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    Ben Allen completes overhaul of his own home in east London

    Artworks by Olafur Eliasson informed architect Ben Allen’s revamp of his two-storey maisonette in London’s Bethnal Green, which features mirrored furniture elements.The maisonette is set inside Keeling House, a 16-storey residential block that was designed by English architect Denys Lasdun in 1957.

    Reflective artworks by Olafur Eliasson are presented in the home’s stairwell
    The founder of Studio Ben Allen and his wife decorated their home’s interior with an array of personal possessions so that it looks like a cabinet of curiosities.
    Amongst these possessions are a number of optical artworks gifted by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson, whom Allen worked for over a 10-year period.

    Oval mirrored side tables have been placed beside the bed

    Several of the artworks are crafted from glass or mirror, and this prompted Allen to incorporate reflective elements in other spaces throughout the home.
    The architect was also inspired by the round convex mirrors that appear in London’s Sir John Soane Museum, which playfully skew how visitors perceive the exhibition rooms.

    The bedroom’s vanity table is also mirrored
    A pair of oval mirrored side tables feature in the bedroom that’s located on the maisonette’s upper floor.
    Another mirrored panel has been mounted on the wall to form the backing of a vanity table, which boasts a semi-circular brass ledge where jewellery, perfume bottles and other trinkets can be displayed.
    The bedroom has otherwise been simply finished with white-painted walls, larch wardrobes and exposed-wired lighting fixtures.

    More mirrors have been affixed to the bathroom’s cabinet and walls
    In the bathroom, half-moon-shaped mirrors have been affixed to the doors of a storage cabinet, which sits directly above a bespoke green-concrete sink.
    The image of the sink is repeated in an arched mirror on an adjacent wall.

    The bathroom’s hardware is made from gold-hued brass
    Surfaces are clad with jade-green tiles, while taps, spouts and the tubular shower head are made from brass. Perforated shutters have also been installed in front of the windows to allow just a little amount of natural light to seep through from the outdoors.
    “We wanted the bathroom to be purposefully darker to contrast with the brightness of the rest of the flat and to imbue it with a sense of refuge,” Allen explained.

    Studio Ben Allen makes Room for One More inside Barbican flat

    At this level of the house, there’s additionally a study that has a green cushioned daybed and a larch work table.

    A study with larch-wood joinery is on the home’s upper floor
    Most of Eliasson’s art pieces can be seen in the maisonette’s stairwell, displayed alongside arched mirror shelves that hold candles or tiny architectural models.
    Steps lead down to the lower floor, where Allen has exclusively applied a selection of “robust” materials which are meant to age well over time.
    “[Materials] have also been chosen to give a sense of tactile warmth both when the flat is flooded with daylight, as well as on overcast days and at night,” added Allen.

    Downstairs is the kitchen, which features a green-concrete counter
    The kitchen, for example, has oak cupboards and a green-concrete countertop. A grey-tile splashback is dotted with brass pegs where crockery or cooking utensils can be hung.
    Just opposite there’s a book-lined sitting room complete with a black leather sofa and a cosy oak seating nook that doubles-up as a storage box.

    A tall shelving unit separates the kitchen from the sitting room
    To loosely divide these two spaces, Allen and his team have erected a trellis-style shelving unit that stretches from floor to ceiling. A small work desk can be pulled out from the blue fibreboard drawers that sit at the unit’s base.
    The presence of the unit acts as a small homage to architect Lasdun, who had originally designed the flats inside Keeling House with galley kitchens that were separate from the sitting rooms.
    This was changed in the 1990s when, at risk of demolition, the building was completely revamped to feature minimal, open-plan living areas.

    The sitting room includes a cosy window nook
    Expansive panels of glazing look through to the maisonette’s balcony, where Allen has added a planter filled with wild grass and a Rhus Typhina tree. Beyond lies views of Hampstead Heath park and the city of London.
    Allen established his self-titled studio in 2014 and has since gone on to complete a number of projects. Just last year, the studio created an artichoke-shaped garden room for a home in southwest London, and renovated a Barbican flat to include colourful fold-out furniture.
    Photography is by French + Tye.
    Project credits:
    Architects: Studio Ben Allen (Team: Ben Allen and Marco Nicastro)Main contractor: Sullivan and CompanyBalcony and window planting scheme design: Todd Longstaffe-Gowan

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    Archmongers uses primary colours to revive a home in the modernist Golden Lane Estate

    London studio Archmongers has renovated a duplex flat in one of the city’s most influential housing estates, using shades of red, yellow and blue to complement the modernist materials palette.The three-bedroom home is located within Hatfield House on the Golden Lane Estate, a complex designed and built in the 1950s by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, the same architects responsible for the Barbican.

    The renovation celebrates the original design of the Golden Lane flat
    Archmongers’ refurbishment is designed to celebrate the flat’s key features – the bright and open living spaces, the efficient organisation of spaces, and material details like the terrazzo stairs and tiled surfaces.
    Referencing historic photos of original Golden Lane flats, architects Margaret Bursa and Johan Hybschmann sought to reinstate details that had been removed or covered over in an earlier remodelling, which they described as “mundanely neutral”.

    Wooden frames create subtle separation between kitchen and living spaces

    The architects added chunky wooden frames to recreate separation between the kitchen and lounge space, without losing the visual connection.
    Bespoke steel storage cabinets were installed, while original hardwood window frames and parquet flooring were uncovered.

    Details are picked out in primary colours
    “The biggest change was, in many ways, bringing it back to what it once was,” Hybschmann told Dezeen. “Not because we had to, but because it made a lot of sense.”
    “The original palette of materials felt very modern and we wanted any new element or surface to be as relevant for many years to come.”

    These bright colours also feature in the bedrooms
    Bursa and Hybschmann chose to apply primary colours to various details in the renovated flat, referencing some of the historic exterior details on the Golden Lane Estate.
    Shades of red and yellow highlight the front door and entrance area. The same hues feature in the first floor bedrooms and bathroom, along with blue tones – the idea was to give every room its own colour, in a high-gloss finish.

    Each bedroom has its own colour
    “We’ve tried as best as possible to colour match the red, yellow, blue and dark blue exterior panels of each of the blocks making up the estate,” explained Hybschmann.
    “They work very well together and it’s a nice reference to bring into the interiors of the building.”

    The colours reference details on the building’s exterior
    Other material details also help to tie spaces together. The granite surfaces in the kitchen echo the terrazzo of the staircase, while the new black quarry tiles in the kitchen match up with those in the external hallways.

    Studio Ben Allen makes Room for One More inside Barbican flat

    The bathroom was given an upgrade too, to make it more suitable for modern living. It now includes a Japanese-style bath and a walk-in shower, with a new internal window that allows more daylight in.
    The home is brought to life by the addition of the clients’ midcentury furniture and large book collection.

    The bathroom was updated with a Japanese-style bath and walk-in shower
    Archmongers has previously worked on other modernist refurbishments, in the Barbican and The Ryde in Hertfordshire, along with various council houses in London. The architects’ ongoing aim is to show the inherent potential in these midcentury buildings.
    “Being able to work on another of London’s iconic modernist estates was a privilege,” added Bursa.
    “Our experience helped us to deliver spaces sympathetic to the original vision while also creating a home that will intrigue, invite exploration, and provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy, and deepen their engagement with modernist architecture.”
    Photography is by French + Tye.

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    Ola Jachymiak Studio brightens Beam cafe in London with orange hues

    Tangerine-coloured walls and terracotta-tile floors help enliven the formerly gloomy interior of Beam cafe in west London, designed by Ola Jachymiak Studio.Beam is nestled amongst a parade of shops in the affluent Notting Hill neighbourhood and serves up a menu of Mediterranean-inspired brunch dishes.

    The exterior of Beam cafe in London’s Notting Hill neighbourhood
    Locally-based Ola Jachymiak Studio was brought on board to design the cafe, tasked with creating an inviting interior that would be able to comfortably accommodate just over 90 customers.
    There was just one key issue – the cafe unit had an awkwardly long and narrow plan that allowed in very little sunlight. The studio therefore decided to utilise a colour and material palette that would foster a sense of brightness and warmth.

    Arched niches in the walls display amber-hued ornaments

    At the front of Beam is a casual seating area dressed with egg yolk-yellow armchairs and a couple of tropical potted plants.
    The black gridded windows that previously featured on the cafe’s facade have also been swapped for expansive panels of glazing. During the warmer summer months, these can be pushed back to let in more light and fresh air.

    A burnt-orange seating banquette is set against an exposed-brick wall
    Just beyond lies a more formal dining area. The wall on the right-hand side has been painted white and punctuated with arched niches that display amber-hued glass ornaments.
    On the left-hand side is an exposed brick wall. Along its lower half runs a curvaceous seating banquette upholstered in burnt-orange velvet.

    Tangerine-coloured paint covers the middle section of the cafe
    Tangerine-coloured paint has been applied to the walls in the middle section of the cafe, where the coffee and pastry bar is located.
    Customers who are getting their orders to-go can flick through the books and magazines displayed here on wall-mounted shelving units.

    The central coffee bar is made from oak and white Calacatta marble
    The base of the bar is lined with strips of oak, while the countertop is crafted from white Calacatta marble. Hanging directly overhead is a Bubble lamp by American designer George Nelson.

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    This section of the cafe also features flooring clad with terracotta tiles. The same tiles appear again in the bathrooms, covering the toilet cubicles and the arched panels that the sinks back onto.

    A lighting installation illuminates the dining area at the back of the cafe
    Additional dining tables and bistro-style chairs with orange seat cushions have been placed at the rear of Beam, which was once the darkest area of the cafe.
    To counter this, Ola Jachymiak Studio has created a light installation across the ceiling. It comprises several spherical pendant lamps from Danish brand New Works that have been suspended at different heights.
    Sheer white curtains have also been draped around the room’s periphery.

    More arched niches appear in the cafe’s bathrooms, which are lined with terracotta tiles
    Ola Jachymiak Studio was established in 2013. Its Beam project joins a number of trendy eateries in west London’s Notting Hill neighbourhood.
    Others include Cha Cha’s, a Latin-fusion restaurant that’s set within the three-floor HQ of fashion label Sister Jane.
    Photography is by Simon Carruthers.

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  • A-nrd looks to Mexico to craft interiors of Kol restaurant in London

    Yucatán, Oaxaca and Mexico City are some of the places that the founder of studio A-nrd visited in preparation of designing the interiors of Kol, a restaurant in central London. Kol is situated in the capital’s Marylebone neighbourhood. It’s headed up by notable chef Santiago Lastra, who has designed the menu of the two-storey restaurant
    The post A-nrd looks to Mexico to craft interiors of Kol restaurant in London appeared first on Dezeen. More

  • Richard Parr Associates expands own office by converting 19th-century barn in the Cotswolds

    A run-down barn that was once used for storing grain now houses additional office space for the Cotswolds-based staff of architecture practice Richard Parr Associates.The 95-square-metre workspace, which Richard Parr Associates has monikered Grain Loft Studio, is shortlisted in the small workspace interior of the year category in the 2020 Dezeen Awards.
    It’s situated amongst the green fields of Easter Park Farm in the Cotswolds, which was created as part of the Woodchester Park Estate in the middle of the 19th century.

    Top image: the Grain Loft Studio includes a wood burner. Above: Richard Parr’s office features a pitched Douglas fir roof
    An old hayloft, cowshed, bullpen and dairy barn on the farm had already been converted into office space for the practice, but as the number of employees has begun to steadily increase, they realised they were in need of extra room.

    The practice’s eponymous founder, Richard Parr, decided to make use of an abandoned barn.

    Parr’s office looks through to a laidback workroom for staff
    Parr’s office is up on the barn’s first floor in what was formerly a loft store for grain.
    After years of dilapidation, the practice could only save one of the room’s original Cotswold stone walls – the rest have been replaced with expansive panels of glazing that offer views of a nearby National Trust park and Parr’s own family home, which is also on the farm.

    The workroom boasts rubber flooring and black leather furnishings
    “It’s been a joy to extend our studio space, providing much needed flexible workspace for our team,” explained Parr, who has found using the Grain Loft Studio particularly handy during the coronavirus pandemic when many have been forced to work from home.
    “With views out onto the surrounding valleys, the new studio has provided solace whilst working remotely from the team.”

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    The room is topped by a pitched roof constructed from lime-washed beams of Douglas fir.
    Directly beneath is a 2.5-metre-wide glass table surrounded by aluminium-frame chairs, where team members can sit and work with Parr throughout the day.

    At the back of the workroom is a timber volume that houses a kitchenette
    A doorway looks through to an informal workroom that’s meant to have a darker, cosier feel.
    The floor is clad with black recycled-rubber tiles, while the ceiling is clad with textured wood-wool panels.
    One wall has been panelled with timber salvaged from a farmhouse in a neighbouring village that was once occupied by Soviet architect Berthold Lubetkin, which Parr hopes will act as a small homage to “the pioneer of British modernism”.
    In the corner of the room is a wood burner, in front of which a black leather sofa and armchairs have been placed. A kitchenette and small shower room are contained within a grooved timber volume towards the rear of the room.

    There’s a meeting area downstairs in the barn
    An industrial steel staircase leads down to the barn’s ground floor, which was previously just used as a cart bay but can now serve as a meeting room or breakout area.
    It’s simply dressed with a couple of curved bench seats that were carved from a single tree, and a white version of Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen’s signature Tulip table.
    The practice preserved the space’s existing cobbled walls but has covered the floor in stable-block pavers rescued from another building on the farm.

    The exterior of the converted barn
    Richard Parr Associates was established in 2012 and works between offices in the Cotswolds and west London.
    The practice’s Grain Loft Studio will go head-to-head in the Dezeen Awards against projects such as 12 by Ortraum Architects, a music and ceramics studio that’s nestled in the back garden of a house in Helsinki.
    Photography is by Gilbert McCarragher.
    Project credits:
    Architect: Richard Parr AssociatesInteriors: Richard Parr AssociatesContractor: JM WestonFire engineer: Oculus

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  • Bermonds Locke hotel in London evokes sunny California deserts

    Mirage-like mirrored ceilings and cacti-filled planters are some of the features that interiors studio Holloway Li has incorporated in this hotel in London, which is meant to echo California deserts.Bermonds Locke is located at the heart of southeast London’s Bermondsey neighbourhood, just a few minutes walk from notable landmarks such as The Shard and Tower Bridge.

    Top image: a moon-like panel hovers over Bermonds Locke’s concierge desk. Above: mirrored panels line the ceiling of the reception
    Despite the hotel’s markedly urban setting, when it came to designing its communal areas and 143 guest rooms, Holloway Li took inspiration from sun-scorched places in California like the Mojave desert and Joshua Tree National Park.

    “We eschewed traditional London vernacular tropes and prevailing design trends, looking further afield for our inspirations, to create a new space that had an escapist identity,” the studio’s co-founder, Alex Holloway, told Dezeen.

    Furniture in the reception is made from reused construction materials
    The theme is subtly introduced in the hotel’s reception where mirrors have been used to line sections of the ceiling, mimicking the shiny quality of desert mirages, which are often mistaken for bodies of water.
    A white, mottled semi-circular panel has been fitted to the ceiling directly above the concierge counter, its reflection forming a huge moon-like image.

    The reception area of the hotel doubles-up as a co-working space
    Surrounding surfaces have been largely rendered with neutral materials like clay bricks and timber that the studio felt matched the desert landscape.
    This excludes a handful of walls and structural columns that are clad with passivated zinc, which boasts a rainbow-coloured surface finish.
    “Joshua Tree is known as a pilgrimage destination for the Californian hallucinogenic travellers,” said Holloway. “The iridescence effect on the metal is reminiscent of dizzying colour saturation of the psychedelic experience – the brilliant purples, yellows and pinks.”

    Surrounding walls are clad with passivated zinc
    A variety of seating areas have also been incorporated in Bermonds Locke’s reception so that it can serve as a co-working space.
    Where possible, the studio has tried to repurpose construction materials that otherwise would have been destined for landfill, influenced by the ad-hoc building methods used when creating cabins across Joshua Tree.
    For example, salvaged concrete test cubes have been used to form the base of a six-metre-long terrazzo desk. The cubes are covered with pre-used tiles, some of which are still marked with graffiti.

    Cacti-filled planters separate the hotel’s bar from the restaurant
    “Joshua Tree has been a recluse for fringe creatives escaping LA for the past 30 years,” explained Holloway. “We were particularly interested in the eccentric language of bricolage found in desert cabins dotted around Joshua Tree, composed of salvaged materials that happen to be available by chance.”
    “We were also inspired by the work of artists like Philip K Smith III and Noah Purifoy, whose ‘Outdoor Desert Art Museum of Assemblage Sculpture’ is an incredible world made of the detritus of LA,” he continued.
    “This tied back with the studio’s recent research on the circular material economy…design in this context becomes almost like a curatorial practice, about how an existing set of materials can be rearranged in a very specific way to define new uses.”

    Guest rooms come with their own kitchenettes
    In another nod to hot, arid landscapes, huge planters filled with different cacti and succulents have been added throughout the hotel’s reception and used to separate its cocktail bar from the restaurant.

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    Bermonds Locke’s upper floors play host to the guest suites. Each one comes complete with its own kitchenette and laundry facilities, allowing guests to stay self-sufficiently in their rooms for longer periods of time.
    Fixtures and soft furnishings have been made in colours evocative of desert sunsets, ranging from pale blues to burnt oranges and vivid reds. The focal point of each room is the bed, which is enclosed by a bespoke black frame draped with sheets of linen.

    Colours throughout the rooms were taken from desert sunsets
    “Typical hotel room design is very codified by two functions; sleeping and washing – a Locke room adds eat, work, live into that mix, so there is a lot to fit into just one room,” added the studio’s co-founder, Na Li.
    “It was key for us to impart some separation between the areas, which we achieved by creating a sense of enclosure around the bed with the bedframes and drapes.”

    Beds in the rooms sit under linen canopies
    Holloway Li was established in 2015 and has offices in north London.
    Its Bermonds Locke project joins several hotels that the Locke hospitality group has dotted across the UK. Others include the Whitworth Locke in Manchester, where rooms have been painted different shades of grey to reflect the city’s typically overcast skies.
    There’s also the Eden Locke in Edinburgh, which takes over an 18th-century Georgian terrace house.
    Photography is by Edmund Dabney.

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  • Maison François brasserie in London takes cues from Ricardo Bofill's architecture

    Soaring arches reminiscent of those seen in Ricardo Bofill’s La Fabrica feature in this decadent restaurant in St James, London designed by creative director John Whelan.Whelan – who leads artist collective The Guild of Saint Luke – told Dezeen that, prior to his intervention, Maison François simply looked like “one giant concrete cube”.
    The materiality of the space immediately encouraged Whelan to base his interiors scheme around La Fabrica – an abandoned cement factory just outside of Barcelona that Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill transformed into offices for his practice in 1973.

    The interiors of the restaurant are inspired by Ricardo Bofill’s La Fabrica
    “I always try and find a creative route that respects the DNA of the building, and this felt appropriate,” said Whelan.

    “Furthermore, the client wanted to reference historic brasseries but create a contemporary version – also reflected in the food.”

    Arched recesses have been made in the restaurant’s terracotta walls
    The exterior of Bofill’s La Fabrica is notably punctuated with soaring arched windows. These have been reinterpreted inside Maison François, which boasts terracotta-coloured stucco walls inset with shallow arch-shaped recesses.
    “La Fabrica is probably the greatest home that I will probably never visit, and so the arches were a sort of ‘homage’ to that wonderful creation,” explained Whelan.

    Tubular chandeliers hang from the restaurant’s ceiling
    Walnut has been used to craft the restaurant’s seating banquettes – their latticed backs are inspired by the pews in Germany’s modernist Maria Heimsuchung church, which Whelan came across in a photography series by Robert Goetzfried.
    Chairs have been upholstered in creamy linen to match the colour of the lacquered-wood dining tables. Tubular chandeliers have also been suspended from the ceiling, which has been finished with a faux-cement patina.

    The seating banquettes are crafted from walnut wood
    Mahogany has been used to craft a latticed hood above the open kitchen, where dishes that draw upon traditional French cuisine will be prepared.
    Food will be served by both chefs and waiters, an attempt by the restaurant to diffuse the typical boundaries between front and back-of-house operations.
    “Maison François will be everything a brasserie should be – welcoming, fun and hospitable, with classic dishes made with the best seasonal produce we can get our hands on – whilst also ripping up the rulebook when it comes to service,” said the restaurant’s founder, François O’Neill.

    A huge clock sits above the restaurant’s open kitchen
    At the centre of the hood is a huge clock that Whelan had made bespoke from patinated nickel and bronze.
    Weighing half a ton, the grills on the side of the clock are meant to subtly mirror those that feature on the front of vintage Rolls Royce cars, often seen outside the restaurant on the affluent streets of St James.

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    “The clock is a classic of historic brasserie design, and can be found around the world from Bouillon Julien in Paris to Fischer’s in London,” added Whelan.
    “We wanted to have this iconic focal point but with our own style.”

    Underneath the restaurant is a wine bar called Frank’s
    Stairs lead down to Maison François’ adjoining wine bar, called Frank’s. This space is intended to have a slightly more industrial feel, so has been completed with exposed white-brick walls, polished concrete flooring and black-leather seating.
    Bofill’s La Fabrica is referenced again at this level but this time in the form of arched mirror wall panels.

    White-brick walls give the wine bar a more industrial look
    John Whelan established The Guild of Saint Luke in 2017, working with artists, artisans and architects to restore and revive historic French brasseries.
    Earlier this year Whelan overhauled Parisian eatery Nolinski, filling its interiors with art deco-inspired details like gold-leaf “sunburst” columns.
    Photography is by Oskar Proctor.

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  • Sella Concept brings retro feel to Sister Jane Townhouse in London

    Fringed furnishings and velvet walls feature inside the west London headquarters that design studio Sella Concept has created for fashion brand Sister Jane, which includes a showroom, restaurant and roof terrace.Sella Concept said it drew upon “untapped maximalist style” to design Sister Jane Townhouse, which takes over a prominent corner property on Golborne Road in the affluent neighbourhood of Notting Hill.
    Having outgrown their old studio on the nearby Portobello Road, the fashion brand had been keen to move into a larger space that could offer a more immersive retail experience.

    The ground floor of Sister Jane Townhouse has a restaurant called Cha Cha’s
    The three-storey townhouse incorporates a restaurant, a showroom and an office where employees can plan and design future clothing collections. On the roof there is also an outdoor terrace where visitors can gather for drinks.

    When it came to developing the interiors, Sella Concept sought to reflect the retro style of Sister Jane’s billowy blouses and dresses. The studio’s co-founder, Tatjana Von Stein, particularly found herself referencing the aesthetics of the 1970s.

    Furnishings in the restaurant feature fringed detailing
    “I must admit that I am always inspired by the ’70s forms, shapes and use of space,” Von Stein told Dezeen.
    “There is a movement and warmth in its design history that I love to employ with a contemporary twist.”

    A collage wall in the restaurant displays campaign photos by Sister Jane
    On the ground floor of Sister Jane Townhouse is the restaurant, called Cha Cha’s, which serves up a roster of Latin-fusion brunch dishes.
    The space has peach-coloured walls and is dominated by a huge hexagonal, brass-edged bar counter. It’s surrounded by a series of Deja Vu stools by Masquespacio that boast tiers of mauve, cream and beige fringing.

    Sister Jane’s clothing showroom is on the townhouse’s first floor
    Fringing also skirts the burnt-orange seating banquette that winds around a corner of the room, and runs along the edge of the six-sided dining tables. Mustard-yellow lamps with fringed shades have additionally been dotted throughout as decor.
    Cha Cha’s includes a collage wall which will be plastered with different striking images from Sister Jane’s fashion campaigns.
    The wall runs directly beside a brass-tread staircase – the steps had previously been closed in by a partition wall, but Von Stein knocked this down to encourage diners to explore the showroom on the first floor.

    Garments hang from bespoke walnut rails in the showroom
    Upstairs in the showroom, surfaces take on a pinkish hue.
    Some clothes are displayed within a veiled pod that sits at the centre of the room, enclosed by sheer white curtains. Other garments hang from custom-made walnut rails or are presented on mannequins which perch on a curvaceous platform covered in teal-blue carpet.

    An adjacent showroom will display Sister Jane’s Ghospell clothing line
    A short walkway leads through to a room that showcases Sister Jane’s Ghospell line, which offers pared-back clothes with sculptural silhouettes.
    This space has aptly been given a slightly more minimal finish – walls here are either clad in steel or upholstered with buttery yellow velvet, while the changing room is entirely lined with mirrored panels.
    Wooden flooring that runs throughout the rest of the townhouse has also been replaced here by micro cement.

    Walls in this showroom are clad in steel and yellow velvet
    Above the showrooms are the offices for Sister Jane staff, followed by the roof terrace dressed with comfy cushioned benches and green wire-frame chairs.
    Guests can alternatively relax in the secret ground-floor garden room, which is accessed via a door disguised as an antique armoire.

    The customer changing room is entirely lined with mirrored panels
    “We have a true inclination for concept spaces which indulge in all the senses and offer the design challenge to seam together a variety of experiences and brands,” explained Von Stein.
    “But it was tricky – in essence, we had 2-3 clients on one building.”

    An antique armoire hides a door leading to Sister Jane Townhouse’s secret garden room
    Sella Concept was established by Tatjana Von Stein and Gayle Noonan. Previous projects by the studio include Public Hall, a plush co-working space that occupies the former office of the UK secret intelligence service, and Night Tales, a pink-tinged cocktail bar.
    At the end of last year the studio also debuted its first furniture collection, which comprises a series of curvaceous stool seats.
    Photography is by Genevieve Lutkin.

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