on more projects with intention, becoming more involved in industry events, and carving out space between client work to explore new ideas and make new things. 

I’d love to delve further into product development, as well as experiment with emerging tools like artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) to communicate spatial ideas with more multi-dimensional clarity.

The retreat reaffirmed something important for me: that there isn’t a singular pathway to success. Hearing from mentors and peers about the ups and downs of running a business was a reminder that even the people we look up to are still figuring things out too. That humility was grounding and motivating.

To me, success in five years means creating a practice that feels steady, thoughtful and experimental. What this translates to is a practice where I can grow not only the scope and scale of the work we do, but also the way I think and lead.

Design and leadership will continue to play a central role in that journey, especially as tools for problem-solving, for looking beyond the obvious, and finding meaning through form, material and purpose.

ADR: Do you have advice for any young designers thinking about entering 30UNDER30 in the future?

CP: Apply! It’s one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had. Even if you feel like you’re not ‘ready’, take the plunge because it’s important to value the process of work and the retreat solidifies this. Nothing is ever perfect, complete or finished, and there’s so much to learn when you keep your mind open to the process. Everyone at the retreat brings something unique to the table – and that’s exactly the point.

Come into it with an open mind. Be prepared to challenge your own thinking and experience things you might not have otherwise prioritised in your day-to-day life. One of the most unexpected joys was forming friendships with other young designers from across the country and now being part of a national community back home in Melbourne.

The mentoring program in particular has been incredible. Catching up with mentors, being able to ask questions, problem-solve and share ideas has made me feel much less isolated in navigating the business side of design.

If a young designer asked me tomorrow whether they should apply, I’d say without hesitation: yes, go for it.

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.