30. Women Redefining Leadership Through Creative, Multidisciplinary Design

In this episode, Camilla sits down with Dani Dean, founder of The Make Haus, to explore the evolution of her multidisciplinary studio, spanning florals, interiors, spatial design, commercial installations, and standout projects like the David Jones Flower Show.

Together, we unpack what it truly looks like to juggle creativity, business, and motherhood. Dani shares why she refuses to niche down, how she cultivates inspiration across disciplines, and why downtime is an essential part of her process, not a luxury.

Camilla also reflects on how burnout has surfaced in her own design practice, and the permission creatives need to slow down, reset, and design from a grounded place.

In this episode, we explore:

• How Dani built a studio spanning multiple creative pillars

• The emotional and practical realities of motherhood in design

• How burnout shows up for creatives, and how to work differently

• The contrasting mindsets behind commercial vs residential design

• The importance of intuition, experimentation, and creative stillness

Whether you’re an interior designer, stylist, floral artist, creative entrepreneur, or simply someone who loves hearing the real stories behind design careers, this episode is full of depth, clarity, and the kind of permission creatives crave.

Follow Unfolded:

Website: https://www.unfolded.com.au/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unfolded_

00:00:00 – Welcome & Episode Intro

00:00:56 – Meet Dani Dean: The Mind Behind The Make Haus

00:02:27 – How an Interior Path Emerged from Creative Curiosity

00:02:39 – The Moment The Make Haus Expanded Beyond One Discipline

00:08:20 – How Clients Engage Dani Across Interiors, Florals & Events

00:09:32 – Why Dani Refuses to “Pick a Lane”

00:09:50 – Choosing Interiors: The Career Decision That Stuck

00:11:16 – Motherhood, Boundaries & Designing with Less Noise

00:14:46 – How Partner Support Makes Creative Careers Possible

00:18:01 – From Fashion Roots to Interiors & Spatial Design

00:18:30 – Inside Dani’s Intuitive, Tactile Design Process

00:22:13 – What Makes The Make Haus Team Work

00:24:11 – Sources of Inspiration: Objects, Observation & Environment

00:28:14 – Switching Gears: Commercial vs Residential Mindsets

00:29:47 – The Projects That Changed Dani’s Creative Trajectory

00:30:53 – Behind the Fiore Sandwich Shop Concept

00:31:25 – Turning a Client Brief into a Lived Experience

00:33:23 – Why Creative Downtime Isn’t Optional

00:34:25 – Early Signs of Burnout & What Dani Learned

00:40:58 – What’s Next for The Make Haus

* Interior design

* Australian designer

* Creative entrepreneur

* Design studio

* Multi-disciplinary design

* Floristry

* Event styling

* Residential interiors

* Commercial design

* Creative process

* Women in design

* Design inspiration

* Creative motherhood

* Design business

* Burnout recovery