Samantha Morris, designer and print maker explains why she wouldn’t live anywhere else
How long have you lived in Maida Vale?
I’ve lived here for over 15 years. I rented for years, as it was a relatively cheap area back then (hard to believe now!), so I knew it well when I came to buy. I loved that it was so close to town, as well as Westbourne Grove and Notting Hill.
What do you like most about the area?
Maybe it’s because I’ve been here for so long, but Maida Vale has a real village feel to it.
What are your foodie favourites?
Coffee at The Coffee Tree, scrambled eggs at Formosina, fish and chips at The Summerhouse and drinks at The Waterway.
Where do you like to shop locally?
Pipa Boutique on Formosa Street has everything a girl needs, and although not as good as they used to be, Portobello and Golbourne Road Markets are close-by, and still good for vintage finds.
Where do you go for an after work drink?
After work drinks are few and far between, when I do get the chance I’ll pop into Idlewild for the comfy sofas and great chips.
Describe your perfect Sunday?
A lazy morning followed by a nice long walk around Hampstead Heath – wellies are essential so you feel like you’re in the countryside – and after that, lunch at Kenwood House, then home to doze in front of the football.
What do you look for in a property?
Light and space: high ceilings are essential.
Have you done much work on your home?
Apart from a few rolls of wallpaper, we haven’t done anything to our house since we moved in four years ago. It was only built about eight years ago, so it’s still pretty shiny and new.
It’s very modern; Conran-designed and basically it looks like a big white block of concrete from the outside.
If you hadn’t bought here where else might you have looked?
Honestly, I can’t imagine living in any other part of town. However, if money wasn’t an issue I’d love to live in Fitzroy Park, right on Hampstead Heath, then you’d have the best of both worlds – town and country.
Does your interiors style reflect your design work?
I’d say my interior style is quite eclectic. I love 1950s Danish design and have a fantastic desk and sideboard from this period in my office.
In the same room there’s a signed football shirt on the wall, an egg chair and some floral print rugs from Designers Guild: it’s quite a mixture! I love strong graphic images, so I have a lot of framed typography and black and white prints on the walls.
Speaking of that, tell us what’s new at www.samanthamorris.co.uk this season.
My blue plaque trivets are gorgeous and make fantastic gifts, especially for those that are tricky to buy for. I’ve also done a fabulous print called Diamond Girl to commemorate the Queen’s Jubilee this year, it’s a limited edition so you’ll need to be quick off the mark if you want to bag one for yourself. And finally, I love my new typographic print Less is Less, More is More, because no one really believes that less is more, right?