If you love colour, vintage mid-century vibes and high-rise apartment blocks, then boy, are you in for a treat today. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting this home multiple times over the last year or so, and as one of my favourite abodes, I had to feature it on this series to show you all too. That’s right, it’s the home of Pip Jolley, Dan Spencer and their Miniature Schnauzer, Pepper.

Situated in East London, the maisonette flat is full of charm and character. The lower floor consists of an open plan living space with kitchen, dining bar, living room and balcony, while the upper level has a master bedroom, a guest bedroom meets office, a dressing room and a separate shower and WC.

While Dan has lived in the property for a number of years, Pip moved in three years ago after the pair met on a dating app. Along with her vintage wardrobe, Pip brought along various items of decor to add personality to the home. Now, it’s a culmination of the pair’s love of music, fashion, vintage and food; acting as a base for Pip’s female focused business The Feconomy, and allowing Dan to work as a producer from home. Shall we find out what makes their home tick? Let’s go!

Can you tell me what home means to you?

To me, home is where all my stuff is. I have lived in quite a few places over the 10 years I have lived in London, and the only way I can make it feel like home is to surround myself with all my things.

How would you describe your interior style?

Mid-century maximalist, with plants, lots and lots of plants.

You have a lot of vintage furniture in your house, can you tell me your absolute ride or die piece?

That’s hard. Can I have two, please? My grandma’s lamp – it was given to her as a retirement present in October 1981 from the school where she worked. It’s that one piece of furniture that reminds me of going to my grandma’s house. I’m not even sure why, my mum said she never had it turned on, but I just loved the look of it. When she passed away earlier this year, it was the one thing I asked for and now my mum thinks it just looks like it always belonged to me. 

The second piece would have to be the boat bar. As you know I am the hostess with the mostess and there is nothing that I love more than serving drinks from behind that bar. I think every home should have a bar, they are just so fun. We scored this one from Facebook Marketplace for £100. It’s a little battered, like a ship that’s been at sea a little too much, and has now retired in our living room. 

LOVE IT! If folks are on the hunt for vintage, where would you tell them to shop?

eBay and Facebook Marketplace are the best places to look at and set up saved searches for what you are after.  Be prepared to travel across the country to pick up your purchases or find a good courier service. I always search for items up north, as they are always cheaper.

What’s the one piece of tech in your house that you couldn’t live without?

I’m a coffee addict, and I love doing my morning coffee affirmations to start my day off on the right foot, so I would have to say the Sage coffee machine. Since we have been home all the time, we use it twice a day. It’s one of those things that costs you lots of money to buy but ends up saving you a fortune. 

I agree. I also know firsthand that you’re the dinner party queen! Would you mind sharing your top tip for hosting? 

Have a signature cocktail for all your guests upon arrival. Something simple like prosecco with elderflower and edible flowers in a nice glass. It looks like you have made loads of effort and everyone will remember it.

In terms of setting a table, I would say invest in a nice tablecloth and napkins, and always have fresh flowers. You could even use the flowers to set each place with a little name card. Those little touches will make your party memorable. One last piece of advice would be to make sure you have catered to non-drinkers. There are so many alternatives to alcohol out there and it will make such a difference to just offering sparkling water.         .

And your favourite place for buying dinnerware?

I love vintage dinnerware so I will usually search on eBay and Etsy for unusual pieces. Otherwise, I would say La Redoute or West Elm, and my advice there would be to go classic – nothing too fancy. I have learned from working with a chef, that food looks much better on a white plate. So if you want to bring colour to your table then do it with the accessories. They are also cheaper and interchangeable. 

Nobody can leave here without telling us a small business that we MUST check out. What’s yours?

I always get asked where I get my plants from, so I will have to say London House Plants. I am really lucky to live close to Columbia Road, so I visit them at their stall there regularly. But the sell all their wonderful plants online as well. And if cacti are your thing check out PRICK, they have a great selection of cacti and cute pots as well. 

What do you think of Pip and Dan’s colourful abode? Follow Pip, Dan and Pepper to see more of their lives. For more interior inspiration, colour clashing and general life admin, check out the rest of my blog. Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter for more of the EJP in your life.