Tali Roth is in the business of imagination.
“I really, truly, love any form of creativity,” says the Melbourne-based interior designer, who recently returned from living in New York. “I get lost in that dream world when I’m bringing something together.”
Following her creative instincts has been key to Roth forging a successful career in high-end interior design. Known for her distinctly warm style that couches touches of ’60s and ’70s flair (Roth jokes her work is “based around a party mood,”) in a knack for pairing mid-century furniture with relaxed pieces, the result is one-of-a-kind spaces for a long list of high-end clients.
Just three days after graduating with a diploma of design from RMIT, Roth moved to New York City in 2013 with her husband. Despite the city’s reputation for being tough to crack, Roth hit the ground running, landing a gig at interior design start-up Homepolish. In 2015, Roth launched her own self-titled business. What could have been Roth’s side hustle quickly became sought out by CEOs, finance workers, entrepreneurs, celebrities and other high-earners, providing her with opportunities to work with luxury clients across the city.
“There’s such a variety of work [in Manhattan],” she says. “There is no limit to how well you can do. I’m not saying you can’t make it in the city without some determination and grit … but it’s a city that pushes you up for sure.”
In 2020, a few months into the pandemic, Roth contemplated moving back to Melbourne. Faced with an uncertain climate and the reality of working from home with two children, Roth and her husband temporarily moved to Connecticut before later flying back to Melbourne. Her business came home with her – she continues to oversee projects in Manhattan in collaboration with two previous employees, while also building her Melbourne clientele.
Throughout the shift, Roth’s drive never faltered.
“It’s been life-changing having three kids, and my husband works a lot, so there are definitely lots of starts, stops and ups and downs,” she says.
Roth has also since expanded into product collaborations, including a rug collection sold through Chelsea retailer Aronson’s, stylish lighting with US maker Mitzi, and a collection of side tables with Melbourne joinery specialists Studio Brand.
Through all these years, Roth has never recycled a design. Regardless of the client, every project is highly personalised.
“The inspiration isn’t about me, it’s about the space, the job, the client,” says Roth. “You learn so much about your client quickly if that’s what you’re into. And that is what I’m into … I don’t know how to churn out the same thing.”
For Roth, luxury is about these “devil in the details” – something she says contributes to both the concept of a premium product and its hope for longevity. She points to the luxury car brand Porsche as a good example of this ethos.
“Porsche is simultaneously contemporary and nostalgic,” she says. “It evolves with the times but always has the classic details, which make people feel connected to it. I relate to the way its vehicles have a balance of curves and geometry, hard and soft materials – I try to do the same in the homes I design, so they always feel balanced. And I think when you focus on delivering high quality over a long period of time, you’re able to achieve this kind of reputation.”
Whether that’s evident in Roth’s ability to smartly reinvent retail spaces, like a recent renovation of an old, red Smiggle store in Brighton into the “timber-cladded, sexy high-end” luxury boutique, Grace, or residential rethinks like turning a traditional 1889 Victorian home in Melbourne into a chic, modern living space that hinges on simple hand painted cabinetry and striking stone, it’s the ability to create Roth finds most motivating.
“I really, truly love any form of creativity, or creating something,” she says. “Taking your expertise and creating something that’s liveable, different and cool is a challenge … that definitely drives me.”
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