I'm Louie Frances, a Melbourne-based interior designer and the Design Institute of Australia's Victorian Graduate of the Year, awarded for my work in sustainable design practice.
I'm interested in the whole life of a space: how materials are sourced, made, specified, used and eventually recovered. That interest takes me in a few directions. I'm drawn to buildings with social impact, from affordable and multi-residential housing to public spaces and large commercial projects. I'm equally curious about the people who make and supply what goes into them, whether that's furniture and joinery makers working with circular methods, product designers and suppliers, or consultants helping projects measure and reduce their environmental footprint. And I value the craft and detail of high-end interiors, where quality and longevity go hand in hand.
I work confidently in Revit and AutoCAD and enjoy the rigour of documentation, from full drawing sets to NCC and Australian Standards research. Before design, I worked in teaching, retail and client liaison, and I still tutor peers. I bring that same care for people and clear communication to every project.