LIV Chats To… Plant Enthusiast Mo About His Colourful Home

This week, we’re chatting to @mo.and.the.jungle.shelf about his fun and colourful home. his jungle shelf is definitely going to make you want more houseplants!

Hi Mo, first things first, please can you introduce yourself?

I’m Mo, which is short for Mohamed ( but no-one calls me that). I’m currently settled in Coventry, but I’ve lived in London and in various places in East Africa and the Middle East.
I live with my partner and our dog Wilbur. I’m pretty interior obsessed but I am absolutely rubbish at DIY.
I’m passionate about the interior world representing people that look like me, and it’s great that with each month the interior world is becoming more diverse.

Please tell us more about your stunning home and how the jungle shelf came about?

The house is a typical 1950s house, sturdy and square but not very attractive on the outside, but on the inside it’s got shed loads of personality.

When I bought it, it hadn’t been touched for 30 years. But within 6 months of buying it, I’d already had plans drawn up and builders move in. The house was stripped back, gutted and re-arranged.

Having a walk-in pantry, utility room and kitchen complete with bi-fold doors and an island was always my number one goal. The kitchen is such a light airy space, and I always planned, even before I started the work, to have open shelves the length of the kitchen. It started out with just a few plants on those shelves, but suddenly every time I was going out I was coming home with a new plant or another pot, I think I was possessed – I wouldn’t change it for the world though – I like how it’s evolved. In fact, I like how the whole house has evolved; it’s grown with me and allowed my ideas and style to flourish.

Please could you describe your interior style, has it always been the same or has it evolved over time?

I’d say my interior style is quite freeform, I don’t feel constrained to one particular style.
I think it’s ok to mix and match. My style has certainly grown over the last few years, I think now I feel more confident in going with my gut, rather than sticking to the interior ‘rules’!

“I like how the whole house has evolved; it’s grown with me and allowed my ideas and style to flourish.”

— @mo.and.the.jungle.shelf

What brands or trends inspire you or your house purchases?

I love the Nordic countries, and having spent a bit of time in Sweden, I’ve really grown to love their unfussy approach to interior styling. It’s no surprise that my favourite brands are Scandinavian – Hemtex and Granit. I also love H&M home, and I’m a huge fan of Maisons Du Monde (having accidentally stumbled in to the store in Belgium) and La Redoute. I’m a big fan of NYC, and try to visit every year – it really inspires my love for the industrial design and the loft style apartment look.

What interior Instagram accounts inspire you, could you name your top 3?

1. @HiltonCarter – is the plant king, and reminds me that there’s no such thing as too many plants. I also think he’s a great inspiration for other black men in the interior world.
2. @thistimeincolour – I love how Ola uses such bold colour, in particular the wallpaper choices.
3. @sophiarcook has a kitchen that is one of my favourites, and she always has eye-catching posts and is always on point with her use of colour.

We love your home and especially the bright pops of colour running through it! Do you have any tips on how to style with colour?

I’m a massive fan of colour pops, bright coloured cushions, throws and small pieces – I think this is the ideal way to give a house a bit of zest.
You don’t always have to go for the brightest and loudest colours – sometimes using a more rich subtle tone can be just as eye-catching.

What inspired you to start sharing your beautiful home?

It’s not something I actually planned, I just shared a couple of photos about the house and it just went on from there; and seeing other people transforming their homes, whilst I was planning mine, was a great source of inspiration and encouragement.

We love the look of your cosy lounge, do you have a favourite room?

I love the lounge, it took a while till I felt it was really where I wanted it to be.
My favourite room is the kitchen, it has the orange painted island and the plant shelf. I felt we took a risk with the patterned tiles and the orange paint and I did doubt myself, but once it all came together, I instantly fell in love with it.

What's your favourite home purchase you have made recently and is there anything on your Wishlist?

I brought a Persian rug back from Istanbul, it’s got the perfect colours and I enjoyed shopping for it and haggling.
A new bed for the master bedroom is on the wishlist, I really fancy a change – I think a bed’s so important as you look at it everyday.

And finally what does the future hold for @mo.and.the.jungle.shelf ?is there anything up your sleeve or is the house complete?

I’m ready for a new project and a new house, but I’m trying to stay put for another three years – it’s really tough as I’m bursting with ideas, but I really want the next house to be a longer term home. In the meantime I really want to focus on the garden, utility room and guest bedrooms.