Mariah’s style is guided by feeling rather than a fixed aesthetic. Her interiors exude a sense of calm and creativity through natural hues, tactile materials and a carefully curated selection of pieces. She is passionate about making interior design accessible, and has known she wanted to be a designer since the age of seven. For Mariah, the idea that a space can positively alter the way we feel, act, live and think has always fuelled her passion.

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Mariah began her design journey with a diploma in interior decoration before continuing her studies to complete a bachelor’s degree in interior design, specialising in commercial interior design. After graduating, she was invited to New York as a design representative at the World Business Forum, where she spoke on the social and environmental impacts of modern architecture and interior design.

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In 2018, Mariah co-founded Folk Studio, a boutique Sydney-based interior design firm, with Chris Polain, now the studio’s Head of Operations, with Mariah leading the practice as Director. The word Folk means ‘people in general’, and this is exactly what they stand for: a wellness brand built on good design, personal wellbeing and transparency, made accessible rather than exclusive.

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Mariah believes that designers have a huge responsibility to ensure that their processes consider the end-user, environment and society. The act of ‘giving something new life’ was instilled in her as a child, the notion that things can be reused and reloved rather than replaced.

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She and Chris project-manage every job personally, constantly discussing how they can lessen Folk Studio’s impact on the environment, from material sourcing and lifecycle through to disposal. When they take on any project, they feel a responsibility to do their part as a brand; to discuss, educate and listen when it comes to the social issues they feel most connected to.

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Mariah has worked for some of Sydney’s leading design firms and furniture suppliers, and now leads Folk Studio across a portfolio of Sydney’s leading residential design projects and commercial fitouts, with recent work spanning Curl Curl, Clovelly, Castle Cove and Pyrmont. Her work has been featured in The Design Files, The Local Project, King Living and Assembly Label, among others.