Design profile: Fiona Gould of Chelon furniture design
The Interiors Edit talks design with trendsetting stylist, furniture designer and creative star Fiona Gould
Meet Fiona Gould, the creative talent behind burgeoning furniture brand Chelon, known for its curvaceous small furniture pieces heroing natural materials. “I’m really proud to have created something so close to my heart, with my family name attached to it,” says Fiona of the brand she launched in 2021 with a name derived from her family name, Michelon.
As an interior stylist, Fiona’s career has included roles on top Australian magazines including Home Beautiful and Real Living, her signature look defined by easy, liveable free-flowing spaces – but she also has a knack for trend prediction, ensuring her work is both timeless and of the moment. Fiona also works with leading brands to deliver simply gorgeous lifestyle creative.
While on her first maternity leave back in 2021, Fiona was inspired to launch Chelon, releasing a collection that spoke to her signature style (in fact, The Interiors Edit Content Director Sarah spotted her shooting the collection at a Sydney studio, with her new baby in tow!).
The collection set the direction for the brand, starring natural materials like marble and stone, organic forms and a European aesthetic. Cementing its success, Fiona’s pieces now grace homes across the country, including in the work of top interior designers. “It’s been a busy and intense time but receiving orders from some of my favourite interior designers is absolutely the best feeling,” she says.
Every piece is handcrafted by skilled artisans in small batch quantities, making owning a Chelon piece quite special. “I’ve always been drawn to vintage one-off pieces but they often come at a large price tag or are hard to come by, so I wanted to make the charm of an antique piece available to everyone,” says Fiona.
Continuing Chelon’s focus on natural materials, sculptural simplicity and drawing inspiration from a timeless European aesthetic, the new ranges offer a sense of vintage French luxury. “I love to design pieces that I genuinely enjoy styling with over and over, and these new tables are something I can picture in a multitude of spaces, adding beautiful character to any space” says Fiona.
The two new ranges in Chelon’s boutique collection include the ‘Lucia’ twist stool and table, and the ‘Camille’ side and coffee table in reclaimed old elm. Introducing the charm of aged timber, “These new pieces celebrate organic shapes and the beauty of the imperfect,” explains Fiona. Inspired by French vintage milking stools of the mid century, the Lucia collection is hand-carved from reclaimed pine with an aged, textural finish in a rich deep brown, emulating the unique charm of a vintage piece.
As for what’s next for Chelon, Fiona takes a deep breath. “We have new designs constantly in the works and we’re also gearing up for international sales and wholesale soon - full steam ahead!”
