Nicky McLean is a talented and sought after Dubai-based photographer who specialises in maternity and newborn photography. She has an amazing talent for capturing those fleeting moments when your tiny new bundle looks as though it could still be in the womb. Sadly, I only came to know of Nicky’s work long after my babies were born and I therefore ‘missed the boat’, so to speak, on the baby shoot but I have recently had the pleasure of working with her on something a little different.
A few weeks ago, Nicky contacted me to ask for some help with her ‘office’. She has a gorgeous, light filled and airy studio that was in a need of a little refresh. And I use the word ‘refresh’ because to be perfectly frank, there wasn’t a lot that was wrong with the space, it just didn’t quite have the look that Nicky was trying to achieve and she is simply too busy to be able to dedicate any time to it.
The studio needs to be a calm and welcoming space for mums and their precious babies. Newborn shoots can take a few hours, so Nicky likes to ensure that her clients can settle in and feel comfortable during their session.
Thanks to a coat of new paint (Jotun’s stunning Twilight – 9904, to be specific) and a few small tweaks and changes, here’s the new look…
And here’s look at what the space looked like before.

Be sure to take a look at Nicky’s amazing work.
11 Comments
Hi Kathryn, lovely office! I’m a big fan of your work.
I’ve been trying to find nice white coffee tables for the past 6 months with no success. May I ask where are these from?
Hi Norah, thanks for your kind words. I got these tables from South Africa, but you can often find a similar style in West Elm or Pottery Barn. Having said that, I’ve only seen them there in natural wood finishes… nothing a can of spray paint couldn’t resolve though 😉
see example here: http://www.westelm.com/products/carved-wood-side-table-g559/?pkey=ccoffee-side-tables%7Cside-tables%7C
Love this look x
Thanks, Laura x
Kath – you have honestly transformed my studio space into a space that we can really create and my clients can relax and enjoy their sessions. I have learnt so much during this process and working with you was both inspiring and so much fun.
Words cannot express how happy we are with the outcome. xxxxx
So glad you love it! x
hi can i ask where the new sofa cushions are from? Im looking for sone just like this
Thanks !
Hi Kat, there are a few Etsy shops that sell cushions in this and similar fabrics. Here’s a link to one of them: https://www.etsy.com/listing/177954842/sale-grey-pillows-gray-pillows-grey?ref=market Hope that’s helpful. Kath
great that’s perfect, love Esty
Thanks for the help
Kathryn, you are bloody brilliant! I just LOVE the new look. Her studio now looks absolutely amazing! Wow!
Thanks, Monique – it was a fun project x