Delving into design with Venesa Buljubasic

Venesa Buljubasic was surrounded by creatives when she was a child. Two of the most influential forces in her younger years were her mother, a fashion designer, and her grandfather, a carpenter. “My earliest memory of engaging with design is my mother’s eccentric wardrobe and style. Growing up, our family home was layered with art, textiles and treasures from my parents’ extensive travels around the world,” says Venesa. “Mixing and matching materials with objects and textiles from mum’s wardrobe – the pops of colour and textures – aroused my curiosity from a young age. I was always fascinated with how layering and placement within a space can make you feel.”

Venesa describes her grandfather, Dida Marko, as a true master of his craft who she enjoyed watching while he worked. “He showed me you can design and create beautiful, tangible and sustainable pieces that have the power to transform spaces,” she says.

A high school art teacher encouraged Venesa to consider a career in design, but it was attending an exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art that cemented her resolve to pursue it. “It was an exhibition by Hossein Valamanesh, an Iranian-Australian contemporary artist who experiments with sculptural art. His work taught me that spaces and objects have the power to inspire, and it left me with the feeling that I could do the same,” says Venesa.

After high school, Venesa spent six months traveling throughout Europe and the United Kingdom, an experience that provided her with a sense of clarity on what she should do with her life. “It was a time of reflection as well as an opportunity to immerse myself in rich history, architecture, art, fashion, culture and cuisine,” she says. “It was during my travels that I decided to pursue interior design and study at Design Centre Enmore.” 

Venesa went on to hold positions as interior designer and creative director at studios such as Otto Design Interiors, Giant Design and Siren Design Group.

Although Venesa’s career began in hospitality, retail and hotel design, she eventually moved into the workplace and commercial space. At the start of 2020, Venesa was approaching a 15-year milestone culminating in a role as creative director and working on projects for clients such as Google. “I always wanted to start my own studio,” says Venesa. “People started to approach me for projects and my business grew organically from there.”

Anouk & Co was launched during the first year of the pandemic with the goal of creating a company that was purpose-driven, and a work environment that enhanced the design process. “I found that, as a creative, I couldn’t do my best work between 9am and 5pm,” says Venesa. “Anouk & Co is a flexible environment that allows us to do our best work while having genuine work/life balance. The studio feels like a family. We collaborate and support each other and I think that’s why we’re so successful.”

The name Anouk & Co is a play on the word ‘nook’, says Venesa. “It represents my belief that all spaces, regardless of size and form, can be transformed into a space that embodies the values of its owner.”

Starting her studio during the first wave of the pandemic was a hurdle for Venesa, who had limited business experience and was struggling to find balance as the demands of the studio grew. “It was a steep learning curve on the operations side with the complexity of various lockdowns and travel restrictions,” she says. “However, I now have an incredible team and trusted advisors that help me navigate some of the more technical aspects of running a business.”

Despite the challenges, Venesa has built a team of design professionals who co-create and develop designs together to bring their project briefs to life, an achievement Venesa counts as her greatest to date. “I’m most proud when we create spaces that trigger an emotional response, where people can engage and feel inspired,” says Venesa. “I love my team and the energy we create."

See more projects by Anouk & Co on ArchiPro.