This week we talk to Krystal Sagona, founder of Interior Flow, an interior design consultancy that harnesses architectural expertise, feng shui and minute attention to detail to craft an environment designed to boost productivity and stimulate the senses.
ISB: I understand you have a holistic approach to fit outs and renovations – please tell us briefly what that approach is.
KS: Being intuitive is something that is innately ingrained in what I do, and when I realised life that this wasn’t the “norm” within interior design, I determined to create spaces to heal the people within them and to empower everyone who used those spaces to thrive.
I am fascinated with the biology of energy that is readable in lay lines in the earth, and this prompted me to study the Art of Feng Shui. When given the opportunity I combine my design with Feng Shui to create a holistic design approach – the Chinese understood that the body and home were intrinsically linked and both needed to be attended to, and I believe that in the modern age, where we spend so much time in our workplaces, we need to pay attention to this relationship for the sake of our wellbeing.
ISB: And what does this approach to interior design mean for the way you go about managing a project and communicating with the client?
KS: I ask my clients if they are interested in incorporating Feng Shui – where the director sits in the office or where someone’s bed is placed in a bedroom can affect their wellbeing and success, but without their willing participation implementing Feng Shui is inconsequential.
Studying my Master in Art Therapy has provided me with the language and tools to discover what is important to clients, which helps me to create a healing environment conducive to work, rest or play, depending on the brief. I find that the more intel I can collate through face-to-face meetings enables me to create a wholesome design that meets clients’ unspoken requirements on a holistic level, which produces a space that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing to the senses.
ISB: How many people does Interior Flow employ, and which geographical region are you able to service?
KS: I employs two staff and we are registered to obtain building permits in Melbourne, Sydney and Tasmania, having completed our most recent interior fitout in Hobart for a data processing company.
ISB: How about marketing – what methods do you employ to find your clients?
KS: Marketing is all about relationships so we nourish our client relationships. We are also registered on the preferred tenders list for Government projects, recently winning our first project with The University of Melbourne.
We do not invest in google ad words or marketing but a number of our clients say they found our website on the internet and it just “felt right” without really being able to explain how they found us out of thousands of options to choose from on google.
ISB: How do you see Interior Flow developing in the next couple of years?
KS: We would like to continue in growing to become the go-to option in change management for workplace wellness. Healthier employees lead to a more productive workforce, reductions in sick days and staff turnover, and can also help attract the best talent as an “employer of choice”. So, it makes sense to employ an interior design consultant prepared to get to know your staff to co-create stories to generate meaningful design.
We take the time to understand people and implement co-created change that is meaningful in assisting to build workplace wellness. We wish to continue the initiative of co-creating thriving and meaningful work environments that build community within the workplace so all its voices are represented.
ISB: Finally, what is the #1 lesson you’ve learnt to date that you’d share with others who are thinking of turning their idea into a business?
KS: Act on your gut feelings and never hold back or double-guess yourself – you may miss an opportunity by thinking about it too long. If you know what inspires you and gets you up out of bed every day, then the hard times will be that little bit easier. Striving to succeed is met by many challenges along the way which create personal growth opportunities, therefore, be prepared to be challenged and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.
