What I Rent: I’m an interior designer — here’s how I’ve upgraded my £2,700 Dalston flat

Welcome back to What I Rent – Metro’s tenant diary series exploring what renting is like in the UK and further afield.

Amélie Pellerin had always loved adding her own touches to any rental. So, when she decided it was time for a career change, retraining as an interior designer felt like an obvious option.

She’d already taken her creative hand to her two-bedroom flat in Dalston, for which she pays £2,700 per month, and soon found herself working at the agency of her dreams.

After seven years under the same tenancy, 37-year-old Amélie has done everything from painting walls to drilling holes. And she’s still grateful she has such a relaxed landlord.

Here’s what Amélie had to say about her renting journey…

Tell us about yourself!

I’m 37 years old, and I’ve been an interior designer for the last five years. Before that, I was in a completely different industry, so it feels great to be able to pursue my passion.

I’m originally from Paris, and I’ve been living in London for almost 15 years now. I live with my husband and baby daughter, who is seven months old.

What kind of property do you rent and how long have you been there?

It’s a two-bedroom flat in a new build in Dalston. I’ve lived there for seven years.

How much do you pay to live here?

£2,700 per month.

What do you get for what you pay?

On top of the flat itself, we have a concierge, a small gym in the building, and a rooftop with a 360-degree view of London.

Do you feel like you have a good deal?

It’s definitely a very expensive place, especially when I compare it to some of my friends’ rent in other European countries, but for London, I feel like we genuinely have a good deal.

The location is amazing, so well connected, the flat is new, so we have no issues whatsoever: well insulated, soundproofed, and with an incredible view with no buildings facing us.

What do you love about your flat?

It feels really bright and spacious, and we have huge floor-to-ceiling windows in every room. I love the modernity of it, the clean lines, and the beautiful modern wooden floors. It’s a great foundation and a blank canvas for me to work my magic.

What do you think of Dalston?

I love it. I’ve always lived in East London since I moved to the UK. Dalston has this raw, edgy, creative vibe that I’m really drawn to.

I love food and eating out, going to the movies, and museums. Music is a big one because my husband is a part-time musician.

I really like this restaurant called Albers – it’s quite small, but they’ve managed to make it so tasteful and cosy. There’s also Dance for drinks, which is a wine bar with candles everywhere and really nice artwork.

How does living in London compare to Paris?

In Paris, I felt like I was suffocating a bit, and I really wanted to get away. I’d had enough of doing something I didn’t enjoy, but also the Parisian mentality.

I decided to go to the other side of the world, and I lived in Australia for a year. I got a one-way ticket and figured it out when I was there.

At the time, I was dating an Australian, and he had a visa for London, so I thought, why not? We ended up here, and then we split up, but I loved it, so I ended up staying.

Paris is a bit smaller, so you can feel a little bit claustrophobic. Everyone goes to the same trendy places, whereas London is just never-ending. It also feels airier, almost like a lot of different little villages all stuck together. Every neighbourhood has its own life.

How did you find this property?

On OpenRent.

How have you made this place feel like home?

It’s been a long process. I started with one vision for the interior, and it evolved a lot over the years as I got a better understanding of how we actually live and use the space.

We also moved in as a young couple, then got married, then had a baby, so the flat has had to grow with us and our lives.

Now it answers our needs perfectly. In practical terms, making it feel like a home came down to making it feel really cosy: layering rugs, cushions, warm woods and soft textures, a lot of plants, and really considered soft ambient lighting.

I love hosting, so the open-plan is where everything happens. It’s the heart of the flat, and it’s basically three rooms in one – kitchen, living, and dining room. You could spend a whole day here and have everything you need.

How did you first get into interior design?

When I moved to London, I needed to find a job really quickly, so I ended up working in sales. I always wanted to do something more creative, but it’s about the right time and place for it. I was single and in my early 20s, and I couldn’t afford to make a career change.

Time went by, and then Covid hit, and I was really struggling. My boyfriend, now husband, said, ‘Look, if you want to change, I’m happy to support both of us for a few months.’

I didn’t exactly know what I wanted to do in the creative industry, but as we moved in together, the flat was unfurnished. I did it all, and I loved it. Even previously, when I was living in some really rubbish places, I would always put a lot of effort into making it look nice and feel very functional.

I never really connected the dots, but then I started to reach out to some interior designers on Instagram. I got a lot of books, and I tried to get all the tools I could online to acquire knowledge. I also got a career coach to help me, and I ended up having quite a nice network.

A dream studio, to which I reached out, happened to need a bit of extra help, so I went once every two weeks. They were really happy with what I did, so I became a full-time designer for them.

What inspires your interior design style?

My style is evolving with time, but also with life. I like organic, round shapes, which is perfect because you can’t really go for super harsh corners everywhere when you have a baby. You also need to think about colours and materials, which are a bit more forgiving for stains.

I go for darker woods, and I’ve invested in a few pieces that are a bit more expensive, like some lamps from Soho Home. It’s modern and mid-century, but there are also some Scandinavian and Japanese influences. It’s not a clear style that fits in a box.

Have you found it difficult to decorate when renting? Is your landlord happy with you doing bits?

He’s very happy, and he’s said before that I’ve done an amazing job. The tenant-landlord relationship can be tricky because some people don’t feel invested in a place that isn’t theirs, but that’s never been my approach.

I’ve always been really careful and respectful of the space. I think that’s why he gives me the green light to do what I want. I’ve been able to drill holes, paint walls different colours, all without any issue. I’m really lucky to have such a flexible and open-minded landlord.

Do you have plans to move again any time soon? What about buying a place?

For now, we’re really happy where we are. Our baby is only young, so our priorities are shifting, and maybe in the future we’ll want fewer clubs on the doorstep and a garden instead.

It’s hard to project at this stage; we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

As for buying, it’s not something we’re thinking about with current London prices. We really value the flexibility that renting gives us. Maybe down the line, but not right now.