Diane Bergeron's crisp, American-influenced interior design projects have appeared in magazines and blogs both local and international over the past few years. Beginning her career in the US, she moved to Melbourne with her family in 2003 and her signature style and international outlook has impacted the industry ever since.  She recently organised the Design for Mirabel project, a benefit to showcase the work of leading local interior designers & decorators to raise money for The Mirabel Foundation and her brand new project is the Mercer School of Interior Design in Melbourne. With custom-designed premises currently under construction, it offers both long and short courses for those with professional aspirations as well as home decorators. We find out more.

Diane, what was your own path to a career in interior design?
It's been intuitive for me, and it's been a matter of always being connected to my passion. I was always moving around furniture when I was little, and as a teenager my parents' friends would ask me to do their homes…the rest is history!

How would you describe the style you've developed over a 20 year career in both the US and Australia?
I would call it "Modern American classic": clean but with traditional elements. Knowing how to finish an element and knowing when to stop – I pay attention to detail!



Did your style change as you transitioned from New York to Melbourne – and if so, how?
Because I have always looked to many different places for inspiration, I don't think that moving country has drastically changed my style. However, my style is always evolving and always changing, while keeping the things that make it distinctively mine.



What are the things you love about "Australian" interiors style?
I love the way Australian style combines indoor /outdoor living. I personally love an outdoor room. You can dress up the space for comfort with an outdoor rug and oversized comfy furniture, layers of cushions. I mean is there anything better than alfresco dining?!



What do you think are the hardest elements of a space for home decorators to get right?
After all the large details are in place, the rug, the furniture, the art, it's the small things that really give a space personality. Giving attention to detail and being able to select that perfect pieces that connects all the bigger items together is the hardest thing when decorating.



What prompted your decision to start the Mercer School of Interior Design?
I knew there were people looking for this type of course, and I saw there was a gap created by traditional education methods. We have designed our accredited courses to do things that no one else is doing. I'm very excited about sharing what I have learned over the last 20 years of my career. We have worked painstakingly hard to offer leading courses with an exclusive focus on Interior Styling, Design & Decoration.


The Design For Mirabel benefit.

Your tag line is "Education through inspiration". What does this mean for your courses and your students?
Mercer is an interior design school that is truly different. We endeavour to help our students find their personal style, along with the necessary (and often overlooked) practical business skills. One of our goals is to disprove the misconception that you can't teach a creative and industry-focused course online. We don't teach everything by the book. Valuable hands on business experience, exposure to industry, combined with state of the art technology is how our students learn. We introduce our students to the leading designers and tastemakers, businesses and suppliers.

Along with teaching the new generation of designers, we've created Design For Mirabel, a fundraising event that is the philanthropic arm of Mercer. We have also committed to our lecture series, where we bring industry leaders from around the country and abroad to share their knowledge and to inspire. We kicked off in July with Mary McDonald and have an amazing line up to come, after our new school and lecture space is completed in March!



Some of your courses include a field trip to the US. How important is an international perspective?
As the world becomes increasingly connected, we are exposed to more visual content (not just interiors) giving us the opportunity to absorb what appeals to us and apply it to our work. I think the design industry as a whole is starting to demand a lot more variety in the products being offered locally and it's nice to see Temple and Webster is filling those gaps!



Quickfire questions:

Local secret:
Gertrude Street Enoteca and Tarlo & Graham - they have a diverse mix of vintage things, and because they're in my neighbourhood it's easy to drop by and see what's new.

Favourite colour combos:
Black, white and coral pink.
Camel and orange.
Sea-glass green and red.

Trend you love:
I don't usually follow trends, but I like the direction decorating has taken moving away from minimalism.  I love a layered and rich decorating style.

Pet hate:
Trends! Design is personal and shouldn't be dictated by what is popular season-to-season. I am led by my constant obsessions, when I'll be really loving a particular thing. Right now I am infatuated with vintage Persian and Turkish rugs circa the 50's or 70's. I think designers go through phases where they have obsessions, which keeps things original and more diverse.

Design icon(s): DianaVreeland, The Duchess of Devonshire and IrisApfel.