Coming home to Australia, or heading to the UK

Interior design and project management service for Australians returning from the UK, investing in property from overseas, or relocating to the UK. Seventeen years in London. Eight years back in Queensland. One designer who has stood on both sides.

I’ve made the move myself.

We moved back to Australia in 2018, after 17 wonderful years in London. It wasn’t an easy decision, but we felt Australia would be a better place for our son, then six, to grow up. Rather than returning to Melbourne, where I’d grown up and met my husband, we chose the Sunshine Coast — a place I’d spent my school holidays as a child, where I still had family, and where the weather was guaranteed to be better!

Because we were clear on where we wanted to be, we decided to buy rather than rent. After months of late-night internet searches from our London home, we thought we’d found the house. In the Easter holidays of 2017, we flew to Australia to see our “dream” home. Before we’d even got through the front door, it was obvious it wasn’t right. It was crushing. We had a few days to regroup before flying back, and amazingly in that time we did find a house we loved. On the back of a single short viewing we made an offer and returned to London.

How has it turned out? The house is lovely and we have made it a home. But would I buy it again, knowing what I know now? I’m genuinely not sure. The problem isn’t the house, but is it the best house for us? The problem was that we didn’t have enough information before we bought it make an informed decision. We relied on the agent, the owner, and a scant surveyor’s report. The agent was lovely but had an agenda and didn’t know us. The owner had an agenda too, and was less than honest. We were too trusting and I underestimated how different regional, coastal living would be from my memory of childhood holidays. Being Australian, I thought I knew the area. But there is a wide gap between visiting somewhere and actually living there.

The house wasn’t old but it needed updating. I thought that, as a designer and project manager, I’d find the work straightforward. I didn’t. I had no list of trusted trades or suppliers. I was starting from scratch on everything — regulations, materials, the climate, the ways things are done here, even the paint colours. I missed the European aesthetic and had to find a middle ground between that and the more minimalist Queensland style.

Over the past eight years I’ve rebuilt my network, relearned how things work, and developed a design sensibility that blends what I loved about London interiors with what suits the Australian light and climate. I’ve continued to work with clients in the UK and undertaken projects in Melbourne and on the Sunshine Coast. The service I offer to expats is the service I wish I’d had access to. Buying a home on a 20-minute viewing is not ideal. Having someone objective on the ground — who understands both where you’re coming from and where you’re going — changes everything.

What I offer…

What I do now is the distilled product of that experience. I work with Australians who are moving home, investing from overseas, or relocating between Australia and the UK. I vet properties, design and renovate houses, manage construction, and hand over the keys to homes that are ready to live in. I do this from both ends: meeting clients in London, managing renovations or builds on the Sunshine Coast, or Melbourne. The service is built around the things I wish someone had offered me in 2017.

How I can work with you…

Phase 1- Before you buy

Most expat clients come to me before they’ve bought the house. I attend viewings on your behalf, assess the property against your brief, and give you an honest account of what you’re really looking at — the condition of the house, what a sensible renovation would cost, what the area is like to actually live in, and what the planning constraints might be. This is the service I most wish I’d had myself.

Phase 2- Design

Concept design, spatial planning, and full technical documentation: floorplans, elevations, detailed joinery, kitchen and bathroom specification, lighting, finishes, and furniture. The design process is collaborative — your home should reflect your life, not my portfolio — and delivered to a standard that contractors can price and build from accurately.

Phase 3- Project management

I run the tender process, compile the construction budget, and manage the build from first demolition to final handover. I coordinate trades, resolve issues before they become expensive, and report to you weekly — which matters if you’re still in London while the house is being torn apart in Noosa. My background in finance means the budgeting and reporting are rigorous, not decorative.

Phase 4- Turnkey completion

For clients who want it, I deliver the house fully furnished, styled, and ready to live in. Beds made, kitchen stocked, art on the walls. You land in Australia, drive up from the airport, and walk into your new home.

Why this is different? Four things I can offer that offers can’t.

1. Two countries, one designer.

Seventeen years of practice in Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Kensington, Holland Park, Mayfair, and Pimlico. Eight years of practice on the Sunshine Coast, and Melbourne. I know both markets well enough to translate between them — and I know contractors, suppliers, and consultants in each.

2. I’ve made the move.

Repatriation is not a transaction. It’s a life change with a renovation attached. I understand the emotional and practical weight of it because I’ve carried it myself, and that understanding shapes how I work with you.

3. Remote management, properly done.

Managing a renovation from 16,000 kilometres away is a specific skill, not a generic one. Weekly video calls, structured monthly reports, a shared project portal, and a designer who is physically on site — not a manager coordinating by email.

4. A designer who understands budgets.

I started my career in finance, and I still think like someone who does. You’ll get clear budgeting, transparent cost reporting, and no surprises at the end. The quality of the design is not in tension with the quality of the numbers.

From clients who have been here…

Testimonial 1

“We just arrived in Noosa yesterday afternoon, and are really so pleased with all the renovation and furnishings. We wanted to let you know how happy we are, and to thank you again.”

— M&J Noosaville

Testimonial 2

“Tara undertook the renovation and extension of our mews house in Chelsea. The brief was to prepare the house for rental within a short timeframe and a relatively small budget. The project was completed on time, within budget, and looks wonderful. At every stage Tara was prompt, helpful, efficient, thoughtful, and displayed extremely good judgment.”

— S.M Chelsea

Testimonial 3

“Of all the money spent on our refurbishment, the best return was from using Tara. The project timeline was dramatically accelerated by her planning, project management and design capability. She removed so much of the frustration and stress of the building process and delivered a high quality contemporary result that draws compliments from all who visit.”

— J.M South Kensington

The questions I’m asked most often…

Am I allowed to buy a property in Australia while I’m still overseas?

If you’re an Australian citizen, yes — you can buy established residential property anywhere in Australia without FIRB approval, regardless of where you currently live. This is a citizenship-based exemption. The current temporary ban on foreign buyers of established dwellings (in place until 31 March 2027) does not apply to Australian citizens. If your spouse or partner is not an Australian citizen, there are sensible structures to work within. I’m not a lawyer, and I’ll always refer you to a qualified Australian property lawyer for the transaction itself — but I can help you understand the landscape before you start.

How do you manage a renovation if I’m still in London?

Weekly scheduled video calls, a formal monthly report with budget and programme status, photographs and progress updates as milestones are reached, and a shared project portal that holds every document, drawing, and decision log in one place. I visit site regularly — I don’t manage builds from a desk. And I’ll fly to London two or three times a year, usually coinciding with client meetings, which most clients find helpful at key decision points.

What does it cost?

My fees are structured three ways: a small fixed fee for an initial design consultation; hourly charges or a fixed fee for design work; and a percentage fee (typically 12–15% of construction and furnishing costs) for full project management. Pre-purchase property assessments are a separate fixed fee. I’ll always give you a clear written estimate before you commit to anything, and you’ll get transparent monthly invoicing with no surprises.

How long does a typical project take?

From first discussion to moving in, a full renovation of a family home usually takes 12–18 months. That breaks down roughly as: 1–2 months on design, 1–2 months on contractor tender and appointment, 6–12 months on construction depending on scale, and 1–2 months on furnishing and completion. Cosmetic refurbishments can be faster.

Can you work with my architect / builder / buyer’s agent?

Yes — and in many cases I’ll recommend specific specialists for structural works, planning applications, or buyer representation. I have established networks in both Australia and the UK. If you’ve already engaged professionals, I’ll integrate with them. If you haven’t, I can introduce you.

Do you work with clients buying in the UK as well?

Yes. I continue to work with London clients, and the service is also open to Australians investing in UK property or relocating for work. See the UK-focused questionnaire link at the bottom of this page.

Not ready to get in touch? Start here.

Start the conversation.

The best place to begin is a short, no-obligation video call. Thirty minutes, from wherever you are, to talk through your situation — where you are now, where you’re heading, what you’re thinking of buying, and whether what I do is a good fit for you. If it is, we’ll talk about next steps. If it isn’t, I’ll tell you honestly, and often point you toward someone else who can help.

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Or simply email me: tara@taramarlow.com