stylist marie nichols

Marie Nichols has been working for many years in the UK as an interior stylist for a whole host of magazines, including Living Etc, and now she's heading to Australia to live and work. Lucky us!

Which five words best describe you? Creative, passionate, stylish - I hope! A bit of a worrier and I’d like to say domestic goddess, but it’s debatable!
What was your first job and what path have you taken since then? My first job was working as a Saturday girl with a local interior designer, that’s really where my love of styling began (although I didn’t realise styling existed back then). After graduating from a photography degree I did some work experience at BBC Good Homes Magazine, that’s when I discovered my dream job as an interiors stylist. I began assisting an amazing stylist Lucyina Moodie I worked with Lucyina for a year as well as assisting on shoots for Living Etc, Homes & Gardens, House Beautiful, and Ideal Home. I started working at Ideal Home in 2003 and have worked my way up to Deputy Style Editor, but after almost 6 years I’ve decided it’s time to go it alone and head to Australia and work as a freelance stylist.
What's your proudest achievement? I’m a little bit square so achieving a first class hons degree in photography was pretty cool - but that’s ages ago now! - since then my first cover for Ideal Home back in 2006 was quite a proud moment. I was shooting in Cape Town when it was published so walking into a store and seeing it on sale there was quite huge for me! More recently turning the wreck of a house I bought with my partner Simon into a stylish - if not a little cluttered! - home was quite some achievement. It was a very low budget affair and we did most of the work ourselves whilst holding down full time jobs. I’m a little sad to be leaving it now.
What's been your best decision? Hopefully deciding to leave my job in London and to travel to the other side of the world to work in Sydney - fingers crossed .
Who inspires you? So many people inspire me - far too many to mention. My number one inspiration has to be my mum. She’s so creative - it’s definitely where I get it my creativity from - and has always encouraged me to follow whatever path I decide. She’s eternally self less, always puts everyone else first and gave my brother and I the most fantastic childhood. Work wise it’s my mentor, the fabulous stylist Lucyina Moodie, she taught me all I know. Not only is she an amazing stylist, she’s so organized and is such a "people person", she taught me how to run a shoot like clockwork. I miss my days assisting her. Simon is also a big inspiration; he’s a graphic designer/illustrator/fellow lover of old tat and is so wonderfully talented.
What are you passionate about? I’m passionate about my work; I’m one of those really annoying people who loves what I do. I get ridiculously excited about a new wallpaper or a bargain vase. I’m, also passionate about family and friends, nothing in the world is more important.
What's the best lesson you've learnt? Never paint a ceiling pink: I was only 10 at the time but a valuable lesson learnt!
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? I’d love to meet the photographer Mario Testino, I really admire his work and back in my photography days I wanted to be him!
What dream do you still want to fulfil? So many! To work for some of the gorgeous magazines that have long been of inspiration to me. To “do” a book, something lovely and inspirational that one day I can show my grandchildren and be proud, which leads me to my long-term dream of being a mum and having a family. I’d then like work part time as a stylist/design consultant while running a cute tearooms/boutique, serving home made cakes on pretty mismatched china, where all of the décor is for sale. With 2 children; a cat; a sausage dog and my mum running around in the background; oh and to live happily ever after - what can I say I’m a bit of a dreamer!
What are you reading? It’s so crazy right now what with planning the big shooting for Ideal Home’s Christmas and January issues before I leave, that I haven’t had time to read a book for ages. I love design books though, my current favorites being A Girls Guide To Decorating by Abigail Ahern and Meet Me at Mikes by Pip Lincolne.

images courtesy of marie nichols