WE have lived in this flat in Govanhill's south side for nearly seven years and the kitchen was the reason we bought the place.
When my husband Dave McGowan and I walked in, I saw this space and loved it. It's funny, when you've lived somewhere for so long, you don't realise you have done so much work. In our bedroom there was a horrible carpet hiding the old fireplace and tiles, and in the kitchen all the window panels were covered up and there seemed to be a lot of things hidden. The people who lived here before did that thing of covering up features such as shutters, so over the years we've pulled those features back out.
The kitchen cupboards were like this when we moved in - the colour feels quite 1950s. I loved the fact that there were no wall units and it didn't feel top-heavy. You need certain rooms to be calmer, so in the bedroom I haven't put as much stuff on the walls and the lounge isn't as busy. But in the kitchen, I like the busyness, and the only thing I might change is the sink: I like those big Belfast sinks.
This is a top-floor, south-west facing corner flat so all the rooms get the sun. The big bay window means this room is always bright.
Dave and I are both hoarders: we collect random things. I like having things that remind me of holidays, and a lot of the prints were picked up at flea markets. Some of these chairs we got on the street outside, they were covered in paint and Dave sanded them, then I re-covered the seats in scraps of my fabrics. There's a framed Polaroid on the wall of Dave and I when we first met, and another old picture of my mum and dad on my dad's 21st birthday. I'm quite sentimental and just like to have these things around me.
It's pretty obvious that Dave and I both love the 1950s and 1960s. I love colour and luckily Dave does too, if he was a minimalist we'd be divorced. We're now thinking: where are we going to put more stuff?
Laura Spring's work will be showcased at Glasgow Green during the Commonwealth Games in the Shed Zone within the main Festival 2014 Glasgow Green Live Zone, open from July 24 to August 3. A sample sale of her work runs at Grey Wolf Studios on July 25 and 26, 131 Craighall Road, Glasgow. www.lauraspring.co.uk
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