When Toyah Willcox bought her tiny flat in the leafy suburb of Chiswick, west London, she found it was the perfect place for entertaining famous friends. 

Toyah counts David Bowie, Marilyn Manson and Adam Ant among her mates. She says casually: "The drummer from REM stays here when he's in town. 

"It's a tiny flat," she adds. "We usually have drinks here, then eat out. Chiswick is perfect for that as there are so many great restaurants just a short walk away." 

The only problem is negotiating the perils of that striking spiral staircase after a drink or two. 

"It can be tricky after a night out. I've tumbled down a few times!" admits the singer and presenter. 

Still, it's a small price to pay for having such a great crash pad in the capital. 

Over the past 15 years, she's transformed the one-bed bolthole into her city sanctuary, although her main home is in Worcestershire, and she has a house in the south of France too. 

Despite the fact that the properties are owned by her and her husband, musician Robert Fripp, Toyah, 50, is the one who spends most time at the flat. 

The couple have an unconventional relationship and rarely spend more than 12 weeks a year living together. But the arrangement works for Toyah, who loves her own space. 

She's given the flat a lick of paint and picked up unique accessories on her travels to make the place her own. She also plans to create her own music studio, as she loves impromptu jamming sessions with her rocker friends. 

And the area is a celeb haven, with numerous famous faces living nearby. "It's a great community," Toyah says. "Phill Jupitus and Mark Lamarr live nearby, so I love coming home here." 

Now all she has to worry about is that pesky staircase! 

Toyah is currently touring the UK in the musical Vampires Rock. For more info, go to Vampiresrock.debzwebz.biz. 

1. SOFA “This is from Habitat, circa 1983 – it’s been in many different homes over the years, but is still in perfect nick.”

2. CHAIRS “These Indian chairs were gathering dust in an antiques shop in Worcester. I like the mother-of-pearl inlay – the craftsmanship is beautiful.”

3. MIRROR “I got this ornate mirror from a florist’s shop in Stoke-on-Trent. It was a bit of a bargain.”

4. CUSHIONS “I enjoy injecting colour into a room. These vivid cushions are from TKMaxx.”

TOYAH'S STYLE TIPS
• Live with things you enjoy looking at and using, not what you think you should have.
• Don’t let the existing layout limit you – think about building up, out or down. Staying put and renovating is easier than getting a new place, especially during a credit crunch.
• Bring back objects, accessories, even furniture from your travels abroad – you’ll build up a unique style of your own. 

Fabulous Magazine/NOTW
September 2008