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And it's not just that her bon vivant side knows where to find the tastiest cheese (up the road, at gourmet food store Simon Johnson), the freshest coffee, and the most inspirational art books. Rather, Megan understands that living in a world of self-created beauty is not enough. The objects in your life don't count as much as the object of your life.
It would have been easy for Megan, who was born in Ararat, country Victoria, to continue her glamorous life as a 'fashionista' in London, where she spent 13 years. There, eight years ago, she started as an accessories designer, but soon branched out into women's design (which now makes up the bulk of her collection), children's clothing and homewares, eventually selling to 120 stores worldwide. Before long the likes of Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz
were fans of her hand-embroidered pieces with an antique, heirloom feel. But instead of continuing a life as fast and furious as a runway show, her roots were beckoning. "I wanted to come back and be with my family, spend time with my nephews and Mum and Dad."
And so, a year and a half ago, she stepped out of the rat race. "Fashion in London can be a competitive, aggressive, fast-moving industry, and I just didn't want to move at that pace anymore." Melbourne, where she had lived while studying fashion at RMIT, was the obvious choice, and she bought her four-storey warehouse - "I wanted an open space," she explains ¬while home on holidays. However, it will soon become a bit more crowded when her English boyfriend relocates to be with her.
Right now, there's not a superfluous piece in the home. Megan only buys something "if I really fall in love with it and I know it's a piece that I will have forever. I find it hard to buy anything that's just a quick fix." This principle is evident throughout the house: every room is tastefully decorated with substance. A silver-on-cream Florence Broadhurst wallpaper features in the living/dining room, which is centred by a 1930s Schneider chandelier from Germany and soft Cappellini couches in pebble and brown.
Upstairs, the bedroom - complete with a luxurious bathtub and shower - is awash with sunlight. Select pieces attract the eye: a delicate antique Victorian throw on the bed, a sculptural work by British artist Susie MacMurray on the wall which, on closer inspection, turns out to be a plethora of deflated white balloons. The piece is a fitting choice: in her sky-scraping bedroom, she says, "I often wake up because I hear this 'ssshhh' noise and I realise that there
are hot-air balloons floating overhead."
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