Sarah Nolen is owner and lead designer for Birdblack Design, a multi-disciplinary design studio based in Wollongong, NSW. She is known for her exquisite designs as well as for the number of awards she has managed to amass in quite a short time.
Most recently, she was crowned KBDi Australian Bathroom Designer of the Year at the KBDi 2023 Designer Awards, held in Brisbane. At the same event she took home the Bathroom Designer NSW, Laundry Design NSW and Australian Laundry Design, Master Suites NSW and Australian Master Suites, Small Bathrooms NSW and Large Bathroom NSW Awards.
“It takes a lot of work to enter awards,” she explains. “So, it’s lovely to have that recognition. Of the four categories we entered, I was the lead designer on only one project so it was so cool to be able to share that with the team and for them to see the results of their hard work”.
Sarah won her first “big” award with KBDi (Kitchen & Bathroom Designers Institute of Australia) in 2016 and she says it took a lot of courage for her to enter. “It was my first full home renovation and it was such a big job. But I was so proud of it and, even now when I look back at that kitchen, I’m still amazed at what we achieved,” she says.
As a young child, Sarah says she always had a creative streak but not necessarily in artistic endeavours such as painting or drawing. She was good with her hands, making and creating, using her problem-solving skills to find solutions and overcome barriers.
“I grew up in a creative household – both my parents were always very creative,” she explains. “I remember always making towns and 3D structures from sticks and leaves or whatever I could get my hands on”.
When Sarah left school, she thought she would follow a path to Architecture as it felt more familiar than the concept of “Interior Design” which was at the time a fairly ambiguous term. A visit to the University of Canberra to attend an information session on architecture led to an accidental discovery of Interior Design. “I saw a sign on a door for an Interior Design information session and I stepped in on a whim,” she says. “A past student was describing the course and it absolutely resonated with me. It was everything I loved about architecture but with that extra layer of creativity”.
Sarah completed her three-year course and graduated with her Bachelor’s degree. She started working in the industry while she was still studying taking on roles as an intern, undergoing practical placements and doing whatever she could to supplement her learning. After graduation, she worked for an Architectural firm in Canberra which had just opened an Interior Design division and then moved into a role with a specialist interior design firm.
“I always contemplated going out on my own,” she admits. “But I will always be grateful for the benefits of having all that experience before I established my own business. The catalyst was a move to Wollongong where I looked for work but I couldn’t find anything that felt like a good fit. So, I saw that as a sign to start my own firm”.
As with all small businesses, in the beginning Sarah took on all the job roles and supplemented that with a variety of interns as a way to help others studying in the industry. Becoming established took time – Sarah says it was at least five years before word-of-mouth and referrals were providing the bulk of her work.
“When I started, I knew I had to invest to make sure the business would be a success,” she says. “I took the first five to six months to build the website, prepare the business, undertake an intense amount of networking and make sure I was properly established before we officially launched”.
The name of the business is very personal but also carefully chosen as Sarah knew she didn’t want to link her name to her business. “Somehow I always knew eventually I would have a team and it was important that the designers all feel part of a collective,” she explains. Out and about one day, she had a vision of a raven and then her husband suggested the name Blackbird. “When I looked into the character of a blackbird I really felt it fit with my personality and my aesthetic,” Sarah says. “But the name Blackbird was taken by a graphic designer in Queensland so we flipped it which was the best decision we ever made. The name is unique, it makes people think and it’s memorable, so it’s perfect”.
Sarah’s first official job in her new business was the very small task of choosing a tile for a splashback and organising the trades to complete the installation. Then she took on a bathroom renovation, then another, and continued networking and building the business.
Her favourite project to date is the recently launched Hai Lang Residence. “The projects that resonate with me most are the ones where the client trusts us and this project is no exception,” she explains. “It was challenging in every respect – everything was curved and many of the materials and application were all experimental – so we faced many roadblocks along the way. But I’m so proud of how we pushed through – it was a huge collective effort over the last four years to see it through to completion”.
When it comes to the professionalism of her industry, Sarah feels passionately about accreditation for Interior Designers and educating the industry and the public about professionally-trained Designers and the strengths they can bring to a project. “Accreditation allows us to make the distinction between us and other sectors of the industry,” she says. “I welcome the opportunity to set some standards and benchmark what it means to be an Interior Designer in Australia”.
Sarah does feel that a blanket ban on those without a formal education is not the right approach but she is also passionate about protecting hers and her peer’s rights and having that level of oversight that governs the industry and encourages everyone to provide a more professional level of service.
When asked what advice she would give to those starting out in the industry, she is quick to respond. “Get your degree – that’s what’s going to set you apart,” she says. “Do the hard yards at the beginning of your career and understand that it’s now super competitive. It’s become a very ‘trendy’ career path to follow and most don’t realise how hard you have to work”.
She also recommends developing an “epic” portfolio and working on developing self-confidence. “Ask lots of questions and plan for ongoing learning. Be open to continuing professional development and always be willing to be taught and have the perseverance to keep going,” she advises.
One area Sarah definitely recommends new Designers work on is fostering a belief in yourself. “Creative people can also be sales people but you need to be taught how to make that combination”, she says. “I was definitely shy growing up but, being in business, you don’t have that luxury”.
The other area of advice Sarah has is related to awards and when or how to enter. “I know that feeling of not winning,” she says. “I don’t want people to think we were handed anything – we had plenty of years of entering and walking away with nothing. It’s hard but you have to keep going. All the top designers have had breakthrough projects and you will have yours. While you wait, enjoy the clients who trust you even if it’s a lower budget project – their trust in you is the win”.
In terms of what’s next for Birdblack Design and Sarah’s team, now the Hai Lang Residence is finished they are embarking on a daunting project in Fiji which is next-level complicated. All materials and supplies must be shipped over meaning logistical challenges to overcome as well as managing communication. Then, another large project on the South Coast of NSW which will afford them the opportunity to try a few new tricks, work with some new and interesting materials and generally stretch their creative muscle. So, watch this space.
For more information visit birdblackdesign.com.au/
