About
Elegant in Design was born of a long-held passion for creative interior design. Chief designer Melinda Fritz is the heart, soul and brains of the operation. She cut her teeth in the construction industry, getting a warts-and-all view of exactly what it takes to build a high-end residential project.
Melinda stands out in her field because of these unique origins. Her experience helps her maintain a delicate balance between creativity and pragmatism. She takes a down-to-earth approach to getting things done, offering end-to-end services from concept to completion. Her practical approach, together with a meticulous attention to detail and passion for beautiful design, gives Melinda a rare capability as an interior designer.
“I believe in elegance and beauty. I strive to surround myself with all things pretty. I never pack lightly. And I am never ready before my husband.”
My Story
My story is quite an eclectic one. I’ve always been fascinated with colour and texture. Like the way certain clothes can make you feel. And how a single accessory can change an entire look. It’s the same with ‘dressing’ a room, or a home. I love the process of creative interior design, it’s a journey of discovering the personality of a space and how that can interact with its owner’s style to tell a story.
I spent 22 years in construction before the allure of creative interior design just became too strong. I founded Elegant in Design in 2016, and graduated with a Diploma of Interior Design and Decoration in 2018.
Construction may seem an unlikely place to cultivate a career as an interior designer, but my time in the industry gave me not only a solid grounding in the fundamentals of building, but a deep understanding of all aspects of design. My focus on commercial and high end residential projects over that time provided a fantastic platform from which to launch a business dedicated to my passion for interiors. I’ve found the skills I gained from my early career are invaluable to my interior design work – more than I ever could have known. With the lessons from working with one of Brisbane’s largest builders, plus a Diploma of Building and a builders’ licence in my toolkit, skills like project management, contractor co-ordination, budgeting, and document control are now fundamental to what I do, and are invaluable to my creative interior projects. It’s the structure and discipline of these elements that help me bring creative dreams to life.
As I continue to build my portfolio, I am also doing part time interior design consulting with COOP Creative, a bespoke Brisbane interior design studio. I’m so grateful for the ongoing mentorship from Rowena and the exposure to a vast range of creative interior design projects.
Design Ethos
My design philosophy is based on a convergence of elegance and edginess. I aim to ignite moments of ‘wow’ by juxtaposing unexpected contrasts, colours, and textures. I love to blend sophisticated neutrals or contemporary greys interlaced with bursts of accent colour.
My obsession is bold colours and unique layering. Contrasting a variety of textures in materials and finishes is crucial to my designs.
My approach is considered, intricately layered, and elegantly measured. Defined details, a daring mix of finishes and textures, and experimentation with materials and textures run throughout each element of my philosophy to create spaces that are luxurious, timeless and functional. When I think of design rules to live by, I try to mix original architectural elements, taking inspiration from the building’s context and setting.
Every project brief and client vision is unique. Although my approach is modern, I take inspiration from many sources. Exploring the intricate details of the design process drives the influence and narrative and helps the story of a space unfold.