Interior designer Sarah Andrews is behind one of the most famous and sought-after Airbnbs in the country, in Captain’s Rest, a nautical-themed shack in Strahan, on Tasmania’s west coast. The theme is personal: she’s a keen sailor who once spent a year living and travelling on her boat (and getting shipwrecked and stranded in Mexico).

The success of Captain’s Rest led Andrews, who originally studied spatial science, to launch The Hosting Masterclass, an internationally recognised online course for styling and marketing Airbnb properties. And the success of that led to 2021’s beautiful Principles of Style, a weighty book in which Andrews lays out her 10 essential rules of style.

When styling herself, rather than a room, Andrews opts for functional yet elegant pieces that allow her to move seamlessly from conducting Zoom masterclasses on the couch to meetings, visiting vintage stores and working on site. With a passion for “comfort and beauty”, her wardrobe is the embodiment of the interior spaces she creates.

How would you describe your personal style?
Ready to go through the wardrobe to Narnia for tea with Mr Tumnus. I get to create fantasy worlds as my day job, and luckily this extends to what I love to wear.

What do you require from your clothes to be able to do your job properly?
Comfort and beauty. I find it hard to do anything creative properly without these two both on me and around me. I'm extremely claustrophobic so I can’t wear anything tight. And I’m also incredibly shy, so I really like to hide under sleeves and coats so I can relax enough to do my best in situations where I need to teach or lead a project or shoot.

What’s the best workhorse piece in your wardrobe?
It always starts with dresses. Dresses with boots and a coat for the dirty work, like playing with pigments and lime [when] making paint, or poking around a recycling centre for old light fittings. Then dresses with heels and coats for the cleaner work, like teaching, presenting, meetings and long lunches with much-loved students around the world.

What does an average workday look like for you?
In an average year, I probably spend only about 30 days of it at home. I’m constantly on the road staying with [various] students from The Hosting Masterclasses. I crave constant movement – I don’t do too well in one place – but I’ve figured out a daily routine that works for me. I get up, walk for an hour and then either spend my workday teaching The Hosting Masterclass on Zoom or in person, or work on one of my properties. Right now I’m working on Far Away Farm, just near St Helens [Tasmania] and it’s my actual daydream: selecting all my favourite flowers for a personal cutting rose garden, and designing the tree house of all my childhood fantasies to sit in. Once the day is done, I’ll sit in a bath with lavender until it goes cold, and then pick up a book, my cross-stitch, or binge anything true crime.

How would you transform your outfit if you had to go straight from the studio to an event or a meeting?
I think being a little eccentric, and also being the boss of our organisation, I can get away with a lot outfit-wise. I always reach for a trench coat and a good bag to give anything an immediate lift.

How do you shop and what are some of your favourite brands?
Mostly online, because I’m not near shops that often, or in stores overseas when I am wandering Paris, Edinburgh or Barcelona, which are my favourite cities to stroll. My favourite brands and makers include Bianca Spender, Esse Studios, Morrison, Lee Mathews, My General Store, St Agni, Kalaurie and Maggie Marilyn. I also actually have a lot of clothes made for me, as I have such strong taste when it comes to what I love to wear that I often can’t find it. I work with Adele O’Shea and About Phaedra, who are both the best!

Do you have any favourite makeup and skincare products?
I usually only wear a tinted moisturiser by Laura Mercier and a little bit of mascara. I tend to focus on my skin as a priority instead of what’s covering it, as I had two squamous cell carcinomas on my face before turning 40. Sanctum Medical Aesthetics in Hobart and Launceston have taken such good care of my skin and face over the past few years, and I use Rationale Skincare at home and on the road.

What’s the most recent fashion purchase you made?
I just invested in about seven pieces from Metta Melbourne’s range. It’s so classic and the clothes are so comfortable. They work beautifully for snuggling up on the couch working on emails and Zooms, and paired with boots and an apron I wear them out and about in my shed and studio getting my hands dirty trying to figure out what sinks and taps and doors will go in which house and where.