A few years back Fiona Crombie and Peter Knowles made the major life decision to pack up their lives and young children in Australia and move to London to further their film careers.
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There were a few hiccups and stressful moments along the way for the movie-making couple.
Success eventually flowed, including the news on Tuesday that Sydney-born, Adelaide-raised Crombie was nominated for an Oscar for her extraordinary work on Academy Awards heavyweight The Favourite.
Crombie's production design nomination was one of 10 The Favourite received to tie with the Alfonso Cuaron-directed Spanish language drama Roma for most nominations heading into the 91st Academy Awards ceremony on February 24.
Bedlam broke out at Crombie's London home where she watched the announcement on TV with co-nominee, UK set decorator Alice Felton.
"We were shrieking," Crombie told AAP.
"We were laughing and crying."
Australian screenwriter Tony McNamara also received an original screenplay nomination for co-writing The Favourite's script.
The film is set in early 18th Century Britain and centres on the relationship between two cousins, played by Emma Stone and Rachel Wesiz, competing for Queen Anne's (Olivia Colman) affections.
Crombie, a NIDA graduate who was a resident designer at the Sydney Theatre Company, moved into film when she joined forces with old Adelaide school mate and then rising director Justin Kurzel to work on the 2011 award-winning biographical crime drama Snowtown.
The path to England opened when Kurzel directed 2015's MacBeth and Crombie was hired to be production designer.
Crombie, producer husband Knowles and their daughter Oona, 12, and son Orlando, 8, attempted to travel between Australia and the UK.
"It got to the point where the kids were getting older and needed more stability so we thought we would try our luck in the UK for a few years," Crombie said.
The first job Crombie scored was The Favourite, but it was delayed for a year and they wondered if they made the right decision to move from Australia.
"We didn't even have furniture because we didn't want to spend any money," Crombie said.
"I remember we had just one outdoor Ikea table inside and two chairs and a couple of bean bags."
Crombie was hired to do the production design on Australian director Garth Davis' Mary Magdalene and at the end of that The Favourite was preparing to shoot.
Crombie and Felton went trawling through London's markets looking for antiques, furniture, fabrics and accessories for the early 18th century set film.
"The thing that is amazing about working in London is the access to incredible furniture," Crombie said.
The most notable piece they found is something audiences who have watched The Favourite will likely remember.
"The pidgeon house," Crombie says.
"We found it in an antiques market.
"It wasn't super cheap, maybe Stg300 and we didn't get it straight away but went back two weeks later and it was still there so we were like, 'OK. It's meant to be in the film'."
The success and access to London's markets and antique shops has meant Crombie has been able to upgrade the furniture at home from the one Ikea table and bean bags.
"We're making roots," Crombie laughed.
Australian Associated Press
