After showing us around their colourful renovation in Waltham Forest, east London, Geoff Shearcroft and Gill Lambert, directors of architecture practice AOC, share their house style – and their answers are every bit as jolly as their home.

How would you describe the interiors of your home?
Gill: “Characterful, complex, provisional, raw, low-fi, varied, colourful and wild.”

Geoff: “Joyful.”

You’re happiest at home when…
Gill:  “When it’s full of life, kids, friends and animals. There are so many different types of spaces to occupy in the house – from the mezzanine studio and balcony to the open kitchen and the green living room. With varying levels of privacy lots of different activities can happen at once, yet we all feel connected.”

Geoff: “I’m happiest when having a Friday night kitchen disco with the kids and the mirror ball; when it’s loud and everyone’s laughing.”

If you could save one thing, what would it be?
Gill: “The quilt by the front door that Geoff’s granny made. It depicts each of the houses she lived in throughout her life. I hope to make something that good one day.”

What is your favourite living space around the world?
Gill: “I would love to visit California again – this time to see the Eames House, Sea Ranch and Charles Moore’s house in Orinda. Every now and then, when the sun shines in through the large south-facing windows, I feel like I am there – just for a split second.”

Geoff: “I like a bell tent in any remote setting. You have an intense awareness of the landscape, where it’s felt rather than just seen. It’s very informal yet has enough presence to feel like home. There’s something about the central pole holding it up: it feels like a benign deity around which to celebrate the daily ritual.”

What was the last thing that you brought for the house?
Gill: “More cork tiles… Adding layers of textured cork to key areas of the house has become a major pastime. We have built lots of the furniture and added many of the finishing touches to the house ourselves in our spare time. It’s a labour of love.”

Geoff: “A 1970s coffee table/dry bar by Eric Malville. Its tinted glass mirror and lacquered burl-wood veneer effect and instantly transforms the green room into the cocktail room.”

Top three coffee table books?
Gill: “I’m currently obsessed with OS Maps of the Yorkshire Dales. I spend a lot of time looking over them and planning which waterfalls I’ll hunt down on our next visit. I like the section of our shelves that are related to making; one of my favourite books is What Wood is That? by Herbert L. Edlin, which has a description of different timbers along with a veneer swatch for each one. It’s a treasure.”

Geoff: “Frank Gehry: Building and Projects 1954-1984; Patrick Caulfield: Paintings; and Ettore Sottsass, Phaidon’s mint-coloured monograph. They’re generally only on the table because I have forgotten to put them back on the shelf again.”

If money was no object, what changes would you make?
Gill: “I’d plant some mature trees in the garden. I would like it to feel more like a clearing in the forest. Speaking of trees, my dream would be to build more custom furniture using British hardwoods to compliment the house.”

Geoff: “I’d add a ground-source heat pump, composting toilets and a photovoltaic array (a communal endeavour with the neighbours), so the house could give more than it takes.”

You’re having people over for dinner: what do you cook?
Gill:  “Something tasty that appeals to grown-ups and children. A favourite is key lime pie: it’s deceptively easy to prepare and tastes like summer, no matter the season.

Geoff: “Our friend Lara Lee has written a brilliant cookbook on Indonesian food and her nasi goreng has become a family staple. We’re gradually exploring the more advanced recipes that work well for dinners with friends.”

What does Sunday here look like?
Gill: “Coffee, paper, music, incense, games, food, drink, films, DIY (sticking cork) and, as often as possible, Yorkshire puddings. “

Geoff: “Slow cooking that helps the world slow down for the day – cinnamon buns in the morning, a lazy roast in the afternoon.”

What are the best things about the neighbourhood?
Gill: “We are a short walk away from Epping Forest. It’s great fun – there’s lots of den building to be done. Being there really transforms how you feel. We are strong believers in the benefits of shinrin-yoku, which means forest bathing.”

Geoff: “Highams Park’s high street constantly amazes me. Over the past seven years it’s evolved, with a diverse range of people having a go at providing something different. Some things fail, but many don’t. Today it feels in rude health with a host of independents creating a place that’s useful, friendly and generous.”