Archives: People

Jane founded  Valentine Interiors and Design Pty Ltd in 2015. 

Jane Valentine leads the team in delivering intriguing and compelling outcomes. She has 27 years of experience in the design industry with multiple national awards, including the 2021 NAWIC Crystal Vision Award, 2019 NAWIC Business Woman of the Year, and recently a state finalist for the Telstra Business Awards. 

Jane is an accredited interior designer with the DIA (Design Institute of Australia), graduated from the University of Tasmania with first-class honours in design, and was awarded the prestigious University medal.

She invests her energy in the design process, her team, and industry collaboration through public talks, written pieces, and education. She works hard to support the design community and society through the studio, becoming carbon neutral, judging national awards, and mentoring students, always ensuring she contributes to something more significant than just her practice.

Jane has taught commercial and residential Interior Design at Foundry (Swinburne University of Technology), specialising in hospitality design, concept development, human centred design, spatial design, and activity-based work environment design. 

In the studio, Jane is our big picture person, constantly shuffling the pieces of every design puzzle to ensure that not only each design element is exceptional but that the whole design is cohesive and utterly compelling. 

Jane has an avid interest in art selection and curation and loves all things hospitality. Her bubbliness and empathetic approach always make you feel at ease when you meet her.

 

 

 

Simon’s energy is infectious, and once you have met him, it is difficult not to walk away with renewed enthusiasm and be utterly inspired.

He is fascinated by ideas and is the first to admit that many of his ideas are a little out there. However, we can tell you that the ideas that make it through the ‘bonkers’ filter are enormously creative, innovative and always based on a better view of the current situation. 

Simon Trewin is constantly collecting and connecting seemingly disparate skills and knowledge. Over three decades, he has developed an exceptionally high level of understanding in hospitality design, branding, marketing, fine art, teaching, writing, design thinking and complex problem solving.

As a qualified chef, Simon has extensive international and national hospitality and food retailing experience. He has created and launched many hospitality ventures, including multiple appearances on the Fast 100 List. He has consulted to industry in New Product Development, Service Design, Innovation & Design Thinking. 

His expertise in hospitality operations of every scale, coupled with a relentless focus on the end-user experience and the importance of operationally sound spaces, enhances the commercial value of every project he is involved in.

Simon has taught entrepreneurship, brand & visual identity and marketing, along with writing and teaching design thinking at University level.

With a passion and deep understanding of spatial design, user experience and architecture, his Certificate IV in Residential Drafting studies was inevitable.

 

Daniela Sandoval is an interior designer and social media consultant with a Bachelor of Interior Design (Commercial) from Torrens University in NSW.

While completing her studies, and for several years previously, Dani worked in busy hospitality venues across Melbourne, Sydney, and Hobart. This combination of human-centred design knowledge and practical, on-the-floor experience means Dani is exceptionally adept at designing to enhance the guest experience while improving functionality and productivity, particularly in hospitality environments.

Dani is a CAD whiz across multiple platforms, and she excels at turning ideas into highly detailed and accurate design documentation. She is also a talented and experienced stylist, having prepared and curated many homes for sale. 

Dani is hardworking and extremely determined, as evidenced by a story she tells about having to pull up an entire swimming pool of mosaic tiles and re-lay them with her family back in South America.

Dani has a vibrant, bubbly and warm personality and is a highly valued member of our design team.