Homes: nice quirk

This 1930s flat in Forest Hill, south London – owned by Russell Whitehead and Jordan Cluroe – is full of design flourishes. The lime green paint on the living room wall, merging into pale grey, was inspired by the current trend for fading colour, and looks as if the decorator had run out of paint (which he had). The grey is Cornforth White from Farrow & Ball and the green is Green Parrot, from Dulux, left over from painting the hallway. Instead of picture hooks, the couple have built slim shelves at different heights to display paintings and prints. They prefer them to hooks as it is easier to swap and change the pictures. The pair painted the trio of secondhand Ercol side tables, bought individually and in mismatched woods, in bright 50s colours. Photograph: Megan Taylor for the Guardian

The pair made this shade from chicken wire and dowels, sprayed it copper and bought the birds separately. They found the lamp base for £10 at Spitalfields market, east London. Photograph: Megan Taylor for the Guardian

Whitehead and Cluroe scour flea markets and auctions to build up an eclectic base of vintage furniture, mixed with designer and high street buys. The sofa is from sofa.com, dressed with an ever-changing array of cushions from Designers Guild, Jonathan Adler and the couple’s own designs. Photograph: Megan Taylor for the Guardian

Inspired by a parrot wallpaper by Bennison, Cluroe painted the design in the hallway freehand, using Green Parrot, from Dulux on a base of Cornforth White from Farrow & Ball. To make an asset of what is a small, awkward space, the couple decided on an OTT feel, finishing off with a wooden chandelier from Urban Outfitters – now discontinued, but the Norwegian Forest pendant from Heal’s has a similar feel. Photograph: Megan Taylor for the Guardian

Previously home to a lodger, the dining room is the couple’s most recently decorated space. The blue walls (Mid Blue from Crown Paints is a good match) were inspired by Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment in Sex And The City. Photograph: Megan Taylor for the Guardian

Flea market mirrors and a vintage sideboard. The only thing missing from this display is a soda siphon. Photograph: Megan Taylor for the Guardian

Elsewhere in the dining room is a wall filled with prints taken from The Parrots by Edward Lear, published by Taschen. Photograph: Megan Taylor for the Guardian