The former Miss Universe Australia's colourful home is an ode to independence.
Olivia Molly Rogers on Living Solo and Reclaiming Her Space
The former Miss Universe Australia's colourful home is an ode to independence.
Welcome to The Makers. Each week, we celebrate innovators, artisans, and crafters of all types by taking you on a private tour of their creative spaces. For this instalment, we tour former Miss Universe Australia Olivia Molly Rogers’ colourful Melbourne apartment.
For the past year Olivia Molly Rogers has been busy making her South Yarra apartment a home. After going through a public separation – after an even more public wedding – the importance of reclaiming her space and independence was paramount to her finding peace. “Finding a new space to start fresh was really important to me. I wanted somewhere that was purely mine,” she shares with Bed Threads Journal.
No longer needing to consider a partner’s interior preferences, Olivia has been able to create a space that reflects her hobbies, interests, and interior style. Her open-plan, two-bedroom apartment is bright, playful, and inviting, just like the former Miss Universe Australia herself. “I could style it exactly as I wanted and start making happy memories with the people I love who I let into my space,” Olivia said.
Upon entering her two-bedroom apartment, you’re immediately met with floor-to-ceiling windows which flood the living area with natural light, and showcase impressive views of the Yarra River. An emerald green couch – one of her favourite pieces in the home – is the centrepiece of her open-plan living area. “I styled the rest of the living room and kitchen area around that, with pieces that complement the couch.”
Nodding to Danish interiors and eclectic minimalism, Olivia has injected her home with playful bursts of colour through her curated selection of homewares and art she has created herself. Her home can be seen as an ode to independence, a place she has made unapologetically her own after living with a partner.
As for Olivia’s tips for anyone re-styling their home after a breakup? Make your own rules and don’t be afraid to take up space! “If you can, remove any furniture or items that have meaning attached to them from your relationship. Style the place with pieces that feel like you, and enjoy the freedom and having things exactly how you them!”
Hi Olivia! This series is called The Makers. What is it that you make?
I make content for social media, predominantly for Instagram and also a little on TikTok.
How does the act of "making" relate to your personality and who you are?
I have always loved making and creating, art was a huge passion of mine growing up and I have also always enjoyed taking photos and videos. I would describe myself as creative, open, outgoing and honest – and I think through making content and sharing my life online I get to express all of those parts of my personality.
What's been the single most crucial tool or strategy you've used to further your career?
When you are building an audience and hoping for longevity, I think it is essential that the audience feels that they can trust you. Trust is built from consistency and authenticity. If you are trying to be something you’re not, chances are that cracks will begin to show at some point, so it is much easier to be authentic to yourself. No matter what has happened over the past six years, I always strive to be honest and true to myself, which I think has helped me to grow in this space.
Tell us about your career journey to date. Did you always know you wanted to pursue this area of work?
The position that I am currently in is not something I ever pictured for myself. As much as I loved art and being creative growing up, I also loved academics and I had planned to follow a much more structured career path. I studied a Bachelor of Speech Pathology at Flinders University in Adelaide and graduated at the end of 2015. I did some part-time modelling throughout my studies but my long-term goal was always to be a speech pathologist. I started practising as a paediatric Speech Pathologist throughout 2016, but in 2017 I was scouted to compete in Miss Universe Australia (MUA). At first I refused but eventually I made the decision to enter to challenge myself, try something new, and push myself out of my comfort zone. I moved from Adelaide to Melbourne during the competition and completely shocked myself when I took out the title of Miss Universe Australia and this was when my career path really changed. I ended up with quite a large platform all of a sudden and some incredible opportunities started coming my way. I decided to press pause on Speech Pathology, and ride the wave of the other industry for a while. It has been nearly six years now, and I am at a point where I have some really consistent, long-term relationships with brands that I love – I feel very grateful to do what I do.
Talk us through your creative process. Where do you start?
When it comes to creating content, if it is for a client, it always starts with a brief. It then depends a great deal on what the brand is (e.g. fashion, hospitality, travel, beauty, health, fitness, homewares etc.) From the brief, I will find out what the client wants; whether they are after static images or videos or both, me talking to camera or footage with a voiceover, if I should shoot inside or outside, what I should wear, how I should have my hair/makeup etc. Once these factors are decided I usually come up with a concept from there. I think overall it is a much more lengthy process than people would think, but I enjoy it! It’s fun getting creative, I kind of feel like I’m running my own mini advertising agency when I’m working on paid content. When creating my own general content, I take pictures and videos constantly and then post whatever I feel like to be honest! It changes day to day and week to week.
What's been the best thing that's happened to you since you started your career?
There have been some incredible opportunities and moments that I will never forget. Something that is ongoing and always brings me so much joy are jobs that involve travel. I am so grateful to be able to see so much of Australia and the world because of my career and I will never take that for granted.
Do you have a single piece of advice you'd give to your younger self or someone looking to pursue a similar line of work?
Similar to the above, my advice would be to be yourself! Don’t waste any time trying to be someone else, it is going to be the unique things within you that set you apart from the rest so lean into that and embrace all of you. It is almost a certainty that you won’t please everyone, but the people who don’t like you for you will move on, and those that do, will stay. Eventually you build an audience who choose to be there because they appreciate you for you.
I always strive to be honest and true to myself, which I think has helped me to grow in this space.
- Olivia Molly Rogers
Your paintings are divine! Where do you find inspiration for your work?
Thank you, that’s so kind! I don’t paint as often as I would like to, I love it so much when I do find the time. I find inspiration in colour which is everywhere! People, fashion, flowers & plants, home interiors, animals – I am always taking pictures and saving images online of the things that inspire me.
Now, the home stuff. How long have you lived in your home?
I have been in my apartment since October last year so not too long, but it truly feels like home and did so very quickly.
How did you initially know this was the space for you?
My mum actually found this space for me when I was on the hunt, she sent me a link and said “this looks like you”. I booked in for an inspection for the very next day and as soon as I stepped foot into the space it felt right. I could visualise where all of my favourite things would go and I just had a really good feeling that it was meant for me.
How did you reclaim your space after living on your own again?
After going through a separation, finding a new space to start fresh was really important to me. I wanted somewhere that was purely mine, where I could style it exactly as I wanted and start making happy memories with the people I love who I let into my space. I think it felt like mine straight away because I moved in on my own.
Did you do any renovations or make any big changes after moving in?
I did in my previous home, but I am renting this place so no. It felt very much like a blank canvas when I moved in though, so styling it with my furniture and art made a big difference to the apartment.
What was the thought process behind the way you’ve styled the interior? Is there a crossover between your interior and fashion styles?
I bought my green couch a few years ago now and I adore it. I styled the rest of the living room and kitchen area around that, with pieces that complement the couch. In my bedroom I like to keep the base neutral and introduce colour in the bedding and artwork. I do think there is a crossover with my interior and fashion styles, I tend to be quite colourful with both and think they reflect my personality equally.
What are your favourite pieces in the home?
My green sofa, my bedside lamps, coffee table and my plants.
Do you have any special décor pieces you're looking to add?
Not right now, it’s a pretty cosy space so I’m limited with how much ‘stuff’ I can acquire. I think it’s probably a good thing!
Olivia wears the White Long Sleepwear Set.
What advice would you give to someone who’s currently trying to make their space their own after living with a partner?
If you can, remove any furniture or items that have meaning attached to them from your relationship. Style the place with pieces that feel like you, and enjoy the freedom and having things exactly how you want it! For example, maybe you love the colour orange but your ex didn’t, so lean into that and put orange accents wherever you want. It is fun to make your own rules and take up all of your own space.
What are your top tips for a well-styled bedroom, and home generally?
Try to keep it minimal and de-cluttered. I love having decorative pieces but usually less is more, so focus on having just a few key things you love and work around them. I also suggest rearranging every now and then, moving your couch around or trying your TV in a different position – changing up the arrangement of a room can make the space feel completely different and new. I've always been a sucker for this.
Do you have any projects coming up you want to talk about?
I have something coming out this year that I am so excited about but can’t share just yet. It’s a bit of a passion project and one that I have been working on for a long time so I can’t wait to share it soon!
For more from Olivia, follow her @oliviamollyrogers
Photography by Amelia Stanwix. Styling by Beck Simon.
