Young painter Petra Oertlová with her dog Stuart in the living room.
Why did you decide to live in Nusle?
To be honest, when I was looking for a flat, the location wasn’t important to me. The main thing for me was that the flat I moved into met my needs. In my case, that meant having separate work and private areas. And here, when I close the door leading to the bedroom and bathroom, none of the clients I’m meeting with know I’m at home, and everything looks professional. And when I saw those gallery lights on the walls in every room during the viewing, I realised this would be ideal for displaying my paintings. So Stuart and I moved from our flat in Liberec, which was about fifty metres, to one that’s one hundred and sixty metres.
A multifunctional flat like that must have been quite hard to find.
That’s true, but I sort of painted it into existence myself. Two months before I discovered it, I started painting a picture with the idea that I was done with building castles in the air and wanted my own real castle. And before long, I was living in it.
Petra had the generous dining table made of natural stone shipped all the way from Turkey.
Have you found any favourite spots in the neighbourhood that you visit often?
Definitely. There’s a brilliant place called Typika for breakfast, and just round the corner is the Zrno zrnko café. When I leave the terrace door open, I can smell the doughnuts they bake there every evening. The perfect treat before bed. I’m not originally from Prague, but from what I’ve heard from long-time residents, Nusle has come a long way. Interesting places are opening up here, and as soon as the metro station at Bratří Synků Square is up and running, I’m sure the area will really take off. It’s also great to be so close to Grébovka and Vyšehrad, where my dog Stuart enjoys his walks too.
When you rented this flat, what condition was it in?
The flat had been completely renovated and fitted with built-in furniture. I bought all the other furniture for the flat myself. I’ve always enjoyed interior design and home staging, so I really enjoyed the process. I even had a large dining table, carved from a single piece of stone, shipped all the way from Turkey.
What do you like most about the interior of your flat?
The preserved original features. Whether it’s the refurbished casement windows or the double-leaf glass doors, which allow a view from the dining room through the main living area right into the studio.
The three main rooms of Petra’s flat are visually connected by the original double-leaf glass doors.
Where’s your favourite spot in the flat?
It’s right in the centre, in the entrance hall, where I like to sit in an armchair or paint. The second place I spend most time is at the kitchen bar, from where I can watch what’s going on in the courtyard. I also like the view from the rooms out onto the greenery, through which the railway tracks leading to Vršovice station can be seen. It gives me the impression that I’m living somewhere in New York. But here, I also have a view of the Gröbe Villa.
Are you one of those people who furnishes their home and then considers it done, or are you always buying something new?
Generally speaking, I love change. By changing the pictures on the walls frequently, I satisfy this need. A picture is a powerful element that shouldn’t be underestimated. It can significantly influence the atmosphere of any space and give it a soul. In the case of my home, it’s also the only way to transform the feel of the interior. The individual pieces of furniture I have here are large and heavy, so I can’t move them around. So I at least buy some accessories. I love candles and aromatherapy. I’ve also started to spruce up the 100-metre terrace that comes with the flat, so that barbecues with friends have an even better atmosphere.
Petra spends a lot of time in the kitchen and in the entrance hall, where she enjoys creating her beautiful paintings.
Are you planning to stay here, or are you thinking of moving to another part of Prague?
I hope everything goes to plan and that I’ll be able to stay in this flat for the foreseeable future. I’d be hard pressed to find a similar multifunctional space.
