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Tropic Glamour

It’s not every day we get to take a sneak peek inside a TV designer’s home and it’s even less likely that one would be found right here in the heart of the Cairns CBD. But that’s exactly where we meet the new reality show homemade star Richie Stevens, who greets us on the balcony of his trendy inner-city apartment overlooking Trinity Bay.

Richie’s decorating talents are no secret to the many local clients who turn to the insideout stylist for advice. However, they may come as a surprise to the rest of Australia in coming months when Richie works his magic in front of the cameras for the country’s newest renovation show. “I’m still shocked that a boy from Cairns could get chosen to be on a show like this,” Richie says.

Perhaps the first thing viewers of the Channel Nine series will notice is Richie’s use of bold and modern colours, something that is missing from his own apartment.

“I really wanted something that was soothing to the eye and totally relaxing,” he says of his home decorating approach.

“When you’re working with colours and designs all day your eyes need a rest when you get home. There was a vision for the apartment, which was to make it feel spacious and inviting, and after coming from a huge cliff-top home the apartment had to feel big.”

To help achieve this, Richie says he introduced masses of mirrored walls throughout the apartment, creating the illusion of space. There’s even a mirror out on the balcony that reflects the magnificent view.

“I think this is the only apartment in Cairns where you can see the ocean, city and mountain views in one glance,” Richie laughs.

A standout feature of this individually designed apartment is its approach to Far North living. As Richie explains, while not a typically tropical home, there is no doubt it possesses a sense of “truly tropical glamour”.

“Yeah I love the tropics, which is why I’m still here and there is definitely a tropical thread that weaves its way through my designs, just not one that smacks you in the face,” he laughs.

“It’s the bromeliad in the corner or the coral on the sideboard. It’s also in the Cuban $5 note with the palms on it. Yes it’s subtle, but it’s definitely there. The key is to keep it simple, choose a palette and stick to it.”

It’s certainly sound advice, but begs the question: Does Richie stick to it when under the pressure of reality television deadlines? “My lips are sealed,” Richie laughs. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”