Rachel tells us about her love for interiors and how she styles the 19th-century riverside warehouse she calls home in South East London.
How would you describe your interiors style?
I like to think of myself as a minimalist but you only have to look around to see that's not true! I don't think I have a style as such but I do know that we like to be surrounded by things that we love and we try to be as sympathetic as possible to the age of the building. My background is book and graphic design so print is one of my true loves, the house is full of prints – copperplate, letterpress, screen, lino, you name it! I don't think you can ever hang enough on the walls.
How do you use vintage in your home?
Our house is full of second hand items, a lot of them have come from family members, either passed down or I go rummaging through sheds, lofts and garages whenever we visit family. This is my favourite way to source items. Vintage is always our preference, especially furniture. We take our time finding the right pieces, sometimes too long and I get antsy, but when you do wait and the perfect item comes along it is so satisfying and you're glad the temptation of buying something new didn't take over.
What do you love most about buying vintage?
That it had a life before you, a story to tell, for this moment in time you are the custodian of the item and hopefully it will go on the someone else after you. I love character and new items just don't come with the same character, I like dents and scratches – it's all part of the story. I find that vintage items are often more unique and made better than new items, within our price range anyway. And of course, it's more sustainable.
What does home mean to you?
Our house has to work on so many levels – we both work from home, we have a toddler, friends and family come to stay, and we love to cook – so we've tried to create a space that responds to all these things. It's definitely an ever-evolving project, the space will grow and change with us. Most importantly, home means family – my interest in interiors grew from this, my desire is to create a space where I can be comfortable and happy with loved ones (and a negroni in hand!).
Photography by Rachel Buntrock
