Inside the colourful home of a photographer + creative director duo
You've heard Coco Chanel's famous advice: "Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off." But before you heed it, let us introduce you to Michelle Norris.
Michelle is an artist, creator, and as she puts it, always "dressed in rainbows." If you've seen her outfit styling videos, you'll know that when Michelle looks in her (wavy, oversized) mirror, she's more likely to add three things than take one off! The result is a kaleidoscope of incredible colours, textures and shapes that reflect Michelle's artistic flair.
Together with her partner Forrest, Michelle lives in Atlanta, Georgia, in a home that's colourful and creative enough to make anyone reconsider their stance on minimalism. Think bold, bright colours, pattern clashing, geometric shapes and even hot pink astroturf!
Michelle and Forrest call it the #tropicondo, and the finished result is such a visual dreamland that they decided to go for round two, designing a postmodern-inspired studio Airbnb called Prismatic Parkside. Kitsch and – no surprises here – colourful, this stripy haven is as unique and playful as the pair themselves.
In the spirit of more is more, we asked Michelle to take us on a tour of both homes!
controlled chaos
"I think there's a big difference between maximalism and clutter," Michelle tells us. "To me, it's about providing a lot of little compositions for the eye to move around, instead of cramming as much as possible in." While her home is full of visual interest, from swathes of colour to the tiniest of details, it's all a very balanced art. Everything is intentional, and considered. "Hidden storage is huge for that," Michelle says of keeping the clutter at bay. "Living in such a small space keeps us honest because there's only so much collecting one can do with culling as well."
"Functionality and softness in the right places make it feel like a refuge, not just an art gallery." – Michelle Norris
form + function
"We like our home to feel comfy, bright and creatively stimulating," says Michelle. That said, it's not all about form. Michelle tells us that practicality is high on their priority list, because "functionality and softness in the right places make it feel like a refuge, not just an art gallery." She cites the bedroom as a favourite spot in the home. "It feels like a safe haven because the bed takes up the majority of the space, so it's restful and dreamy."
Even so, there are definitely pieces in the home that could belong in a gallery! "Our naked woman table was made by a friend's dad in the 90s and it's really the centrepiece of the house in a lot of ways," Michelle says. In the Airbnb, "all of the small items are vintage. Sourcing for that project was so fun and involved a lot of estate sales and thrift stores!"
colour combo condo
Colour reigns supreme in Michelle and Forrest's home and their Airbnb project. "We are definitely drawn to particular combinations," Michelle explains. "While a lot of our initial thoughts are intuitive and might involve selecting a couple of colours that we like off the bat, there is a honing that happens next through consulting the colour wheel, or trial and error of trying out other colours with our first selections. Our palette for our house is very different from that of our Prismatic Parkside Airbnb, so we definitely enjoy pursuing a unique vibe and colours per project, depending on the intention behind it."
"When pattern-clashing, we like to keep the frequency of the patterns similar in size." – Michelle Norris
pattern clashing 101
One of the first things you'll notice in both homes is the way patterns interact with each other. In the Airbnb bedroom, six different stripe patterns layer upon each other while the kitchen's mid-century checkerboards flow through to yet more stripes! "When pattern-clashing, we like to keep the frequency of the patterns similar in size, as well as making sure that the palettes are similar or complementary," Michelle says. "There is also room for play within that. If two patterns are different sizes but stylistically the same or contain the same subject matter, that could be a fun way to subvert the rules and still make it work for you."
locker talk
A Sage Lowdown takes pride of place in Michelle's sanctuary bedroom. "I don't know how I lived without the locker in our bedroom before! It stores my cowboy boots (of which I have many) and also my in-progress art projects. I love having a place to tuck them away that doesn't make me feel anxious about needing to rush to finish them." In the Airbnb, a Poppy Midi looks custom-built for the stripy nook where it functions as a vanity and, cleverly, hidden storage for all upkeep supplies required to keep the Airbnb running.
After all, when form and function meet, beautiful things happen!
