Style Insider: A photographer was fortunate to find a home already styled to suit her particular tastes.
A lucky find for a photographer with a high sense of style but an aversion to renovating
The home of family portrait photographer Sarah Nutt successfully combines two opposing decorating styles. Its white walls and warm timber flooring are in stark contrast to the punches of black in the kitchen and bathroom. Tying together the light Scandinavian influences and the moody tones is Sarah’s eye for colour and composition.
“As a professional photographer, aesthetics are extremely important to me, so I put a lot of time and effort into creating a visually calming environment that makes me happy,” says Sarah of her home in Birkenhead, Auckland.
When she was house-hunting in 2017, Sarah’s priority was finding a place that could double as a space for her studio Milk Photography. Situated in a light-filled room off the kitchen, her work space can easily be separated from the rest of her home by a linen curtain when she’s working.
The dramatic black kitchen and bathroom, which were renovated by the previous owner, are often talking points with visitors. “I was sold immediately on both. My clients also love them. As soon as they’ve admired the kitchen, I tell them about the black bathroom and they always head there to take a look.”
Sarah was rapt to find a place that had been remodelled to her taste. She has done renovations before and does not enjoy the process. “I’ve been through the blood, sweat and tears of renos and I can’t handle the stress. I loved the idea of arriving here with everything done. All I had to do was add a few embellishments to suit my style.”
Long-term, she plans to move her studio to the basement. “It is the ideal space for a photography studio but being the perfectionist that I am, this project is going to take a while.”
‘All I had to do was add a few embellishments’