How a great designer and a diplomat with global commercial experience are redesigning Melbourne's homes to be relatable to any potential buyer.
Preparing a home for sale is a potentially stressful undertaking for many, and working and negotiating with anxious homeowners can feel like a diplomatic exercise. Enter Design and Diplomacy, a multi-disciplinary interior design company specialising in property styling and renovations for Melbourne’s real estate market, and a trusted partner of Kay & Burton's Concierge service.
Image: Kay & Burton Concierge collabortation Source: Kay & BurtonDesign and Diplomacy Commercial Director Tim Gauci is a former diplomat, an experienced international business and marketing consultant who has advised and represented important corporations in Australia, Europe, and Asia. Tim held positions with government as the Australian Consul General to Milan and the Australian Senior Trade Commissioner to Vietnam. In addition to his diplomatic and international business experience, Tim was the Director of one of Vietnam’s first export quality furniture and homewares design and manufacturing companies.
Image: Creative Director Nicole Langelier Source: Design and DiplomacyCreative Director Nicole Langelier is the designer of the pair. Originally from New York, Nicole has worked in many of the world’s major cities over the past 2 decades, including New York, Milan, Rome, Los Angeles, and Melbourne. She holds a BFA in Product (furniture) Design from Parsons School of Design in New York, and a Masters in Interior and Living Design from Domus Academy in Milan.
WILLIAMS MEDIA spoke to Tim Gauci about Design and Diplomacy’s services and their partnership with Kay & Burton Concierge.
What was the inspiration for Design and Diplomacy?
Nicole and I saw a space in the market where a great designer and a diplomat with global commercial experience could, as a team, deliver great design with commercial sense.
Image:Collingwood warehouse apartment Source: Design and DiplomacyThe real estate market in Melbourne is unique and the numbers from a dollar point of view are significant so, being able to provide cost effective solutions tailored to a specific client made sense. There was no other company in the space that we were aware of who could offer an end-to-end solution. Ultimately, our inspiration was based on our unique skill sets and a hot market.
How do you describe what you do in two sentences?
We provide an end-to-end service for people looking to maximise the value of their property. From repairs to cosmetic renovations, married with furniture accessories and artwork specifically targeting the potential buyer demographic.
Source: Design and DiplomacyWhat attracted you to join Kay & Burton Concierge’s team of trusted referral partners?
I am a long-time friend of Kay & Burton MD Ross Savas and our mutual trust and appreciation for our individual skills made the collaboration a ‘no brainer’. I was invited by Ross a couple of years ago to workshop the Concierge concept with his senior team. I have always been a strong believer in adding value around a product or service to set the brand apart from the competition. Once the model was up and running D+D were invited to be preferred suppliers.
Image: Collaboration with Kay & Burton Concierge Source: Kay & BurtonDesign and Diplomacy offer a range of services including property styling and staging, interior design and even project coordination for renovations to ensure a property is at its best and has a wide appeal when presented for sale.
Are Design and Diplomacy services only for those wishing to sell their homes?
No, we have now expanded our services based on client demand to offer a full range of services from property prep and styling to interior design, renovations for private clients, property maintenance and consulting services on planning and building.
Source: Design and DiplomacyHas anyone decided to stay in their home after having it ‘reborn’ by you?
Yes! And it can sometimes be a challenge for the agent who listed the property, however we take it as a compliment! Often after we complete the works and styling our clients will tell us that they did not think it was possible to transform their home so quickly and with an end result worthy of a design magazine. We really love this type of feedback. It’s food for our souls!
What is the most ‘interesting’ assignment you’ve been given?
‘Zetland’ on Yarra St Hawthorn.
Image: 16 Yarra St Hawthorn, a Victorian villa c1873 designed by celebrated architect William J. Ellis. Source: Kay & BurtonDid you take it on?
Yes! It was a risk, but it really worked. And our client went from “I’m not sure about this" to "I love it!” It was a lot of fun and our preferred photographer really understood what we were trying to do. He nailed it with the shots.
How often does your experience as a diplomat come into play when dealing with a client?
Pretty much every time. I have been fortunate enough to have lived and worked in many countries over 17 years and each time I learnt to quickly understand how things work, how the culture drove behaviour and that all people are different for many reasons. My diplomatic career has also importantly taught me patience and how to listen and engage with people.
Source: Design and DiplomacySelling a home for many people is the largest transaction they will undertake in their lives and along with this comes stress and anxiety. My role here is to listen and understand the client’s expectations and primary outcome, and then to walk them through the process, break it down, reduce the stress and give them the confidence that we will deliver for them.
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone about to market their home?
Two things here are crucially important!
Having lived and worked overseas for 17 years, how is Australian style different from Europe, USA and Asia?
Australia fights well above its weight when it comes to style. With many Australians coming from different countries there is a great deal of diversity here and along with that comes a wide range of styles and looks. Australia is also by global standards a wealthy country and so Australians tend to travel a lot. This means exposure to different cultures, styles and ‘looks’. Australia carries a wide range of styles across a wide range of areas – architecture, interior design, fashion etc. Whilst many of the countries I have visited are unique, they tend to gravitate to one or a few different styles, based mostly on their long histories (unlike Australia which is young by comparison) and also consideration of weather – architecture, interiors and fashion are very much affected by the weather in that particular region.
Source: Design and DiplomacyWhat is something that would surprise our readers about you?
There are about 10,000 stories that would qualify here but many I just can’t tell! One that comes to mind is a dinner held in my honour in Hanoi, Vietnam. My hosts, senior officials from Vietnam’s national phone and data carrier, held the dinner at a Snake Restaurant just out of Hanoi. On sitting down we were presented with a live (very angry) Cobra stretched out right in front of me. After displaying the snake, the 2 young men holding it disappeared out the back. I thought that was it, show the westerner the snake, scare him a little then on to a delicious Vietnamese dinner. No… 5 mins later the waiter came back with shot glasses full of a red liquid. The snake’s blood. Everyone stood up made a short speech and then raised their glasses – me included, said “một trăm phần trăm” (100 percent in Vietnamese) and sculled the drink. Of course I had to also so I stared them all down (they thought I would not do it) and sculled mine also. Feeling pretty good about myself I sat down expecting now to enjoy a great meal. Errr… no. The waiter then came back with a plate covered by an upside down bowl and put it down in front of me. Everyone stood again and started clapping gesturing to me to lift the bowl. So, sheepishly I did. Under the bowl was another shot glass, this time full of rice wine spirit and floating in the spirit was what looked like a small oyster – but an oyster that was pulsating like a heart… yep, it was the Cobra’s live beating heart freshly ripped out of its body. So, again for king and country, I stood, looked everyone in the eye and downed that sucker. The room went berserk! And so after that my reputation in Vietnam was untouchable! (The things I have had to do on behalf of Australia…)
Image: Porsche 944S2 restoration Source: Design and DiplomacyWhat do you enjoy in your down-time?
I am serious petrol head!! I’m an amateur builder and I also lift weights to stay in shape (every day for 42 years). These days my weekends are taken up with customising motorcycles. I have 2 finished projects and have just started a third. Prior to that my engine fetish was targeted at old Porsches. A 1981 911 SC and then a 944S2. Both different but beautiful all the same.
Where do you live now, and where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world?
I live in Hepburn Springs out near Daylesford in Spa Country. And I would not live anywhere else now! We renovated an old Victorian on 1,000sqm. I’ve just finished building a studio at the back of the property for my adorable wife Nicole. Nicole is a designer and artist and now has her own little slice of paradise in our larger slice of paradise. Kangaroos in the front yard, wombats, echidnas and kookaburras. All part of our daily life!
Similar to this: