Travel has been the greatest influence on my tastes, so although this apartment in Kennington, south London, is a pretty contradictory mixture of styles, it's a reflection of my life so far and I think that's what gives it a unique look and feel. It would be so easy to do something minimalist, but I wanted to make this loft space feel cosy and interesting by mixing old and new furniture, colour and texture.

I grew up in the countryside in Calgary, Canada, and spent most of my youth rejecting its cowboys-and-indians feel, though that's very much the look of the Mukluk boots I have made my business importing. At home, too, I like having reminders of my roots around me. The animal skin on the floor [above] looks very Canadian but came from South Africa.

Even though I love traditional British architecture – Claridge's hotel is my favourite place in London – I couldn't swap the high ceilings and huge space here for a town house. I've borrowed elements of that style, though, with antique pieces such as the heavy furniture in the bedroom.

If my husband had his way we'd be living in an entirely monochrome space, but I've managed to break up the white walls with artwork. The portrait of the woman [top left] was a brilliant find – I discovered two of them rolled up at an antiques sale. They're old film posters and I love the vintage Hollywood glamour. the lady in the gold portrait [above] has an exposed nipple that surprises people when they look closely.

This flat has been a bit like a shared bachelor pad for me and my husband, but now I'm pregnant we plan to divide up the bedroom and add a mezzanine level. It's going to be strange, but I'm excited to see this place change alongside our life.

To see Cooke's range of Mukluk boots and accessories, go to muklukstore.com

Get the look

1. Hide and chic - cowprint skin rug from John Lewis, £395, www.johnlewis.com

2. Red, white and blue - Union Jack cushion from Debenhams, £35, www.debenhams.co.uk

3. Gilty pleasure - "Chateau" side table from Graham & Green, £235, www.grahamandgreen.co.uk