Experts in interiors since 1997.
Create Expectations provide high-end luxury property styling for clients aiming to enhance their properties' value and appeal.
Guided by Kim and Leah's shared commitment to quality, the business has grown significantly in skill and scope, establishing relationships with developers, investors, and the design community while maintaining excellence through its professional stylists and strong partnerships.
As the company continues to evolve under their leadership, Create Expectations stands as a testament to the transformative power of family-led entrepreneurship in shaping industries with care, creativity, and precision.
Kim Hallis
Founder and Managing Director
kim@createexpectations.com.au
Kim Hallis is the visionary founder of Create Expectations, one of Melbourne’s pioneering property styling and design studios. Originally from a small town in England, Kim moved to Australia in 1984 and began her career as a pharmacist in Malvern.
Driven by a lifelong passion for beauty and design, she opened Crate Expectations in 1995 and launched Create Expectations two years later, becoming one of the first to bring professional property styling to Melbourne’s real estate market.Kim’s aesthetic - elegant, sophisticated, and personal - blends antique treasures, bold fabrics, contemporary art, and refined furnishings, creating spaces that are timeless, aspirational, and unique.
Under her leadership, Create Expectations has grown into one of Melbourne’s most respected styling firms, delivering exceptional results for both boutique residences and large-scale projects, including city penthouses. Beyond her creative work, Kim is a mentor and role model, inspiring and guiding women in design and empowering the next generation of creative leaders.
Today, she remains at the heart of Create Expectations, collaborating with her team to craft interiors that reflect her entrepreneurial spirit, timeless elegance, and enduring creative vision.
Leah Hallis
Creative Director
leah@createexpectations.com.au
Passionate, innovative, and detail-oriented, Leah Hallis brings nearly two decades of interior design and property styling expertise to her role as Creative Director at Create Expectations & Create Interiors.
Leah believes great design should do more than look beautiful—it should feel effortless, layered, and deeply personal. Known for her bold use of colour, striking artwork, and thoughtful blend of vintage and contemporary pieces, she creates spaces that reflect her clients’ individuality while balancing sophistication with warmth.
Her work is enriched by sourcing from both local artisans and international design houses, ensuring every project is curated with unique, world-class pieces that elevate each home.
Her philosophy “You’re not just selling a property; you’re selling a lifestyle” has positioned her as a trusted voice in Melbourne’s design industry, with features in Domain, and thought leadership articles for GlobeWest, Marshall White among others.
Under her creative direction, Create Expectations has evolved into a benchmark for high-end, design-forward property styling, while Create Interiors offers a seamless, holistic approach to interior design. Through both, Leah continues to deliver spaces that inspire, connect, and tell a story.
