Former Miss World Australia Courtney Thorpe on designing a new life in Toowoomba
Celebrating a whirlwind year at the helm of her new business, former Miss World Australia Courtney Thorpe reflects on her struggles post-divorce and the legacy she will leave her daughter.
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A model, TV presenter, stylist, writer and podcaster, Courtney Thorpe has done it all; but it was a passion for design that saved her in her darkest moments.
On Friday, the former Miss World Australia celebrated her 35th birthday, a milestone made greater with the one year anniversary of her interior design venture, Courtney Thorpe Interiors.
It was a day of excitement following years of struggle and hard work.
Thorpe was left to care for their daughter Kennedy alone, not knowing what was next.
“I was trying to completely find myself again after a very horrible, nasty divorce,” Thorpe said.
“I’d gone through the trenches as a brand new mum, I was really lost and just didn’t know where life was going to take me, what my passion was; I needed to rediscover all of that.
“It was more important to me than ever that I really found out who I was … and held that as a very high priority in my life.”
Still living in the Gold Coast home she once shared with Wallace, Thorpe threw herself into her interior design hobby, creating beautiful spaces – then, people around her started to notice.
“I studied interiors back in my early 20s, and it’s always something that I just really loved,” she said.
“The sign that maybe I had a bit of a talent was friends and family starting to ask me to redo their homes for them and that evolved into them recommending friends of friends.
“I think it was selling my Gold Coast home, when I had such amazing feedback and compliments from the real estate agent, that it kind of gave me confidence to maybe look into it as a career.
“I just thought this is the one thing I know I love and I’m really passionate about and I am just going to go for it, so I did.”
Thorpe began working as a property stylist, readying homes for the market, and as a designer for renovations and home refreshes.
“Moving up to Toowoomba, I did not know what exactly life had in store for me,” she said.
“Toowoomba locals, they’re very loyal to their own so for them to have opened up their arms, welcomed us into their community and let me into their homes, their most sacred spaces, I don’t take that for granted.”
While overlooked by some, Toowoomba was her “storybook” fantasy, a place to build her dream heritage home.
“This is a place that I grew up coming to and just always really loved … I think it is so beautiful, I love the seasons,” Thorpe said.
“I also really, really needed a fresh start after my divorce.
“Somewhere that felt a little bit more safe, community orientated, somewhere I knew had great schools for my daughter, it just ticked all those boxes.
“But what’s kept me here is the people, it’s the community, I just have never been in a place where I felt so welcome – it’s so special up here.”
Kennedy remains Thorpe’s number one priority, with her success in business just another way to provide the best for her daughter.
“Every single thing that I do is for her, to better her life … she would probably be my biggest motivator every day to keep pushing,” Thorpe said.
“She’s watching me, she’s been there through all of it.
“I just remember when she was young and I was in the trenches, just not really feeling like myself, I really struggled with that because I’ve got this little girl and I’m such a strong feminist and I wanted her to see a strong mother and I just didn’t feel like I was showing that.
“For her to see, I think more so even than the business, to see me happy, is the most important thing to me.”
Supporting Thorpe in her grand design endeavour is mum Vicki Thorpe, who works alongside her daughter in the business.
“It’s kind of like all the women in my family, it’s something that we’re all doing together,” she said.
“Mum’s a huge, huge, support … the best part about having a business that’s turned into a family business is I’m hopeful I get to still remain present with (Kennedy), priority number one is raising her.
“(Kennedy) is seeing the two most important women in her life build something from the ground up and do it together; she has a strong opinion as well, she likes trying to tell me when something looks good and when she doesn’t like it.
“But none of my clients need to worry that a five-year-old is making any design decisions!”
Reflecting on what led to her recent success, Thorpe said she was glad to be “living her best life” and excited for what is still to come.
“That’s my biggest piece of advice to all my girlfriends now, you know, never, ever sacrifice who you are and your identity – it’s such an important part of us as women.”
Courtney Thorpe’s top design tips
Q: How do you suggest people keep their homes looking fresh without spending big or constantly buying new?
A: If your home needs a really big freshen up: paint, you can never beat it. A fresh coat of paint makes a world of difference. Then on a smaller scale cushions … if you’re needing a different lift, cushions are my favourite way to freshen up your house, change the feel completely. You can really bring in more warmth in winter, light in summer, change your colour scheme, and it really is quite an affordable way to do it.
Q: Where do you suggest we inject our personal style into our homes and where should you keep things a little bit more classic?
A: I think that’s a really important thing to say as well, when it is your home it actually really does need to be personal, there’s nothing worse than just having this sterile home. I think the best way to do it is in the decor pieces. Go into little stores that you haven’t seen before and just look for something that you feel a connection with, that makes you a bit excited that you fall in love, and just collect them all on the way. I love those bits around the house, you know, not too many, we don’t like too many knick-knacks. In terms of how to do it but still keep it classic, I always say that those big ticket items like your sofas, keep them more neutral because then you can go back to injecting a bit of fun and colour in decor.
Q: How should we approach design trends?
A: It depends on what the trend is, I think, for the ones that are easy enough to swap out, if you love the trend, go for it. There’s also ways to kind of embrace the trend without going all in too. I love if you’re doing something in your house, if it’s a new build or a reno, keep those big ticket items really classic and neutral and you can bring in the trends in other ways. I mean, look at the way we lived in the 90s and look at the way that we live now, trends change and it can really date your house.
Q: Are there any design mistakes we should avoid?
A: I would say over clutter is always the biggest one because not only do I think it’s not great for our minds when we have a cluttered home, but it also just doesn’t make our homes look as polished and presentable. Don’t get too caught up in trends, whether it is a new build, a rental or an existing home. Think functionally and think realistically what works for you too. Your home needs to work for you and your family and your needs but you do need to think about that resale point because eventually you will sell and there can be some decisions that could be really detrimental to how much you’re going to make.
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Originally published as Former Miss World Australia Courtney Thorpe on designing a new life in Toowoomba
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