Irish TV presenter, journalist and fashion darling Angela Scanlon just got back to London after finishing filming a travel series for the BBC and RTE. She had us round for breakfast (bananas fried in coconut oil, an easy way to our hearts) to show us around her new home in Haggerston and talk us through some of her interior inspirations.
How long have you been living here?
We only moved in a month ago! I was living in Islington before - in reality, it's only a mile and a half away, but it feels like worlds apart! I've just finished filming a travel series so I've been all over the place recently and it's so nice to be settled now.
How do you describe your interior style?
A bit jumbley! It's a combination of bits; most of it is charity shop, with IKEA staples and a bit of Gumtree thrown in. Then, I have a lot of little arty things that I get from my friends. At the moment, the place is a bit more minimal than it normally would be because I haven't got everything here yet. Roy [my partner] keeps being like "no more buying!" and I'm still always like, "I just picked all this stuff up in Oxfam for £20!"
With travelling so much, do you get inspiration from places that you visit? What inspires you in other's interiors?
I love a bathroom! A bathroom is usually the first place I go to in a restaurant or hotel and, even if it's an amazing place I feel really let down if the bathroom is rubbish. I like a bathroom with a throne, but it's a bit much for here... And I'm a bit obsessed with Pinterest although my home never turns out like my Pinterest board because I like stuff too much and the things I like online are very minimal. But I've just got all these little baskets so that things can be hidden away because I am really quite messy so if I start off here by giving everything a home, it will hopefully be easier.
What is your biggest luxury at home?
My bed! It's memory foam. Honestly, I have been sleeping on a rental mattress for as long as I can remember and so, when we moved in, we bought a good one and it's changed my life. We bought really good memory foam pillows and one tightly packed with down feather, with crisp cotton bedding and all of that and so when I get into bed, I just feel like I'm home.
How do you unwind when you back from work or a trip?
I light candles. I watch terrible, embarrassing films... last night, I cried in Last Vegas. So awful. I used to read magazines but now it can feel too tied to work. So, reading books or watching the awful films.
What do you love about the area?
It's right by the canal, and both Victoria Park and Broadway Market are just down the road. There's Vietnamese restaurants that are so delicious two minutes away and tons of amazing places to eat.
What do you miss most when you are away?
Cooking! I mean, I don't cook all the time, I'm pretty good at eating out but when you're away you sometimes realise that you just want something simple porridge or toast in the morning, which you can't always have in a hotel. A bit of routine!
Do you like to stay in when you're here?
Yes! I like to have people round for things like brunch, which seems so old and civilised but I love having people over, there's something intimate about it, or just going to a scummy little pub for a Sunday roast.
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