Do I need an interior designer for a renovation or new build?

Involving an interior designer early — whether you're renovating an existing home or building from scratch — means your layout, material selections, cabinetry, lighting, and finishes are all considered together before decisions get locked in. Changes are far less costly at the planning stage than after building starts. A two-hour consultation for $180 is often the clearest way to understand what working with a designer would actually involve for your specific project.

Is hiring an interior designer expensive? I'm not sure if it's for me.

Interior design isn't only for high end or large scale projects. Greer Mayberry Design works with clients across a range of budgets and project sizes, from a focused two-hour consultation through to full service design for whole home renovations. The consultation is the low risk starting point: you get professional direction and a clear picture of what the full process would involve, with no obligation to go further.

Am I locked in once I receive a quote? What if I want to make changes?

No. Once a client receives a quote from Greer Mayberry Design, there is flexibility to adjust the scope before committing. The process is designed to give you choices, not lock you in. Many clients find this is the point where the process starts to feel manageable — you can see what's involved, ask questions, and decide what's right for your project and budget.

How long does an interior design project take?

Timelines vary depending on the scope of work and the trades involved. The design phase — concept development, selections, documentation — is typically completed within a few weeks to a few months depending on project complexity. The build phase (construction, cabinetry, installation) takes longer and depends on trade availability and the scale of the project.

Can Greer give me a rough idea of what the build will cost?

Yes, within reason. While Greer Mayberry Design cannot provide firm builder or cabinet maker quotes, Greer draws on years of local project experience to give clients a realistic ballpark for material and build costs based on their brief. For more detailed costings, trades are brought in early in the process to provide accurate quotes based on the design documentation.

Does Greer project manage?

Greer Mayberry Design does not offer formal build project management, however Greer remains a supportive presence throughout the process. She can assist with design decisions during construction, answer questions, liaise with trades and suppliers where needed, and help ensure the original vision is carried through. The day to day running of site works, scheduling, budgets and builder supervision is typically managed by you, your builder, or a project manager, with Greer there to support the design side along the way.

Can I use my own trades?

Absolutely. Greer encourages clients to use trades they already know and trust, or those recommended by their builder. Existing relationships often make for a smoother process. If you're starting from scratch, Greer is also happy to recommend trusted trades and suppliers to help get you started.

Can you incorporate my existing furniture or favourite pieces?

Absolutely. A home doesn't need to start from scratch to feel beautifully considered. Greer loves working with meaningful pieces you already own and will design around the items you'd like to keep, blending them into the new direction through colour, texture, layout and layering.

How can an interior designer save me money?

Working with an interior designer can save both time and money. Greer helps you make the right decisions early, avoiding costly mistakes, delays, and expensive changes later in the build or renovation process. She also saves you countless hours researching products, suppliers and finishes by narrowing options quickly and clearly. Access to trusted suppliers and trade resources can also provide value that isn't always available to the general public.

I don't know what style I want, can you still help?

Definitely. Many clients begin the process knowing what they like, but not how to define it. Start collecting images, spaces or details you're drawn to, and Greer will help identify the common thread. She is experienced in interpreting personal style and translating it into a home that feels cohesive, elevated and genuinely yours.

Interior Designer Anglesea | Greer Mayberry Design

Interior Designer Anglesea

Greer Mayberry Design is a Geelong based interior designer offering interior design, interior decoration, and consultation services in Anglesea and along the Great Ocean Road. Having worked on residential projects in Anglesea, Greer understands the specific brief Surf Coast holiday homes present.

What's different about interior design in Anglesea?

Anglesea is quieter, more nature oriented, and most of its homes are used seasonally by established couples who want their property to feel personal, considered, and built to last. The design brief there is more about longevity, sustainability, and making a holiday house feel genuinely like yours.

The demographics tell you a lot. Two thirds of Anglesea's dwellings are holiday homes. The permanent population is small and older than other Surf Coast towns. The people renovating or furnishing properties there have usually already done it themselves in other homes. The sustainable design ethic is also genuinely strong here. Clients ask about materials, longevity, and where things come from. They know what they want. What they need is someone to pull it together in a way they couldn't quite get to alone.

Greer's interior design work in Anglesea

A couple in Anglesea contacted Greer ahead of a Christmas gathering. They had done significant renovations on their home over the years, including the kitchen, and had a strong sense of direction. What they couldn't do was pull the living room together into something that felt cohesive.

They knew what they liked. But they had reached the point where buying one piece and then another was leaving them with things that didn't quite sit together. They were tired of starting again. They wanted someone who would come in and make those decisions, bring both of them onto the same page, and arrive at a finished result that felt like them.

The living room received significant sunlight through upper windows, so every fabric selection involved checking the material's fade resistance. The clients cared about sustainability: the composition of fibres, the provenance of pieces, how long something would last. Travertine was the right stone for the setting. Short cut natural fibre rugs over loop pile, for ease of maintenance.

"Travertine emulates the waves in the sea. It's a really beautiful stone to place into a seaside home."

Greer Mayberry

What to avoid in Anglesea interior design

The biggest mistake in Anglesea is the coastal cliché: shells, whitewash, nautical stripes, and accessories that theme the house rather than furnish it.

Gone are the days of the little shells and the driftwood frames. That aesthetic has been done thoroughly enough that it now reads as a display home from a decade ago, not a considered choice. What works now is a little nod to the coastal setting rather than a full commitment to it. A piece of photography from the beach. Natural textures in the linen and the timber. Travertine that references the cliff face without announcing itself. The coastal location comes through in the material quality and the indoor outdoor flow.

One practical note on rugs: loop pile traps sand and is difficult to maintain near a beach. Short cut pile is easier to clean and lasts longer. Bare feet and natural surfaces go together. These are the kinds of decisions that come from knowing how a house will be used, not just how it will look in a photograph.

For a clearer picture of what interior design services involve and how a project typically works, the Services page covers each stage in detail.

Greer Mayberry Design is based in Geelong and works with clients in Anglesea, along the Great Ocean Road, and across the Surf Coast. If you're renovating or building a new home, a two hour consultation for $180 is the best place to start.

Book a Consultation | or call Greer on 0439 666 386

Based in Geelong. Working across Geelong, the Surf Coast, and Melbourne.

Common questions about designing Anglesea homes

Yes. Greer Mayberry Design's Surf Coast work involves homes used seasonally. The design process works around your schedule and can be managed remotely with site visits at key decision points. A two hour consultation is the ideal starting point and can often be arranged while you're in Anglesea for a weekend.
Generic coastal interiors look like rentals because they're designed for nobody in particular. A home that feels personal has furniture chosen at the right scale, a colour palette with intention, and materials that reference the landscape. A consultation with Greer Mayberry Design is the place to work out what that looks like for your specific property.
Travertine is a natural choice: its texture and subtle movement reference the stone and sea of the coastal setting, and it ages beautifully. Short cut natural fibre rugs are easier to maintain near a beach than loop pile. Engineered hardwood is the right floor choice. Fabrics in sun exposed rooms should be chosen for fade resistance, particularly near windows that take strong morning or afternoon light. You don't have to choose between hard wearing and beautiful.
Timelines vary depending on the scope of work and the trades involved. The design phase: concept development, selections, documentation is typically completed within a few weeks to a few months depending on project complexity. The build phase (construction, cabinetry, installation) takes longer and depends on trade availability and the scale of the project.
Greer Mayberry Design does not offer formal build project management, however Greer remains a supportive presence throughout the process. She can assist with design decisions during construction, answer questions, liaise with trades and suppliers where needed, and help ensure the original vision is carried through.
The day to day running of site works, scheduling, budgets and builder supervision is typically managed by you, your builder, or a project manager, with Greer there to support the design side along the way.
Absolutely. Greer encourages clients to use trades they already know and trust, or those recommended by their builder. Existing relationships often make for a smoother process. If you’re starting from scratch, Greer is also happy to recommend trusted trades and suppliers to help get you started.
Working with an interior designer can save both time and money in many ways. Greer helps you make the right decisions early, avoiding costly mistakes, delays, and expensive changes later in the build or renovation process. She also saves you countless hours researching products, suppliers and finishes by narrowing options quickly and clearly. Access to trusted suppliers and trade resources can also provide value that isn’t always available to the general public.
Definitely. Many clients begin the process knowing what they like, but not how to define it. Start collecting images, spaces or details you’re drawn to, and Greer will help identify the common thread. She is experienced in interpreting personal style and translating it into a home that feels cohesive, elevated and genuinely yours.
Greer Mayberry Design is based in Geelong and works with residential and commercial clients across:
Geelong, Torquay, Surf Coast, Barwon Heads, Ocean Grove, Anglesea, Jan Juc, Bellarine Peninsula and along Great Ocean Road.