Styling Megan Dicks house
When I first met South African born, Megan Dicks she had recently founded her successful art consultancy, Ottomys. I fell in love with her beautiful 1890’s Melbourne home with its traditional bullnose veranda and spacious living areas, opening out on to a large, established garden. I suggested to Megan that I could feature the house in a magazine, and set to work bringing in some additional pieces and styling the spaces to enhance the laidback African feel.
Armelle Habib, our fabulous photographer, snapped this image of one of Megan’s cute dogs greeting us at the front door. The formal entrance, with its traditional fretwork bullnose veranda, is juxtaposed with a striking modern sculpture and water feature.
Harriet, Megan’s daughter was so much fun to have around on the day of the shoot and was a natural in front of the camera.
Thank you to my two assistants, Julia Green and Nick Young for all your help and all the laughs.
We are thrilled that two magazines featured this house story: Homes & Gardens UK and Home Beautiful Australia
Carry on scrolling down to see my ‘Out of Africa’ house feature in Home Beautiful magazine….
Megan showcased Clinton Friedman’s striking monochrome tree photograph in her formal sitting room, set off against a putty wall colour, with a rich, cranberry red ottoman and traditional armchairs accentuating the luxurious feel. I added the metal MRD Home floor lamp and chunky wooden side table to tie in with the natural forms of the tree artwork.
One of my favourite Aussie brands is MUD Australia - these ceramic pieces often have a starring role in my styling work as they elevate any image. The ranges come in dreamy pastel hues, including this Pebble bowl in Pistachio featured in the detail above.
Megan’s bedroom retreat, above the hustle and bustle of the living area, overlooks the tranquil back garden. I chose the retro bedding in earthy tones to harmonise with the textural hessian headboard and added a sculptural metal MRD Home lamp to the bedside table for a rustic touch.
In Megan’s garden, arbors festooned in greenery, box hedges and pathways create inviting outdoor rooms. I brought in a selection of contemporary garden furniture from another iconic Melbourne brand, Eco Outdoor to enhance this beautiful space and create enticing seating areas.
At the time Megan was representing Cape Town artist, Clinton Friedman so we hung a selection of his framed Botanika photographs around the house. I also added Clinton’s striking Botanika scatter cushions to chairs and sofas, including in this cosy seating area off the main living area. This space was pared-back and neutral, so I added a classic Globewest coffee table, rustic side table, cowhide rug and accessories, to make it feel more inviting, with a nod to South Africa.
Megan’s classic country style kitchen opens out on to an open plan living and dining area. I added bursts of colour with wall hung plates and crockery. I sourced a set of Tolix dining chairs to blend with the cool green tones of an eye-catching Clinton Friedman artwork. Thank you to Harriet, Megan’s daughter, and her sweet dog, Sophie, for modelling so beautifully for us.
It was so much fun styling Harriet’s bedroom with cute cushions and artwork, plus one of our own Curio & Curio ‘Herringbone’ ottomans acts as a quirky bedside table. I added my wooden Venucci deer head to the wall with a ‘Down to the Woods’ pom pom garland for an extra splash of colour and whimsical feel.