Interior stylist Megan Morton releases her fourth book this week – a compendium of gorgeous homes titled ‘It’s beautiful here* – Homes That Make Your Heart Skip a Beat.’ From a modest rental in suburban Adelaide to a chateau in France and the New York apartment of author Hanya Yanagihara, the book’s subjects are a diverse lot which makes it an appealing read.
“I was humbled by the quote ‘some people buy beautiful houses, others make them’ and this book is about the people who make them!” says Megan of her motley crew of subjects, her favourites being mother daughter duo of Caroline and Virginia Gibbs. “We visited both the delicious homes of the mother and daughter decor duo, proving that the hospitality hostess gene is the best asset any house can have,” says Megan.
On the hospitality front, the book contains practical tips too. There’s advice on hosting, living with children, how to hang a gallery wall like a pro, balancing home and work, maximalism, how to live with books, colour tips and the final chapter that has the curious title ‘How to stay sane and outsmart cockroaches.’ You’ll also find interviews with the homeowners.
As a big fan of Yanagihara (I’m still haunted by ‘A Little Life’ – anyone else?), it was lovely to get a glimpse inside her New York apartment. Her impressive bookshelf spans the width of the room and holds over 12,000 tomes organised in alphabetical order! “She is my favourite writer. Her house was a total privilege to shoot but I was really there just to see her bookshelves!” says Megan.
“All the homes are done with total heart and you can detect it,” says Megan. Personally, I love getting inside the homes of ‘real’ people and if you’re an interiors voyeur like me, you’re bound to love it too.
Photography: Brooke Holm