Interior stylist Catherine Heraghty sets her designer sights on a new home

THIS boutique interior stylist is busy building her forever home.

Catherine Heraghty, owner and creative director of The Stables is currently building a new house in Caringbah. Pictures: Carly Earl

• WHO: Catherine Heraghty, owner and creative director of The Stables

• WHERE: Caringbah with husband Adam and their son Hudson, 3

• FAVOURITE THING: I love this studio space. It’s my work zone, but also where I can chill out, play music and escape from the daily life. Working from home is a challenge, but it’s easy to disconnect in here

• INSPIRATION: Muted colour palette

• HOME IS: A place I can go with my family and we can be ourselves

CURRENTLY in the throes of building a new house in The Shire, Catherine Heraghty and her family are living among their boxed possessions.

They are grateful to be rooming with her in-laws for the duration of the build, but the interior stylist and furnishings retailer is longing for her own space again to set up shoots and showcase her inspiration to her 136,000-strong Instagram followers. The new home will have lots of natural light, and Catherine is keen to wrap up the construction process to be able to get in there and do her magic with the interiors.

“I love soft furnishings and muted colours,” Catherine says.

“The home will be light and airy and layers of texture will give it interest.”

Doing this shoot in the old home prior to its demolition, Catherine was a tad emotional about saying goodbye the 1950s fibro cottage.

AT HOME WITH SAMI LUKIS

“We had so many great family memories there,” she says.

“We got married there, had our son, and all of a sudden, it’s gone. It was a small two-bedroom home, not big enough for our family to grow, but we didn’t want to leave this area. We love it here.”

The new home won’t have separate studio space, as did the cottage, but she’ll manage.

“I do lose the studio space, but I get a new house so it’s give and take,” she says.

The new home is designed in a relaxed, contemporary Australian fashion.

“It definitely won’t be formal and tight,” Catherine says.

“It’s pretty intense at the moment, building a house is a giant project, but we have our eyes on the prize. My husband is a carpenter, which is handy. We’re both hard workers, and when the going gets tough, we support each other.”

More:thestablesco.com.au

Nest: This was made by my husband at 11pm one night. I was supposed to make it for an assignment and for the life of me, I could not get it to work. He always has my back.

Angus and Hamish: We bought these two English cocker spaniels as soon as we settled on the house. We are crazy, mad dog people and they are a massive part of our lives.

The Beauty Chef: This collection is part of my morning and night ritual. They are so decadent and the best products I have ever used. They make me feel a little bit special.

Carrot cake: I love baking. My dad was a chef and we always had restaurants. Food is a big part of our family, and I am a make-things-from-scratch kind of person. I baked this last night.

Pyjamas: I am a pyjamas person. If I am at home you will find me in my PJs. I always want to be comfortable, and with a young child we don’t have the luxury of going out all the time.

Hudson’s beach towel: My favourite thing is to take Hudson to the beach. He loves to dig into the sand. We’re so lucky to live so close to the beach.

Beads: It’s a challenge to find things that are new and exciting, but last year I found these beads by Harper + Wilde which are rolled individually by hand. I have used them in every job ever since.

Flowers: Home isn’t complete unless I have fresh flowers. I get them from Aimie at Willow + Bear. In my industry it’s about who you know — and she’s one of those people.