Cocoon Designs

A small-town business with big heart

How one designer turned a dream into a destination in Penguin

For Cocoon’s founder, design has always been second nature. With a background in interior design and a lifelong passion for creating spaces that feel thoughtful and inviting, opening her own store felt like the natural next step, but in a place where creativity could extend from interiors to furniture, styling, and curated homewares.

The search for the perfect location took time. She didn’t want to be in a major town or a busy retail strip. What she wanted was something with charm and character — a place that felt different. When she came across a “for lease” sign in Penguin, a picturesque seaside town on Tasmania’s Central Coast, she knew she’d found it. The building needed work, but it had personality. It had warmth. And Penguin itself had a certain magic that made it impossible to resist.

A leap of faith

Opening a boutique business in a small town wasn’t without its challenges. Friends and colleagues warned her that retail in a quiet coastal town, especially through the winter months, could be risky. But she trusted her instincts. Penguin felt right.

What followed proved that intuition correct. Cocoon quickly became more than just a shop, it became a destination. Locals embraced it, tourists made it a must-visit stop, and word of mouth spread fast. Visitors often travel from across the region just to explore its beautifully curated spaces, filled with quality furnishings, bespoke décor, and pieces that celebrate good design.

Rooted in community

The beauty of being in a small town, she says, is the sense of genuine connection. Penguin’s community is welcoming, creative, and proud of its local businesses. For Cocoon, those relationships have grown into friendships and collaborations that go far beyond retail.

Upstairs, in the same historic building, a short-stay apartment has been transformed into a showcase of Cocoon’s design work. Guests who stay there experience the textures, tones, and style that define the brand and often find themselves visiting the store below to bring a piece of that inspiration home.

It’s a seamless experience that ties together accommodation, retail, and design, all built around a simple idea: that good design can make people feel at home.

Lessons and legacy

Like most great stories, Cocoon’s journey hasn’t been without learning curves. Starting a business from scratch meant navigating permits, processes, and planning without a roadmap. Looking back, the founder recognises how valuable clear, local business guidance would have been — something she hopes others starting out in the region can now access through the growing network of support offered by the Central Coast Council and local business community.

Today, Cocoon stands as a shining example of what’s possible when creativity and courage meet community. The store has become part of Penguin’s identity — helping to define the town’s reputation for boutique, high-quality retail that feels personal, grounded, and authentically Tasmanian.

Cocoon’s story is one of passion, persistence, and place — a reminder that on the Central Coast, small towns don’t hold you back. They lift you up.