Retailer Alice McMullin’s sustainable renovation

Alice McMullin has created a retail hit that promotes simple and considered design – her own home follows a similar ethos, with a twist.

Who Creative director of homewares and lifestyle retailer McMullin & Co, Alice McMullin.

Where Three-bedroom cottage with partner Matt Ogilvie and their two children Theo, five, and Lucia, one. Favourite thing Natural and sustainable homewares. Inspiration Our home is very much an extension of the design aesthetic I create for McMullin & Co. Minimal, neutral with a touch of vintage. Home is Where my family is.

Alice Mcmullin: “Our home is very much an extension of the design aesthetic I create for McMullin & Co”. Photographer: Tim Pascoe

Alice McMullin has created a retail environment at McMullin & Co that promotes simple and considered design, so it’s no surprise that her own home would follow a similar ethos. She is currently in the middle of renovating the front two bedrooms of her inner-Sydney cottage and is working with architects to extend the back of the house too, and add a fourth bedroom.

“It’s really important to me that we honour the legacy of the house,” she says.  

“We have also done extensive work to the garden so that we are able to enjoy the outdoor area to entertain and our children have an area to play in. We loved that the house has a wonderful history in that it was built about 90 years ago but was also a blank canvas so that we are able to modernise it and put our imprint on it.”

Alice Mcmullin loves spending time in the backyard. Photographer: Tim Pascoe

Alice and her partner Matt had spent two years searching for the perfect home for their family of four, while also juggling young children and the expansion of the business with the launch of Alfred, a unisex childrenswear range to add to the homewares and art collections sold by McMullin & Co.

In her downtime, Alice has earmarked a spot in her backyard to kick back. Her newly-built outdoor seating and firepit is being put to good use by Alice, “with a glass of wine, some good food, music and friends”.

Words: Catherine Nikas-Boulos  Pictures: Tim Pascoe

Bring out the party knives.

We love to entertain and cook for our guests at home, this vintage set of six Sheffield knives from James Marsden & Sons brings a talking point to the table.

A beloved ring

I intend to pass this ring on to my daughter Lucia on her 21st birthday. It was originally from my father and I would love it if it remains in the family and was passed down for generations to come.

Timber stool

I spend a lot of time in Indonesia working on the collections with the local artisans. On one trip I came cross this Duma fossil of petrified wood in Pererenan and had to bring it home with me.

The George lamp

This is our first ceramic lamp for

McMullin & Co. It was a limited release of 100 and we were so surprised at how quickly they went. It was the catalyst for our entire lighting range. We are actually about to re-release it.

Alice’s vintage African tapestry

We found this in Vietnam of all places. Matt and I have been together for 10 years, during our relationship we have travelled to many amazing places and we often find pieces for our home. Every time I walk past this it reminds me of our shared travels together.

Cheers!

These were my late Uncle Tony’s prized crystal tumblers. It makes it feel more special drinking a Hendricks, cucumber and lime, which often reminds me of him.

Her grandfather’s leather briefcase

My grandfather was a high court judge in New Zealand and this was his briefcase. He took it to work every day. I love the embossing of his initials on the case.

A marketplace find

On the weekend we often go to the markets. Recently I was particularly drawn to this artwork of a Papua New Guinean mother and child. It is by an unknown artist but continues to intrigue me.