In a Room is a conversation series where we ask our friends to share their favourite domestic spaces. For this edition we’re joined by artist Kate ROHde.
Kate has carved out a singular place in Australian contemporary art with her kaleidoscopic sculptures and wildly imaginative use of materials. Working across sculpture, jewellery, and design, her practice draws on everything from natural history museums to science fiction and baroque excess—reinterpreting the decorative with a bold, surrealist twist. Her work is playful, precise, and unmistakably hers, always pushing the boundaries between the real and the fantastical.
In this edition, Kate reflects on the spaces that support her creativity and shape the rhythm of her days. From the quiet rituals of work to the way a room can hold energy, light, and possibility, she offers a glimpse into the vivid world she’s built—one filled with colour, curiosity, and the joy of making.
Kate Rohde
Which room are you in today?
I’m in my art studio today, I spend as much time in here as I can since I love working on projects and making pieces.
Which room is the most active in your house?
I would actually say the studio is also the most active, I’m really lucky to live in a warehouse with the studio work space as the downstairs area and a small mezzanine living area above. We also have some play areas and activities like a big swing in the studio for my son in lieu of a traditional backyard, so especially in summer we’re hanging out downstairs in the studio most of the day and only head upstairs at night time.
Which room gets the least amount of use?
Probably the kitchen, I quite enjoy cooking but I’m really into minimal, fast meal preparation and making time. Not so much now that I have a family, but when I was living alone I was all about batch cooking several days of dinners so I’d only have to cook once a week, I didn’t care if I ate lasagne eight days in a row if I could save on seven days of cooking time.
Which is your work-from-home room of choice?
Again, it’s my studio, to narrow it down a bit there are several areas dedicated to different work production activities, and specifically it would be my main work bench. When I first moved in to the warehouse it was a big open shed like space and I could have set up a work bench anywhere really. It took a while to work out what spot had the right feel to it for making new work, and ultimately it ended up being in the centre of the room facing the roller door so I can see outside while I work, but set back enough to feel secluded and private.
Kate Rohde in her studio
What defines a great room?
I think a great room has a sense of personality and comfort, it doesn’t have to be any style in particular, but has an inviting, welcoming sense about it and makes you want to spend time there.
What is your favourite type of room?
My personal favourite type of room is cosy with soft furnishings and pops of colour, but not too hectic. I also like indoor plants, the colour green and terrazzo tiles. I’m still working on the interior design of my living areas, so I’m mostly just relating all the things I’m currently striving for personally.
What is your all time favourite room?
My all-time favourite room is probably the room Dave wakes up in at the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey. It has that amazing retro future baroque aesthetic, the transparent framed furniture and light box floor. It was very influential on my early art practice, I think I was trying to make my own version of that room for many years. Every time I watch the film I see new details I’d missed or forgotten about. Kubrick was such a master of mood and interiors in film, there’s numerous other great rooms in his cinema, you enjoy watching them for that as much as the story.
"The Monolith Room" from 2001: A Space Odyssey