About Us
We met feeding the street dogs of Bali and realized we had a mutual love for animals. Our friendship quickly grew as we shared our passion for interior design. An American and a Brit. We loved sharing our wealth of design knowledge that we had gathered over many years of living in Bali. And so our interior design retreats were born.
Our own version of a retreat to inspire and recharge. To take fellow design lovers behind the scenes of the creative world that this Island of the Gods has to offer.
Henne Mercer
My design career commenced in London after I graduated with an Honours degree in Interior Design at Nottingham Trent University, UK. Working for legendary design companies in London such as Wolff Olins, my portfolio of projects ranged from work for banks through to retail interiors for clients such as the Queens hat makers, Herbert Johnson!
I then moved on to run my own design company for 5 years creating a diverse range of retail interiors before relocating to Singapore for 13 years, where I had our daughter and also encompassed working in marketing, PR and events. A major move as a family to Bali introduced me to a whole new world and a rich career of diverse design work includes interiors for cafes, villas, bars, salons, restaurants and an award-winning resort.
It’s the challenge and excitement of finding truly original materials and craftsmen that pushes me on to evolve, embrace and enlighten others with my true passion for interior design ….
A passionate photography and animal lover, I work closely with many animal charities to ensure the lives of animals in Bali are protected and improved.
Anna Powers
With a love and passion for interiors since a young age, I decided to persue design as a full-time career 20 years ago. With no formal training and a huge leap of faith, what started off as side project for friends in NYC, turned into a blossoming career with 13 full time designers and a homestore.
With a degree in Comparative Literature, my story proves that you don’t need to be a trained designer to create beautiful spaces. My goal has always been to make design accessible to a wide range of clients in all budgets.
After 15 years of working 80 hour weeks, I decided to treat myself to a trip to Bali for my 41st birthday. This trip changed my life. I didn’t just return refreshed and inspired by all the amazing artisans and Balinese culture, but I felt motivated again, not just by all the beautiful things I had seen, but by the Balinese people. I made a decision in 2016 with my family to make Bali our 2nd home. I am SO excited to finally share my love for this island and all the beautiful art and furniture it has to offer and to make this the next chapter of my career.
When I am not thinking of my next mission in life running Design Retreats, I am either taking photos or travelling with my boyfriend, 11 year old son, and Bali dog Coco.
Our Team
Our Balinese team will take care of you as they lead and assist on our international retreat, daily group tours and private shopping experiences.
