Natalie Walton is a multi-hyphenate creative focused on sharing knowledge and practical advice gained from her work in the interior industry for over a decade. As an interior stylist, designer and author, her website is a hive of inspiration for consciously curating beautiful homes with a sustainable ethos. Having published four interior books alongside hosting her podcast, Imprint with Natalie Walton, Natalie had made it her mission to share big ideas for how our lived environments shape our lives.
A family home near the coast
At home in the hinterland of Byron Bay on the east coast of Australia, she lives with her husband, Daniel, their four children and their dog, Vivi. Their Queenslander-style home, typical in the region, is a single-storey, white timber property with a timber veranda that extends around it.
The property’s two acres of gently sloping land with a bounty of fruit trees, located five minutes from the historic town of Bangalow, was a deal breaker for Natalie, who says the building was a blank canvas to place their imprint as a family of six.
“We’ve been living here for five and a half years,” she says. “We have a beautiful outlook onto the surrounding hills, and we can view the neighbour’s cows while we sit on our kitchen deck eating meals. Previously, we lived on another country property, about one and a half hours north of Sydney. This was our first experience of living in the countryside as a family. We loved it, although we decided to move to Byron Bay because of its strong creative and entrepreneurial community.”
A fresh & timeless interior
Before the family moved in, Natalie painted the internal walls white, which had previously been stained cedar timber boards, making the house oppressively dark. Next, they stripped the floors of their glossy finish, going for a matt alternative and then all other changes were decorative instead of structural. “Decorating with our favourite pieces has made this place feel like home,” says Natalie. “Each piece tells a story of our lives together.”
One of Natalie’s favourite pieces is the timber lockers in their living room, which she found in an antique shop that had sourced them from France. “Apparently, they were used for storage in a stable,” she says. “They embrace many of the qualities I love in a home – timeless simplicity.”
Some of the other decorative pieces in their home are from Natalie’s homeware store, Imprint House. “I’m always sourcing simple, timeless pieces that can go in any style of home, such as the seagrass rugs,” she says. “One of my favourite decorative accents is lighting, and I love the oversized taupe linen pendant, a piece I sourced for Imprint House and now one of our bestsellers. The right pendant can transform any space.”
An uncluttered and calming home
Natalie describes her interior style as simple and calm. “Our lives are busy with four young children, and I crave simplicity in our living spaces,” she says. “Our children bring colour and life! As a busy working mum, I don’t always have time to tidy and organise ‘stuff’. That’s why we prefer to keep our spaces simple and made for easy living.”
With a career in journalism, Natalie naturally segued into working for an interior magazine, combining her love of interiors with writing. Now, she’s heading up her own business as a shop owner, content creator and online educator. On her website, she offers courses on interior design, such as the Decluttering Masterclass, Design & Decoration Masterclass and the Styling Masterclass.
“I love sharing the lessons I’ve learned and now teach masterclasses on interior styling and design, and have a group coaching membership called Design & Grow where I help creative business owners (mainly related to the world of interiors) make a living doing what they love,” says Natalie.
“I wear many hats, but they are all focused on one idea: helping others create a home and life they love. Because this is my focus, too.”
