Take a tour of The Apartment at The Flowerhouse Pub, an “unashamedly feminine” space for women
From floral wallpapers to floral scents, the latest addition to London’s “best smelling pub ever” (as one patron described it) is The Apartment at The Flowerhouse Pub. Described as being “unashamedly feminine”, owner Jo Jackson has transformed this former pub landlord’s dwelling into a vibrant, creative space for women to meet, collaborate, wine, and dine. A place for photo shoots, press events, working lunches or meetings with investors —The Apartment is the proverbial ‘room where it happens’. That’s why we caught up with Jo to take a tour of her bold and colourful creation, and find out more about the design process behind it.
Speaking of her initial Colour Consultation with Tash Bradley - our Director of Interior Design - Jo gushes: “Tash was amazing. We started the process in the midst of lockdown, and even virtually she was so helpful with the colour palette and what matched”. In both the dining room and adjoining sitting room, Jo has gone for a bold and punchy colour scheme. Pairing Blue 111 with our colourful floral wallpaper Keepers Cottage 02 and Orange 02 woodwork, it makes an instant statement. “Both my husband and I love hosting (we recently organised a street party for around 100 people) so I love the idea of hosting dinners or events for women in this space. Initially, I was advised not to do Blue 111, but being a dining room, I just wanted a really strong, striking look. Tash said “go for it” and I’m so glad we did.” We love her creative use of wallpaper panelling on these built-in cupboards, whilst the pairing of natural shades and organic shapes in her furnishings keeps the look contemporary and just a brushstroke away from full-blown maximalist decor.
I just wanted a really strong, striking look. Tash said “go for it” and I’m so glad we did.
Jo Jackson
The Apartment champions a super attainable style. “Something I really wanted to showcase was that you can get an amazing look without spending a fortune. Pretty much everything is from MADE.com and Lick (and the plants are all Patch)”, Jo explains. Jo also proves that you can create a high-end look without having to invest in ‘break the bank’ artwork. “We found this amazing artist, Isabelle Hayman, who brought a bunch of her pieces in and we chose what worked with the decor. Then there are a few other pieces which are from MADE.com which are a bit more neutral, but they work really well together.”
Hallways and staircases can often be a bit of an afterthought, but in Jo’s case, it’s where she wanted to make a strong design statement. The main staircase features Lick Red 03 paint and Stripes 03 wallpaper, and leads onto Jo’s DIY ‘poured paint’ staircase. We love it when we see a Pinterest decor idea come to life and this is one of them. “I saw a shot and thought I have to recreate this. I just poured a bit of paint on each step—it needed a bit of encouragement to get over each step but then I just left it to dry. I showed it to Tash and fortunately, she had the perfect paint to finish the look. I absolutely love the finished product. If I could hang out anywhere in this apartment it would probably be on these stairs!”
Floral and feminine, Jo’s use of our Keepers Cottage 01 wallpaper in the bathroom makes for powder room goals. We love how she has paired black wall fittings to bring out the black accents in the bathroom wallpaper. Anyone else love to get ready for a night out in this bathroom?
In the second dining room, Jo used wallpaper to add character and depth to her built-in shelving unit. Pairing Keepers Cottage 03 floral wallpaper with gorgeous terracotta Red 03 painted walls, the dining room is totally cocooning and inviting - the perfect atmosphere for hosting intimate dinner parties. The light wooden accents complement the earthy feel the space has, whilst the sculptural accessories give it a contemporary feel.
It’s a tale of two halves in The Apartment’s two bedrooms, so there’s something to appeal to every style. This Green 04 bedroom proves that you can go dark and still create an undoubtedly feminine feel, thanks to Jo’s use of the joyfully maximalist Bloombastic 01 floral wallpaper. With Tash’s suggestion, she’s taken the paint colour all the way onto the ceilings to create a really cosy, cocooning feel.
On the other end of the colour spectrum is the bedroom that boho chic dreams are made of. This light and airy, minimalist space is decorated top-to-toe in neutrals. The walls are painted in Beige 03 and Beige 02, and the layering of textured fabrics and upholstery creates depth and warmth. According to Jo, her “five year old daughter declared that the minimalist room was hers” and, honestly? We’re not ashamed to say we’re prepared to fight her for it.
And what effect has this process had on her personal design style? “I feel much more emboldened in my choices now”, says Jo. “Now I’m thinking about repainting everything in my house! I wish I’d had the guts to do that when I was decorating a few years ago. There isn’t really another paint brand that you could get this look from. You just wouldn't have this palette of colours”.
If you’re as obsessed with Jo’s style and her mission as we are, take a read of our interview with her and the women behind The Flowerhouse Pub to find out more about what it’s like to work in a female-powered pub.