My Houzz: Florist’s Home on the Sunny Side
An Australian crafter, thrifter and professional floral designer shows off her quirky style
Justine Savage spends her workdays helping to create arrangements for one of Melbourne, Australia’s top wedding and event floral stylists, Poppy Culture. Creativity is second nature to Savage, which is evident in the way she’s decorated her personality-packed two-bedroom apartment.
The mint green vintage buffet is flawed, Savage says, but that’s part of its charm. She loves the color, detail on top and its fancy Queen Anne-style legs. “It makes me feel just a little bit posh,” she says.
Her best design tip: Avoid trends. Trust your instincts and decorate with items you love.
Her best design tip: Avoid trends. Trust your instincts and decorate with items you love.
“I love collected and bright, happy things,” Savage says. “I adore secondhand furniture and quirky soft furnishings. I’m all about the clashes and I’m definitely a maximalist.”
Frida Kahlo, Carmen Miranda and Dame Edna Everage feature prominently in the artwork that adorns Savage’s walls.
In a quiet corner of the main bedroom, Savage gives a nod to the apartment’s close proximity to some of Victoria’s best beaches, with her beautiful surfboard from local store Love Iluka.
In decorating her home, she says, she’s learned patience, restraint and trust. “I’m a collector and it’s taken me years to find the right pieces,” she says. “Be selective and only take what you know you’re going to fix up and use, otherwise collecting can scarily turn into hoarding.”
In decorating her home, she says, she’s learned patience, restraint and trust. “I’m a collector and it’s taken me years to find the right pieces,” she says. “Be selective and only take what you know you’re going to fix up and use, otherwise collecting can scarily turn into hoarding.”
Savage displays some of her collectibles on a chest of drawers, including this little porcelain piggy bank and a few of her favorite books.
The guest bedroom also doubles as Savage’s craft room. Its bright white walls were the perfect blank canvas for the splashes of color Savage has added, such as this vintage quilt from Cottage Industry Store.
A crafting desk sits ready for when inspiration strikes. Savage enjoys sewing and cross-stitch.
A crafting desk sits ready for when inspiration strikes. Savage enjoys sewing and cross-stitch.
Another vignette of collectibles includes an assortment of Kewpie dolls that Savage and a colleague found in a local store called Page 8.
This giant Miffy lamp, adorned with a handmade pompom, serves as a source of light at the bedside.
Many fun messages can be seen around Savage’s home, on everything from artwork to ceramics.
Space in the tiny bathroom is maximized with some simple shelving that Savage’s father made.
In the kitchen, a mix of old and new combines practicality with Savage’s quirky style.
The enamel floral saucepan and oil bottle are both from the Sorry Grandma Shop.
Savage makes the most of the space above the cupboards, storing cooking essentials in retro-style canisters.
Two stools pulled up to the kitchen counter provide a spot for a quick bite or for guests to sit while Savage cooks a meal.
Perched on the couch with a cross-stitch project in hand: This is Savage’s idea of contentment.
As a floral designer, Savage likes to keep fresh flowers and plants around her home. This assortment at her front door greets visitors and gives a small hint of the fun that awaits inside.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
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My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Justine Savage
Location: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria state, Australia
Size: 775 square feet (72 square meters); two bedrooms, one bathroom
Justine Savage says her apartment is “old and a little disheveled and certainly isn’t perfect,” but she loves it anyway. “It’s home.”
She’s made the space her own by dressing it up in her distinct, eclectic style. Unique bits and pieces she’s accumulated over the years are on display, and every item has a story to tell — and that’s what Savage loves about her decor.