Magic box: Inside Laëtitia Wajnapel's fantasy flat

My daughter was my main inspiration for the way I have decorated this flat in Camden, north London. She is 13 months old and I wanted to create a home for her that was full of fantastical things, to recreate the feeling I remember of going into my mother's bedroom as a child and being fascinated by her trinkets. In this room, the theme is a magical forest, hence the animals. The miniature stags' heads were Christmas decorations from Paperchase that I made a permanent wall feature, and the china dogs and cat are presents and flea-market finds.

I find a lot of my things in charity shops and on eBay. The coffee table was an eBay find and cost just £1. It's an original Ercol piece but someone had covered it in white paint, which I sanded off. The chest of drawers was also a £1 purchase. It's getting harder to find bargains like that these days, though, as sellers are aware that "vintage" has become a trendy word. But I refuse to pay £50 for a china cat just because it is fashionable.

My desk is a Scandinavian design I have had for 10 years. I found it in an antiques shop in Paris, where I grew up, and it has travelled with me ever since. The children's typewriter on top of it was another internet discovery, although I have searched all over the place, without success, to find the correct ribbon for it.

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My taste has been influenced by lots of different things. I inherited my mother's enjoyment of trinkets and ornaments and my father has always given me pieces of artwork, such as the picture next to the stags' heads. They aren't necessarily things I'd choose myself, but I love them. The woman smoking in the oil painting is my grandmother. A neighbour painted her in the 1960s. I like it because it's her, obviously, but also because it is weird. She looks a bit like she is standing at the window looking in and watching us.

The horse painting belonged to my boy-friend's grandmother. His family hated it but we were happy to have it. I found the picture of the girl above my desk in Brick Lane and loved it. My mother grew up in Morocco, so I'm often drawn to things with an eastern feel.

I work from home writing my fashion blog, so I need an environment that is peaceful but inspiring. I am a natural hoarder, so I have to be strict with myself. I aim for a minimalist, shabby chic look, so there may be a bit of clutter, but it's all supposed to be there.

Read Laëtitia Wajnapel's fashion blog at www.mademoisellerobot.com

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