A cute London flat refreshed with salvage

Michelle Mason, author of Love Vintage and owner of Mason & Painter, bought her current home, a Victorian purpose-built 1870s Hackney apartment in 2010

A bijou residence with an open-plan kitchen, diner and sitting room, Michelle shares the space with Foxy the terrier and her daughter Marni. It’s small, simple and distinctly unfussy, but packed with character.

Underpinning Michelle’s interest in all things old and interesting is a passion for salvage. Whether visiting France’s flea markets, London’s LASSCO or one of the UK’s larger antiques fairs, Michelle is always on the lookout for interesting architectural pieces. Incorporating scaffold boards, old painted doors and industrial lighting, her flat has a strong salvage look which is cleverly tamed by feminine antique shutters and delicate opaline lights.

‘To the left of the kitchen units are a pair of French window shutters which I bought at Amiens Flea Market,’ says Michelle. ‘These have been used to box in the fridge and boiler. To the other side are a set of Victorian cupboard doors which I salvaged from a skip; they hide a whole host of items I would rather not have on display. If I had more space, I would love to channel the style of a crumbling Tuscan farmhouse.’

With floral paintings on the walls of her flat everything from naive flower paintings and old French school charts passes through Michelle’s hands. ‘I also love portraits and landscapes and I find the work of Paula Rego, Peter Doig, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Cedric Morris and Matisse inspiring. I really admire the artistic style of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant too.’

While aesthetics, patina and storied pieces are hugely important to Michelle, she also considers the environment in her buying decisions. ‘I believe it’s really important that we try to reuse as much as possible. Not only do reclaimed doors, floorboards, sinks and timbers look great, but salvaging old building materials saves on adding to the vast landfill problem this country is facing.’