One of our favourite ladies in PR, Flo van der Spek, moved to London when she was 16 and has been studying at London College of Fashion or working in the industry ever since. We went to visit her Kentish Town home to meet her Yorkshire Chihuahua, Gus, and find out what inspires her eclectic and original interior style.
How long have you lived here?
Since August. I used to live in Camden, just down the road, and then I moved to Fulham for a year. A lot of my friends live there but it felt like a bubble. I love Kentish Town because it's far enough away from Camden not to be touristy but there's loads of great stuff opening around here. Pizza East, Chicken Whop and Dirty Burger are just down the road - and last weekend, I went to the opening of this great new bar called Ladies and Gentleman. It's a refurbished old public toilet, it was really cool.
Who do you live with?
I live with two American girls and they're both called Britney! We all met when we were at London College of Fashion, and now I work at Push PR with one of them, which is great.
What inspires your style?
My interior style is a bit based on my hoarding. Sometimes, I think about having stripped-back wood floors painted white and going all sleek, but I just love having all of my things around me. I have been to Morocco quite a lot and I love the style there; I'd love to have one room as a den, filled with rugs and poufs. I don't use Pinterest or anything but I love the interior of places like Trois Garcons, dark and opulent and filled with weird things.
What's your biggest luxury at home?
My biggest luxury at home is Gus! Me and Britney got him four years ago when we were bored at university, but I didn't live with him for a while. Now, we're reunited! Sometimes I like to wake up really early, fill a hot water bottle and walk him down to Primrose Hill while it's still dark.
What couldn't you live without (apart from Gus)?
My clothes! I love having all my clothes and shoes around me, even the things that I hardly ever wear. My job means that I've been introduced to so many great brands, and I just got this Gerard Darel coat that I'm obsessed with but I haven't yet worn so it's hanging on the wardrobe! I want to look at it! It's brown suede with tassels on the arms... Super 70s. I'm also in love with one of the brands I represent, Cleo B Pom-Poms; she makes these amazing shoe clips that you can attach to any of your shoes to liven them up.
How do you relax after a day at work?
I'm quite a busybody so usually by the time I get home, I'm exhausted! I like to light candles - I love Bella Freud's ones or orange blossom scents – then get in bed and watch terrible shows on Netflix!
Where do you pick up bits for the home?
I never go and do a big shop, I just like to pick things up as I find them. Like, I got my cushions from Miami, the pouffs from Morocco, the wooden crate from an old flower shop... And there's this really great store called Yellow Korner that just opened on South Molten Street. I grew up in Belgium and then France, and they're originally from Antwerp, but now they're in London I'm sending everyone there! They do all of these amazing old prints and photographs. Oh and Harry Potter Studios, for the bedspread! I might be the only person who's ever bought one. The tassels make it a bit Missoni...
Do you like having friends round?
I love having people over, we've got a great house for parties but I'm trying to do more dinners. I love cooking brunch the morning after, but I also make a mean chili. I got a spiralizer for Christmas and now I'm spiralizing everything; the Hemsley & Hemsley cookbook is amazing for that! Courgette spaghetti and prawns or Bolognese is so good.
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