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Little Nicki: “There’s no such thing as an average day.”

October 8, 2014 2 Comments

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“There is no such thing as an average day in styling,” says Nicole Valentine Don, better known as Little Nicki. “Just yesterday, we were feeding cockatoos apples to get them to sit on a lounge for a shot! I’m always sitting back, looking at the situation and giggling to myself about how ridiculous some moments can be.”

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Styling by Jason Grant & Nicole Valentine Don. Photo: Lauren Bamford

Having been assisting in interior and lifestyle styling for the last four years, and doing solo work for the past two, Nicki is well versed in the crazy and unpredictable nature of styling. Undertaking a wide range of work from advertising to editorial to online videos and everything in-between, 2014 in particular has been a year of milestones; having her first home styling project featured in Inside Out, becoming a contributor for US lifestyle blog JB EST 1979 and winning Inside Out and The Home’s Search for a Stylist competition. This involved styling a mock Inside Out cover. Her efforts won her a senior stylist role at the online homewares retailer.

“Winning The Home’s competition means meeting new people and sharpening my skills as a stylist,” explains Nicki. “The brief was so open; it was simply to style a vignette with products from The Home. To narrow it down for myself, I decided to make it entirely my style and embrace my strengths, so I knew I had to introduce something handmade. Once I decided that ultimately I was the only person who had to love it, it became more focused and fun!”

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Inside Out and The Home’s Search for a Stylist. Photo: Guy Bailey

A clear lover of all things handmade, Nicki is not only a stylist but also a maker, running her own Etsy shop where she sells feather arrow sticks inspired by her time in Mexico. “I started my Etsy shop because I had just come back from a trip to Mexico City where I visited the Museum of Anthropology and loved these feather sticks the Huichol Indians made. I really wanted to find one to buy and take home, but of course, couldn’t find them anywhere. I came home and made my own interpretation, mixed with native traditions from Canada. A lot of what I make is inspired by travel.”

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Photo: Fiona Galbraith

While it seems like a natural fit now, Nicki wasn’t always destined to become a creative, having spent a lot of her time as a competitive gymnastics coach in her home country of Canada. But after a stylist friend saw her knack for decorating her own home, she started referring her assisting jobs, and the first job? Assisting the legendary Sibella Court with her book, Nomad.

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Photo: Fiona Galbraith

Assisting turned out to be a very valuable experience and not only led to her first solo job, fitting out the HQ for documentary feature film Storm Surfers 3D, but also gave her the skills that can only come through practice. “Assisting is essential; you might have style and a creative flare, but you need to learn the subtle nuances of making a picture perfect and do a bit of time on the less glamorous side.”

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Nicki’s home. Photo: Fiona Galbraith

But it’s not just assisting that Little Nicki recommends if you want to get into the industry. More than anything, she believes it’s about putting together a body of work. “My biggest tip for any budding stylists is to absolutely be producing your own work, all the time. Make friends with photographers (often assistants) on jobs that you’re on and make time to get together and shoot. Soon enough you’ll have a body of work and will undeniably be a stylist. You’ll hopefully get a whole lot better as you go and develop your own style as well.”

Find out more about Little Nicki here.

Read all our other styling stories.

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One half of popular parenting podcast @wedonthavet One half of popular parenting podcast @wedonthavetimeforthis, turns out former Neighbours actor @gemma_peanut is even more multi-talented than we thought! Will you check out the joyful and colourful reno of her holiday home (and airbnb) @yo_caba_caba?!

Head over to the blog via link in bio to read all about why she went bold and full of pattern in this project, which is a stark contrast to her zen and neutral Northern Beaches abode.

There's also plenty of details about where things are from etc.

"I’m not an interior designer so I just chose what I liked and followed my gut. Ultimately this home has been an opportunity to explore my alter ego – it allowed me to do things that I wouldn’t normally do.”

📷 @tanikablair_photography 

#interiorsblog #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #gemmapeanut #wedonthavetimeforthis #parentingpodcast #parentingpodcasts #holidayhousesofinstagram #cabaritabeach #airbnbstyle #airbnbstyling #colourandpattern #wallpapergoals #patternedtiles #featuretiles #poolgoals #sparkjoy #yocabacaba #boldinteriors #funinteriors #colourfulkitchen
Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial Not many friends in life fall into the unofficial family category and they're a special gift. So ends three weeks with @danisteve81 who left her husband and son in the UK (I'm forever grateful they lent her to me!) to come and cheer me up and help me in the most practical ways after I spent Christmas and New Year in hospital. There were tears and I miss her so much already but how amazing to have had all that time together as adults. Such a rare treat and would never have happened without having been through something so challenging. Silver linings and all that. So many other friends have also been incredibly thoughtful and kind. There aren't many times I'd say this without cringing but I am 100% blessed!

I still cannot believe we have been friends since we were 12! 12! Are you still close with your childhood besties?
The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_ho The renovation of this 80s beach shack @camillo_house is a work of art and while almost every surface was updated, the decision to keep the original slate floor was genius if you ask us. 

Owner @clarehillier__ says: "With its purple, pink, red and brown tones, the slate was the starting point for our interior palette."

Come and check out the before and afters via link in bio now and read the reno story. It's a real beauty.

And you can book it for your next holiday too!

Blair Smith Architecture @kateshanasy

#slatefloor #slatefloors #80shouse #80sbeauty #camillohouse #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #realreno #holidayhousesofinstagram #morningtonpeninsulahomes #morningtonpeninsula #morningtonpeninsulasmallbusiness #blairgowrie #blairgowriebeach #airbnbstyle
Me and my boys 💗 Me and my boys 💗
Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for thr Just a couple of dorks who've been friends for three decades going out for a child-free dinner 💓😁
Excuse me while I die of a cute attack 🥰 @damia Excuse me while I die of a cute attack 🥰 @damianfrancis 

This doesn't happen often these days!
Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks Hello friends! Just thought I'd say hi. Two weeks since leaving hospital and I'm doing much better than I expected to be at this early stage. A long recovery road ahead but making progress in how much I can move my arm and although I drag myself through some days non-stop yawning, others I can go for a little walk or out for lunch before collapsing on the couch! I can now tie my own hair back and put on a real bra which is very exciting 🤣 Having my bestie here to help us with the boys, drive me places and just be brilliant positive company is the best thing I could have asked for not to mention the many Dinner Ladies vouchers from friends! Thanks for all your kind messages, cards, flowers, gifts and offers of help ❤️
I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping I definitely feel like a statistic now but hoping to raise some awareness off the back of my misfortune (and also very lucky escape).

@newsouthwaleshealth have just put out this warning about a rise in serious bacterial infections. iGAS (invasive group A streptococcus) is what caused my necrotising fasciitis and sepsis.

Apparently there's similar happening in VIC too.

It's extremely rare but very serious nonetheless so please have a read and be aware of symptoms. I've linked to the article from a button via my link in bio.

#interiorsaddict #jenbishop #necrotisingfasciitis #groupastrep #groupastreptococcus #sepsis
While new technologies continue to shape the inter While new technologies continue to shape the interior design scene, one that has been getting a fair bit of traction of late is marble-look porcelain. A cheaper alternative to natural stone, the latest printed porcelain tile technology makes it difficult to distinguish from the real thing.

Founded by husband and wife duo Anton and Rita Bourtsev, Sydney’s @kaolintiles has a unique offering in this space with over 100 different marble-look tile designs in small and large formats.

More via link in bio now.

#porcelain #porcelaintile #porcelaintiles #largeformattiles #largeformattile #marblelooktiles #bathroomtrends2023 #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #heartyourhome #realrenovations #goldsink #brasssink #jenbishop #kaolin #kaolintiles #interiorsblog #interiorsblogger
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About Olivia Shead

When she's not writing for Interiors Addict, Olivia is now a TV and radio news producer. She's a journalism graduate of UTS Sydney.

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