Inside a Girly Emporium Duplex Flat in Glasgow
The star of our new film prefers nights out to cooking at home, often turns her flat into a wild dance floor, knows how to be thrifty but is generous in helping others feel confident — and isn’t afraid to go over the top, especially with two floors to play with.
Amy Perkins, a dermatologist from Glasgow, reached out to us herself:
“Hi! A few people have messaged me about your page. I have a flat in Glasgow city centre which is a bit weird and might fit the bill. It’s full of art I’ve collected and made.”
That message alone was enough for us to arrange a coffee at her place the following weekend.
The flat turned out to be weird in the very best sense of the word.
And that, as you know, always fits our bill.
In Her Own Words: Dr Amy Perkins on Girliness, Treasure Hunting, and Turning a Flat into an Ever-Evolving Gallery
My name is Amy Perkins, and I’m a dermatologist living in Merchant City, Glasgow. I love living here because it’s vibrant, with an amazing arts culture and endless places to eat and drink. It’s been my home since 2022, and every month brings a new place to explore.
I was brought up in Dumfries, a gorgeous town with loads of countryside. It was a fantastic place to grow up, but I always wanted to move to a bigger city — somewhere I could step outside and instantly have everything at my fingertips.
I will never forget walking into this flat for the first time. I didn’t know exactly what I was looking for, but the high ceilings, walls ready to be filled, and draping plants made me certain. An offer was accepted a few days later.
High ceilings were non-negotiable. They let me showcase everything — from a spinning wheel to a boar’s head to a disco stag I tiled myself. The only downside is the cold, but it’s a price I’m happy to pay.
Some challenges were expected. For example, hanging the items at the top of the wall was always going to be impossible. I waited until I knew exactly the order that I wanted these items to be hung. I hired a team of joiners to come in. They spent quite some time hanging everything. I think they were a bit surprised by the objects I handed them.
The trickiest object to hang was two enormous, heavy mirrors that needed extra wall reinforcement. One of them was this gorgeous Macintosh mirror with this amazing plaque on it that took a lot of polishing, but I managed to make it shine eventually. I found it on Facebook Marketplace for next to nothing.
When I moved in there was absolutely nothing on the walls, there were no shelves, and it was the most beautiful blank canvas I’d ever seen. I was so excited to get to work, and it took me a few months, but we got there.
The flat is split over two floors. The mezzanine holds my main bedroom, and there’s a second bedroom at the back that’s mostly a piano room and book library — though it doubles as a guest room with a sofa bed. I spend most of my time in the front room and the bedroom, both of which feel wonderfully open and bright.
