Sisters Talia O’Connor and Ella Murdoch returned from their exotic overseas travels inspired to bring a selection of the amazing objects they had discovered home for New Zealanders
MintSix director Talia O’Connor, left, with creative assistant Victoria Broughton. The counter was custom-made with pressed tin Talia salvaged from a yard in Dunedin.
Ask the owners of MintSix about the genesis of their business and they will wax lyrical about colourful experiences shared in far-flung lands. A Silk Road odyssey atop a camel, traversing the cobbled steps of The Great Wall of China, and slurping chilli soup in a whirring hutong kitchen are but some examples. Sisters Talia O’Connor and Ella Murdoch say MintSix has been well and truly germinating for many years, inspired by the sights, sounds, smells and colours of the world they had been busy exploring.
“Wanderlust, and our mutual passion for homeware and design that showcased certain looks unique to people in countries we visited, sowed the MintSix seed,” says Talia.
The idea sprouted when Talia and Ella – respectively based in Melbourne and Beijing at the time – decided it was time to come home to roost.MintSix was born to feature some of those decor delights that had taken their fancy. Moroccan pouffes from Marrakesh and Bamileke feather head dresses (aka Juju hats) from Cameroon were among the initial product. Two years on and these items, which were fresh to the New Zealand market, are still top sellers, tells Talia, who is business director.
These cubby holes are filled with goodies such as Finnish brand ‘Kauniste’ cushions, Nud pendant lights and Moroccan pouffes
MintSix was initially solely an online store, but the enterprise expanded last year to include a shop in Otago; where Talia and Ella and two more sisters grew up. Dunedin’s Roslyn Village is home to this store, painted predominantly white to showcase the vibrant colour injections that come courtesy of the wide array of mainly imported stock.
Style-wise, MintSix is big on offering “something different”, highlighting its owners’ sense of fun and appreciation for the beauty of design.
“We don’t want to be pigeonholed to a certain style. We have a colourful and textured, but also pared-back and monochromatic, aesthetic. We do both, and this is reflected in our own homes.”
Talia and Victoria enjoy changing the MintSix window display weekly. Eye-catchers in this display include a framed ‘Mae Engelgeer’ teatowel and a House Doctor lamp.
Stock includes an eclectic array of tempters including tribal African wall art, Dutch and Swedish homeware from HK Living and Zakkia, Finnish textiles from Kauniste and reindeer hides also from Finland.
Popular sellers also include Debbie Carlos posters from New York, marble trivets and trays from Melbourne-based Marble Basics, rugs and runners from Brita Sweden, Uashmama bags from Italy and Pony Rider textiles from Australia. Home-grown items include candles and hand-wash from Ashley & Co. Jewellery, scarves and bags also line the shelves.
Mamasita chairs from Mexico form part of the display on the back wall.
Both the Dunedin shop and the online store are buzzing, yet there is also another component to this enterprise. A bespoke interior styling service is on offer, with home styling visits available.
In store, product is not lined up in rows, rather it is styled up, offering people ideas for how it can be put together in their own homes. In addition, the MintSix team is involved in pre-sale styling and event styling and holds promotional evenings in-store.
The totara dining table offers an injection of Kiwi – it’s by Raglan-based WRW & Co. The Brita Sweden ‘Ingrid’ floor rug comes in a range of sizes and colours.
MintSix
290 Highgate, Roslyn Village, Dunedin, mintsix.com, 03 474 1618
Words by: Monique Balvert-O’Connor. Photography by: Emily Hlavac Green.
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