Mariah Burton
Interior designer Mariah Burton is one half of Folk Studio. For Mariah, there has always been a constant in her career trajectory – a deep, personal investment into building the design practice of her dreams.
Photography: Jacqui Turk, Maca Whittle & Jessie Prince
‘Your clients should be your main source of inspiration - don’t design via Pinterest, design with people being your core focus,’ says Mariah Burton from Folk Studio. Pictured: Double Rug Campaign. Photo: Jessie Prince
Young Street Loft by Folk Studio. Photo: Jacqui Turk
H&F: Hi Mariah – what led you here, and how has your journey evolved?
Mariah: I’ve always known I was going to be an interior designer and run my own company. I guess that’s really rare, knowing what you are going to be from a young age, but I just did. I would go to my friend’s homes and do pretend ‘design consults’ for them from the age of 7. I started my design journey with a scholarship to a design university, and from there my passion for interior design grew and I knew that I was on the right path. After years of working for other designers and stylists, I took about a year planning Folk Studio and dreaming of what my own studio would look like one day. Chris (my business partner) and I had a really clear direction for the brand and after a lot of planning, we finally launched Folk Studio almost 5 years ago.
Do you have a disciplined studio routine and any rituals to help keep you focused?
I don’t like to work on multiple projects in one day. I really like to focus on one client and project at a time, it’s hard to jump from one to another in the space of a day. I really try to immerse myself in their lives and it’s difficult to do so if my mind is split between concepts and locations.
As a designer, what’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way?
Your clients should be your main source of inspiration - don’t design via Pinterest, design with people being your core focus.
When did you first understand design as a form of expression?
My clients usually push me and make me think outside of the box. Very often, they will put an idea forward that at first, I may not think will work but I can evolve that idea/concept – it’s this collaboration that makes me continue to explore ideas and design concepts I may have not thought of previously.
Curl Curl House by Folk Studio. Photo: Jacqui Turk
‘I don’t often sit back and think this [is my dream job] but it’s really good to reflect and remind myself that I’m living the life that I dreamt up,’ says Mariah Burton from Folk Studio. Photo: Jacqui Turk
Young Street Loft by Folk Studio. Photo: Jacqui Turk
“We have so many facets of our personalities and it’s my job to see those different sides of my clients and then interpret this into a design. No two clients are the same and this continues to inspire my designs.”
Mariah Burton from Folk Studio. Photo: Maca Whittle
Adam St Project by Folk Studio. Photo: Jacqui Turk
Adam St Project by Folk Studio. Photo: Jacqui Turk
Curl Curl House by Folk Studio. Photo: Jacqui Turk
What/who influences your work?
I may sound like a broken record, but my clients do. We have so many facets of our personalities and it’s my job to see those different sides of my clients and then interpret this into a design. No two clients are the same and this continues to inspire my designs.
What do you value most about working as a team?
I’m always in awe of what everyone brings to the table. Everyone on our team has really different skill sets which makes our daily collaboration really interesting.
How has Folk Studio evolved in recent years?
In so many ways. I would say that our design processes and client experience have become really solid and seamless in recent years. We offer a really beautiful experience to our clients and this isn’t something that just happens in a company, it takes a lot of hard work and trial and error behind the scenes to be able to provide a seamless service.
Is this your dream job?
It certainly is. I don’t often sit back and think this but it’s really good to reflect and remind myself that I’m living the life that I dreamt up. It’s incredibly hard work and long hours running a company, so it’s very easy to forget how lucky I am to be in this position.
Have you faced any hardships to follow this path?
Many challenges! I would say the biggest challenge has been finding balance in my personal life as well as my professional life. I often give 100% of myself to people, so building boundaries was a foreign concept to me. I’ve had to do this in all aspects of my life in order to create a better balance.
What is a good piece of advice you’ve been given or would give?
Increasing your tolerance for discomfort is how you master yourself and grow.
What are you looking forward to most next year?
I’m very excited to shoot two projects that I’ve put a lot of love into, they will be shot in Jan/Feb; I just know our audience will love these! I’m also excited to have a holiday mid-year, I think this will allow me to come up with fresh concepts and spark some inspiration for many of our new projects starting in 2023.