Can you take us back to the beginning? How did Coco Flip start, where did the name come from, and what do you both remember most clearly from those very early days of building the brand?

Coco Flip really started as a small, curious experiment back in 2010. Haslett and I had recently moved from Perth to Melbourne — he was finishing his Masters of Architecture at RMIT, and I was still figuring out where to take my career. Between other jobs I started creating under the Coco Flip moniker. At the time, I had no real expectations of turning Coco Flip into a proper business. It was simply a place to design, make, and put work out into the world.

What I remember most from those early days is that mix of excitement and total naivety — learning everything as we went, and feeling genuinely thrilled any time someone connected with something we’d made. There was this sense of momentum and possibility that’s stayed with us ever since.

As for the name, it came from a special childhood pet, a gosling called Egg Flip who I would bathe with and take to the beach. The word flip is also a little reminder to approach design with lightness and curiosity. I’m drawn to contrast — the meeting point of materials, ideas and form. Coco has warmth and familiarity, while Flip brings playfulness, movement and energy. I love how they come together.

Reflecting on year one, what were your original goals or ambitions for Coco Flip, and how does that compare to what the studio has evolved into today?

In that first year, our goals were incredibly modest. We just wanted to make something worthy of putting out into the world, and see if anyone responded. There was no grand plan — mostly just a desire to keep learning, collaborate with local makers, and design work we felt proud of.

Looking at where the studio is today, it’s grown into something far more considered and intentional. We’ve refined our voice, deepened our relationships with craftspeople, and built a collection that feels genuinely representative of who we are. The ambitions are still rooted in the same ideas — honesty, quality, curiosity — but now there’s a clearer sense of purpose and a much broader view of what’s possible.

That being said, we’re still learning, and facing new challenges all the time. As the business grows, so do our ambitions and expectations of ourselves. That creates a natural momentum and forces us to keep evolving and experimenting.

Your backgrounds in industrial design and architecture have undoubtedly shaped your process. How do these disciplines influence the way you design, collaborate, and make decisions together?

Our backgrounds definitely shape how we work together. Industrial design taught me to focus on the human experience of an object — how it feels, functions, and fits into everyday life. Architecture gave Haslett a strong sense of spatial thinking, structure and long-term problem-solving. Those perspectives naturally overlap, but they also challenge each other in really healthy ways.

When we collaborate, it means we’re constantly shifting between the intimate scale of an object and the broader context it sits within. It helps us make decisions that are both thoughtful and practical — balancing form, function, materials and longevity. That mix of disciplines has become a bit of a rhythm for us, and it keeps the work grounded while still giving us room to experiment.

Coco Flip has developed a recognisable, character-rich aesthetic over the years. What informs this approach, and how has your design philosophy matured or shifted as the studio has grown?

Our aesthetic has really grown out of an appreciation for character — pieces that feel warm, approachable and quietly expressive. We’ve always been drawn to honest materials, simple forms and a sense of playfulness, and that instinct still guides us. A lot of it also comes from working closely with local craftspeople; their skills and processes naturally shape the detail and personality of each piece.

As the studio has matured, our philosophy has become more deliberate. In the early days we were experimenting freely, following curiosity wherever it led. Over time, we’ve developed a clearer understanding of what feels true to us: designing with restraint, celebrating craftsmanship, and creating objects that hold meaning over the long term. The core values haven’t changed, but the way we articulate them — and the confidence behind them — has definitely evolved.

Have there been any unexpected turning points in your creative journey? Perhaps a material, technique, or way of working that surprised you or changed your perspective.

There have definitely been a few unexpected turning points along the way. One of the biggest was discovering just how much working closely with local makers would shape our direction. Early on, we thought we’d simply design objects and find ways to produce them — but the moment we started collaborating deeply with craftspeople, the materials and techniques themselves began influencing the work in really meaningful ways.

Meeting new makers and manufacturers opened up new ways of thinking for us. Learning about their processes demanded patience, and gave us a level of respect for the craft that shifted our whole approach. Instead of forcing an idea, we started listening more — to the material, to the maker, to the rhythm of how things want to be made. It was a quiet realisation, but it changed our perspective on design and still guides how we work today.

You’ve both travelled widely over the years. How has travel shaped your eye for design — the places you’ve visited, the makers you’ve met, or the moments abroad that have stayed with you?

Travel has been a huge influence on how we see and approach design. Being exposed to different cultures, materials and ways of making has a way of widening your perspective without you even realising it at the time. Some of the moments that have stuck with us are the ones spent wandering through workshops or markets overseas — seeing how other makers work with what’s around them, how they solve problems, and how deeply craft is woven into daily life.

In 2024 we were fortunate to spend three months in Mexico as a family—exploring, meeting local designers and makers, and really soaking up the incredibly rich architecture, design, and craft scene.

Those experiences reminded us that good design doesn’t need to be technical or complicated; it just needs clarity, purpose and a sense of place. Travel has sharpened our eye for detail and broadened our appreciation for the quirks and character that make objects feel alive. Even now, when we’re back in the studio, those impressions quietly filter into the work — little echoes of the people and places that have inspired us along the way.

Where do you each find inspiration outside the studio? What helps you stay creatively energised?

Outside the studio, we both find inspiration in fairly simple, grounding things. Time in nature is a big one — walking, being near the ocean, or just getting out of the city helps clear the noise and reset our thinking. We’re also both drawn to art, architecture and good food; those experiences have a way of sparking ideas without forcing anything.

A lot of creative energy also comes from observing everyday life — how people inhabit spaces, the objects they hold onto, the small details that often go unnoticed. And honestly, stepping away from design altogether can be just as important. Giving ourselves time to rest, read, explore or just be curious tends to bring us back to the studio with a fresh perspective and a bit more generosity in our thinking.

Local craftsmanship has always been at the heart of Coco Flip. What draws you to working with local makers, what have these collaborations taught you, and why has that remained such an important part of your identity?

Working with local makers has been central to Coco Flip from the very beginning. We’re drawn to it partly because of the relationships — the trust, the back-and-forth, the shared belief in making things well. There’s something incredibly grounding about being able to sit with a craftsperson, understand their process, and let their expertise shape the final outcome.

These collaborations have taught us to slow down, listen, and respect the integrity of each material. They’ve also shown us that good design is rarely a solo endeavour; it’s a conversation between ideas, skills and hands. Over the years, those partnerships have given our work a depth and authenticity we couldn’t have achieved on our own.

It’s remained such a core part of our identity because it aligns with what we value most — craftsmanship, community, and creating pieces that carry the story of the people who made them. Keeping production local allows us to nurture those relationships, stay connected to the process, and ensure that every piece reflects the care and intention behind it.

In an industry that can often feel fast-paced or trend-driven, how does your commitment to working slowly set you apart, and what values or qualities do you feel have defined the studio over the past 15 years?

Working slowly has become one of the things that really defines us. We’ve intentionally chosen to take our time — with ideas, with materials, with our relationships. I think doing that allows the work to find its depth. Slowness gives us room to refine, to question, to collaborate properly, and to make decisions that hold up over years rather than seasons.

Over the past 15 years, a few values have stayed constant: honesty in materials, respect for craft, a sense of curiosity, and a desire to create pieces that feel meaningful rather than momentary. We’ve always aimed for work that has character and longevity — objects that quietly earn their place in someone’s home.

What have you found most rewarding about building Coco Flip, from the design process itself to seeing your pieces produced and welcomed into people’s homes?

What’s been most rewarding is the people we’ve met along the way — the makers, collaborators, staff, customers and friends who’ve become part of our world. Building Coco Flip has given us a chance to form relationships with incredibly talented and generous people, and that sense of community has shaped everything we do. Seeing our work find a home is wonderful, but it’s the conversations, shared ideas and long-standing partnerships behind the scenes that make the journey truly meaningful.

Fifteen years is a significant milestone. Is there a particular moment, collection, or decision that you each feel especially proud of?

The projects that have meant the most to us haven’t been the commercially driven ones — they’ve been the pieces where we followed our curiosity, took risks and made something simply because it felt true. Projects like Linear and Dancer Editions were exactly that: instinctive, a bit scary, and incredibly rewarding. Melbourne Design Week has been a great way to challenge ourselves creatively and initiate projects that are more left of centre and enable us to connect directly with the local design community.

I’m also proud that over fifteen years we’ve trusted ourselves to stay small and hold onto our values, even when it meant saying no to opportunities that didn’t sit right. Those decisions aren’t always easy in the moment, but they’ve shaped the kind of studio we are today — thoughtful, independent and genuinely connected to the work we make.

Has there been a collection or project that surprised you in terms of how people responded or how it developed over time?

We’re constantly surprised by how people respond — you never really know what will resonate until it’s out in the world. Sequence is a perfect example. When we first launched it, we didn’t imagine it would connect with so many people, but it clearly did. Since then, we’ve kept listening to the ways people use and interact with it, and we’ve been able to evolve the collection over the years to fit people’s needs. In designing furniture and lighting there’s a real balance between making things that are interesting and new, that challenge us, and creating pieces that people really want to live with in their daily life. I think it’s that act of weighing up the two that really excites us, a merging of creativity and logic.

If Coco Flip were a person turning 15, how would you describe their personality today?

If Coco Flip were a 15-year-old, I’d say they’d be confident but thoughtful — curious, a little bold, and unafraid to take risks, but grounded in their values. They’d be the kind of person who follows their instincts, listens to others, and treasures the relationships around them. There’s a sense of independence mixed with a playful, creative streak that keeps things interesting.

Looking back, is there anything that’s stayed exactly the same since day one? A ritual, a habit, a way of working, or something that’s just become part of the Coco Flip DNA?

There are plenty of things that feel like they haven’t changed a lot over the years. We’re still a very small business, working with real people, and figuring things out one day at a time. Despite all of the changes in technology, we still like to start the design process sketching by hand, and we’re still most inspired by a visit to a potential maker.

From day one, we’ve approached every design with curiosity, attention to detail, and a respect for the people we work with. That mindset has become part of the Coco Flip DNA — whether it’s a quick sketch or a full collection, we still take the same care in every decision, big or small.

What’s on the horizon for Coco Flip? And for each of you — what’s the next chapter you’re excited to explore as designers and creative humans?

For Coco Flip, the horizon is about continuing to evolve thoughtfully — exploring new materials, pushing our designs in unexpected directions, and deepening the relationships we have with the people who bring our work to life. We want to keep taking creative risks, but in a way that feels true to who we are.

We’d also love to take on the challenge of exhibiting internationally, something we haven’t done a lot of yet. It feels daunting, but it would be wonderful to find new audiences and connect with people around the world.

We’ve been toying with the idea of a side project for some time — a platform to share stories from different continents and connect with like minded creative people — watch this space.

For each of us personally, the next chapter is about growth and experimentation. We’re excited to explore new design challenges, collaborate with different voices, and keep learning — both from the work itself and from the community around us. Ultimately, it’s about staying curious and inspired, and seeing where that leads next. But first, a much needed reset, spending time with our kids and extended families in Western Australia over the summer.