Emma Buchan wanted to create a balance between offering high end design and flexible working conditions and she's succeeded with EB Interiors.
This is according to the judges of the prestigious Dezeen Awards for interior design, for which her Cronulla company has been longlisted in the Emerging Design Studio of the Year Award category.
Ms Buchan had a young child when she opened EB Interiors and wanted to create the kind of workspace that resonated with her needs as a mum.
Offering a sophisticated service to shire-based clients now sets her business apart, as does her workforce, made up entirely of women.
She left an interior design firm in the eastern suburbs to open EB Interiors closer to her Caringbah South home.
"I could see back then there was quite a gap in the market as to a high-end design firm in the shire," Ms Buchan said.
"It's quite hard to find a job, when you have had kids, that's flexible and I wanted to create that for other women I work with and for me as well."
From over 4,700 entries from 87 countries to Dezeen Awards this year, EB Interiors is one of 121 studios that are in the running for awards in six different categories, and is one of only two Australian studios in the Emerging category.
Ms Buchan, who is Founder and Lead Designer of the studio, said it was "really exciting" to be longlisted in a competition of this ilk.
"It would be elating for us as a team to be recognised internationally and reaching people we have never reached before. Being recognised among international power houses is something we never would have dreamed of," Ms Buchan said.
She said her customers in the shire were mostly looking for "a relaxed feel" in their homes.
"Most of the houses we work on are on the water or near the water, so being a coastal vibe, it's very serene and relaxed, with nothing too pompous."
There are six women in the team, most of whom reside in the shire. They are given flexibility to work around school hours and work from home when needed.
The Dezeen Awards shortlist will be announced from September 6 to 10 and the winners revealed in November. Dezeen is a global design magazine that has offices in London and New York.