10 Design Essentials with Interior Stylist Megan Morton

Interior stylist and author Megan Morton shares her 10 design essentials, which range from flea market finds to designer pieces. Originally trained as a marketing director, Morton fell in love with interiors and styling, driven by a desire to help people navigate decision fatigue. “Clutter is unresolved decisions,” she explains. Morton’s love of flea markets and auctions has influenced her collection, with many of her favourite pieces coming from these sources. The first of the 10 design essentials is stovetop coffee pots, which she describes as “gracious and very well loved”. She recommends everyone return to the simplicity of these classic. Another of the 10 design essentials is the Harvest five-piece set, created by Megan Morton for Artedomus’ New Volumes. “They are independent pieces, but each has a double use.” For example, the cake stand becomes an antipasto grazing station and a vase becomes a coffee cup. “They are a suite of terracotta items that take up no space when concealed, but when revealed, get better with age.” Next in Morton’s repertoire of a 10 design essentials is A Dictionary of Color Combinations from Seigensha. “You will never need to watch Netflix with this book in your life,” she says. “A lot of people think colour and styling is a very loose form, but it actually works on really strict maths.” More books also feature, like Color and From Life by photographer Sheila Metzner. “I feel so connected to these books because they taught me everything I know. These are the best books this side of the 20th century.” Next in the 10 design essentials is the Ikebana Kenzan, otherwise known as a flower frog from Simply Native. “This tiny little spike formation comes in many different shapes and sizes and really lets you play DIY florists,” says Morton. The Selene limestone tile from Eco Outdoor also makes the cut. “This tile is so divine for hard surfaces, and the chequerboard possibilities are endless. Even though it’s a classic look, it’s a way to give a softness to hard surface rooms.” Something unexpected from the 10 design essentials is a brass mouse that Morton found at a flea market and a kangaroo postcard her dad gave her when she was living overseas. Only a few of Morton’s choices are designer or expensive. The most highbrow items she loves are the CornuFé 110cm dual fuel range cooker from La Cornue and the Illumination Study II table lamp by Bijoy Jain for Studio Mumbai. “The incredible wooden box, the little felt components and then this gorgeous delicate parchment shade that sits atop this noble soapstone – that to me is just pure joy. The 10 things Morton brought in; she didn’t have to think about. To her, these items are life sources. 00:00 - Introduction to 10 Design Essentials 00:19 - Tell us about your work 00:39 - What is the best part of what you do? 01:56 - No. 10: Stovetop Coffee Pots 02:49 - No. 09: Harvest 5-piece Set from New Volumes 04:30 - No. 08: A Dictionary of Colour Combinations by Seigensha 06:04 - No. 07: Ikebana Kenzan (Flower Frog) from Simply Native 07:02 - No. 06: Selene Limestone Tile from Eco Outdoor 08:01 - No. 05: CornuFé 110cm Dual Fuel Range Cooker by La Cornue from Signature Appliances 08:49 - No. 04: Brass Mouse 09:44 - No. 03: Illumination Study II by Bijoy Jain for Studio Mumbai 10:47 - No. 02: Weird and Wacky Kangaroo Postcard 12:17 - No. 01: 'Colour' and 'From Life' by Sheila Metzner 13:50 - What do your 10 design essentials say about you? 14:10 - What's the secret behind your approach to styling? 14:49 - What does your perfect work day look like? For more from The Local Project: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thelocalproject/ Website – https://thelocalproject.com.au/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-local-project-publication/ Print Publication – https://thelocalproject.com.au/publication/ Hardcover Book – https://thelocalproject.com.au/book/ The Local Project Marketplace – https://thelocalproject.com.au/marketplace/ For more from The Local Production: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/thelocalproduction_/ Website – https://thelocalproduction.com.au/ LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/thelocalproduction/ To subscribe to The Local Project's tri-annual print publication see here – https://thelocalproject.com.au/subscribe/ Photography by The Local Production. Filmed and edited by The Local Production. Production by The Local Production. The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands. #Design #Essentials #Educational