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      Piles of green-hued books characterise London Aesop store

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      The interior of London’s most recent Aesop store in Marylebone was organised to reference a bookshop and features bespoke timber cabinetry by furniture designer Sebastian Cox.

      Skincare brand Aesop’s in-house design team created the concept for the Marylebone store, which recently relocated from its original home in the London neighbourhood to Marylebone High Street.
      The Marylebone store features piles of green booksThe team took “material references” from the British Library on Euston Road and attempted to emulate the layout of traditional bookshops by choosing warm timbers and towering piles of pale green books to decorate the interior.
      Divided into a main shop and an area for personal skin consultations, the L-shaped store features handmade cabinetry by Cox throughout.
      Olivier Cousy added frescos to the ceiling troughsThe shelving is defined by gently rounded edges, which Cox crafted from lime-washed oak and stained with linseed oil to enhance the timber’s warm appearance.

      He designed the cabinetry with flexible joinery that would allow the furniture to be disassembled and transferred elsewhere if needed.
      Sebastian Cox designed timber cabinetry throughout the interiorOversized rattan lampshades were also chosen for the main shop area, which displays uniform rows of Aesop products and includes large, metallic communal sinks built into the timber cabinetry.
      The store’s also features ceiling troughs with custom-made geometric frescos by artist Olivier Cousy.

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      Cousy was informed by Marylebone’s many green squares when painting the designs, which are geometric arrangements of autumnal colours – compositions that take cues from expressionist artist Paul Klee’s 1922 work Tower in Orange and Green.
      “Architecturally, our design method is to connect to the context of the locale, weaving ourselves into its fabric,” said Aesop chief customer officer Suzanne Santos.
      Wooden sinks characterise the skin consultation areaIn the skin consultation area, a sandy-hued, floor-to-ceiling curtain can be pulled to give customers privacy while geometric timber sinks were built into the space’s cabinetry.
      Known for its array of stores that pay homage to their individual locations, Aesop’s other outlets include a branch in London’s Piccadilly Arcade with marble fixtures that filmmaker Luca Guadagnino designed to reference the area’s jewellery boutiques, and a Cambridge store by British studio JamesPlumb with hemp and bulrush accents that nod to the nearby River Cam.
      The photography is by Alixe Lay. 

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      Whittaker Parsons crowns North London mews house with “bolthole” extension

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      Using a combination of copper, larch and structural insulated panels, architecture firm Whittaker Parsons has added an additional storey to a contemporary mews house in Stoke Newington to house a bedroom suite.

      Originally built in 2005, the property belongs to a couple with two older children, who have lived here for the last decade.
      Whittaker Parsons added an additional storey to a London mews houseThe family asked Whittaker Parsons to provide more space with the addition of a loft, as well as to revamp the lower floors including the studio on the second floor, which was reconfigured to create a well-proportioned workspace complete with its own library.
      Daylight floods the new third storey, bouncing off lime-plastered walls while carefully positioned windows provide views of tree canopies and across rear gardens from window seats and the bespoke bed.
      “We set out to design a beautiful, healthy, serene retreat, in which the homeowners could immerse themselves in the beauty of natural materials, a bolthole in the middle of north London,” Whittaker Parsons told Dezeen.

      The extension is accessed via a larch-clad staircaseWith efficiency and quality in mind, the studio used prefabricated structural insulated panels (SIPs) to construct the additional storey, with the aim of minimising waste and saving time.
      “Compared to standard timber construction, it is simpler to control the quality of onsite workmanship and achieve a more robust, air-tight building envelope,” the team explained.
      Generous windows provide views of the surrounding areaExternally, the extension is set back from the street elevation and finished in materials that mirror the surrounding architecture, including black-stained timber cladding, brick slips and patinated copper to tie in with the copper facade on the second floor below.
      Internally, the triangular arrangement of the larch beams was developed to work with the load path of the existing building and the irregular form of the loft.
      “The intention was to make visible and celebrate the structural effort that went into creating this new space,” Whittaker Parsons explained.
      Integrated window seats provide a place to restThe practice created a tranquil master bedroom with a larch-clad and lime-rendered interior, bespoke larch bed frame and walk-in wardrobe made from low-formaldehyde furniture board.
      As the unsealed lime plaster wall finish cures, the lime will absorb almost as much carbon as was emitted in its production, the studio claims.
      “Lime render is a calming tactile material, characterful and soft,” said Whittaker Parsons. “It is a low-carbon alternative to gypsum plaster. It’s also a hygroscopic material, so it naturally moderates the moisture level in the bedroom.”

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      Used alongside the render, white oiled larch panelling spans the spaces between the exposed larch beams, improving acoustic absorption.
      “Often in bedrooms, the ceiling is the most important yet neglected surface,” the studio said. “The larch adds a sense of warmth, calm, and character to the space, creating an articulated ceiling at the top of the house – almost a reward for climbing all those stairs.”
      Whittaker Parsons also created a custom larch-wood bed for the interiorIn the adjoining skylit shower room, fluted travertine tiles line the walls, enveloping the shower area and complementing the travertine floor tiles.
      “The roof light to the shower oversails the fluted travertine tiles, creating the impression that one is showering outside under the sky,” said Whittaker Parsons.
      The basin, splashback and vanity unit are formed from unsealed Calacatta Rosato marble, which according to the studio provides a lower-carbon alternative to fired tiles.
      The vanity in the adjoining bathroom is formed from Calacatta Rosato marbleOverall, Whittaker Parsons says the project is “exceptionally low-carbon”, with the bulk of its embodied emissions coming from the triple glazing, thermal insulation and a single steel beam used to create the opening for the staircase.
      Founded by Matthew Whittaker and Camilla Parsons in 2015, Whittaker Parsons has completed a number of projects in the British capital including The Naked House, which was longlisted for sustainable interior of the year at the 2021 Dezeen Awards.
      The marble is paired with fluted travertine tilesOther sustainably-minded extensions in London include Low Energy House in Muswell Hill, designed by local studio Architecture for London founder for its founder Ben Ridley.
      The photography is by Jim Stephenson.

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      Norm Architects uses “natural forms” and steel details for Chancery House interior

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      Danish studio Norm Architects has worked with pale wood, red bricks, sandstone and stainless steel to create the interior of The Office Group’s Chancery House workspace in London.

      Located above the subterranean Silver Vaults market in London, the 1953 building was given a retrofit by dMFK Architects with a new interior by Norm Architects for The Office Group (TOG).
      It now houses workspaces as well as a gym, a yoga studio, a cafe, a library, event spaces and saunas in an 11,612-square-metre space.
      The interior features brick detailsNorm Architects drew on the building’s existing design when creating the interiors, which it says are rooted “in the spirit of the building”.
      “In this effort to draw in what was already there, we have integrated the traditional red bricks of the facade in the interior in a modern way,” Norm Architects’ Sofie Thorning told Dezeen.

      “This way, the chosen materials are more accentuated than the ones we normally work with, but still with our usual focus on creating comfortable and calm spaces through the use of natural materials,” she continued.
      Wood was used throughout the spaceThe ground floor was reconfigured by dMFK Architects to improve the flow of the building, with the entrance to Chancery Lane made larger.
      This level holds the cafe as well as lounge areas, which were decorated by Norm Architects using mainly wood and brick materials.
      Floor-to-ceiling glazed walls offer views and access to two interior courtyards, which also let light into the building.
      Norm Architects played with natural materials”By working with natural forms, materials and colors we create spaces that feel good, look good and that last,” Thorning said.
      “When combining soft and hard materials like textile and bricks, the space feels stimulating to the user, while also exuding this warmth that is so important in order to both work and relax in the spaces of the house.”
      Workspaces are located on the upper floors of the buildingThe same material palette was used for the workspaces, which are located from the first floor and up in the eight-storey building.
      Norm Architects also restored some existing materials in the building’s communal spaces.

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      “The dominant materials, colours and patterns of the space all stem from the existing building, [which is] why red bricks, sandstone, concrete, and stainless steel are at the center of attention,” Thornig explained.
      “Moreover, we have preserved existing terrazzo elements in staircases and hallways, while mirroring the green elements of nearby parks within the internal courtyards.”
      Silvery steel details nod to the Silver Vaults below the buildingIn addition, the studio wanted to nod to Chancery House’s location above the Silver Vaults by using silver-coloured materials.
      “Since the London Silver Vaults are a big part of the building’s history and will continue to be so, we knew right away that we wanted to pay homage to it in the interior,” Thorning said.
      “We decided to introduce both brushed and polished stainless steel to the material palette as a representation of silver, carrying it out as details and joinery throughout the building.”
      A jute rug contrasts a patterned-stone coffee tableThe pale wood and red brick used throughout the building were matched with rustic textures, jute rugs and bobbled pillows to add to the natural feel of the interior.
      The building’s exterior was clad in WasteBasedBricks, which incorporate a minimum of 60 per cent recycled building waste. On Chancery House’s roof terrace, warm rust-red steel garden furniture matches the red hue of the brick walls.
      “We wanted to create a project that was mindful of the character of the area, capturing the spirit of the place in the hope that it will serve the neighborhood as a hub grounded in its context,” Thorning concluded.
      Steel and brick decorate the interiors of Chancery HouseNorm Architects often works with natural materials. Other projects by the studio include a “hotel in the sky” in Japan and an inside-out-greenhouse restaurant.
      The photography is by Jake Curtis.

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      2LG Studio brings colour and personality into London family home

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      Ornately corniced ceilings were preserved and painted pastel inside this detached Edwardian house in southeast London, which local firm 2LG Studio has renovated for a returning client.

      Set in the leafy residential area of Forest Hill, the house on Sunderland Road belongs to a couple who needed space for their three young children to grow and play.
      2LG has completed Sunderland Road house in Forest Hill”Having designed this couple’s previous home, we had a strong sense of their tastes and wanted to evolve that for them in this house,” 2LG Studio founders Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead told Dezeen.
      “We wanted to bring out their characters by emboldening their love of colour and finding ways to build pattern and joy into the materiality of the home,” the duo added.
      “The intent here was to respect the period elements of the building, whilst reflecting the modern style of the family who live there.”

      Hand-printed wallpaper by Custhom Studio features in the lounge and hallwayThroughout the house, playful elements are in balance with a more serious aesthetic.
      Instead of treating the home’s elaborate ceiling mouldings separately – as tradition dictates – 2LG Studio applied a colour-block philosophy and painted them in the same pastel tones used across the upper walls and ceilings.
      The studio drew on a range of references for the interior, from 1980s colours to Italian design elements such as marble and Murano glass lighting, all the way to the Scandinavian influences seen in the natural materials and minimalist approach to furnishing.
      The kitchen is defined by sky-blue cabinetry and marble countertopsCreating impact in the entrance hall is a hand-printed wallpaper, designed by 2LG Studio with long-term collaborator Custhom Studio and used here in a bespoke calamine-pink colourway that’s repeated in the connecting spaces throughout the house, as well as in the rear living area.
      “It creates a welcoming, human feel as soon as you enter,” the design team said.
      This ballet-slipper colour is paired with a brighter candy pink, bringing calm and warmth to the overall scheme.
      2LG painted ceilings, mouldings and upper walls in pastel coloursPink-heavy palettes have become a signature for 2LG, also reflected in the natural pink undertones of the extra-wide Douglas fir floorboards that feature throughout the house alongside a grey poured-resin floor in the kitchen.
      “The floorboards set the tone with a nod to Scandi minimalism, adding a natural soul throughout that unites the bolder elements,” said 2LG Studio.

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      In the kitchen, sky-blue cabinetry is used alongside marble countertops and splashbacks, with arched forms uniting the two finishes while pink elements such as bar stools pop against this calm backdrop.
      “The colours are a key part of the atmosphere and identity of this house,” said 2LG. “The blues gets deeper and bolder as you move upstairs into the study and the family bathroom.”
      “Primary red details give structure to the colour palette in the living room. Pastel green in the baby’s room is serene and fresh, warmed up with a mix of wood tones and creams.”
      Pink details feature throughout the home’s interiorsThe project features bespoke joinery including a playhouse on stilts in one of the kids’ rooms alongside existing 2LG pieces such as the Luca bedhead in the loft bedroom and the Tilda sofa, both designed for London furniture company Love Your Home and upholstered here in Kvadrat x Raf Simons fabric.
      “The fitted elements of the furniture give a sense of coherent design and function to the spaces whilst the classic design pieces bring a curated gallery feel, not unlike a contemporary luxury fashion store,” said 2LG Studio.
      2LG designed custom joinery including a stilted playhouseVarious recycled materials provide textural interest throughout the house, among them the recycled plastic wall lights in the living room by Spark and Bell.
      2LG Studio also added a pink Foresso top made using waste wood chips and resin to the dining table, while the bespoke bathroom cabinet was made using leftover Douglas fir floorboards with recycled plastic details by UK company Smile Plastics.
      Pastel green was used to finish the baby’s roomSince Cluroe and Whitehead founded their design practice in 2014 under the name 2 Lovely Gays, the studio has completed a number of residential projects in the British capital.
      Among them is the couple’s own home and office – to which they recently added a garden pavilion with a “touch of Beetlejuice” – and an equally colour-led renovation of a period property in the Heaver Estate conservation area.
      The photography is by Megan Taylor.

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      Bindloss Dawes maximises light and space in London mews house

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      Architecture firm Bindloss Dawes has reorganised a mews house in Chelsea, adding a full-height lightwell with a dramatic oak-and-steel staircase to forge “a sense of volume and theatre”.

      The client initially commissioned Bindloss Dawes to simply create a more spacious kitchen and living area on the lower ground floor of this typical London property and improve its relationship to the garden.
      Bindloss Dawes has completed the Chelsea Mews House in LondonBut as the project progressed, the studio was asked to extend its remit to the entire residence to create a more holistic scheme.
      “Chelsea Mews House highlights that large spaces aren’t always needed,” Bindloss Dawes told Dezeen. “It’s about creating something pragmatic and beautiful that clients will treasure.”
      “This is a small terraced house, and we’ve elevated it by bringing in daylight and giving it a sense of volume and theatre.”

      The house now features a sunken concrete floor in the basementAs part of the renovation, Bindloss Dawes updated the three-storey house from a dark and cramped two-bedroom to a simplified one-bedroom layout, making the most of the awkward trapezoidal plan with its angular walls and junctions.
      Working within the planning constraints of a conservation area in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, Bindloss Dawes dropped the level of the lower ground floor to create a more impressive space.
      The studio also added a new three-storey staircase”Digging down 50 centimetres unlocked the opportunity to create new volumes, which in a tight footprint goes a long way to enhancing the spatial quality,” the studio said.
      This newly created spaciousness at the lower level is accentuated by the addition of a lightwell that cuts through all three storeys of the home, connecting them via a custom staircase while drawing sunshine deep into the basement.
      The staircase traverses a full-height lightwell drawing sun into the interior”The previous configuration did the house a disservice,” Bindloss Dawes said. “It has wonderful bones that we have celebrated by opening up and creating a void, which draws light right into the depths of the space.”
      Meanwhile, a subtle glass extension projects approximately 50 centimetres beyond the rear facade into the garden to increase the sense of light and space without significantly altering the exterior.

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      A thoughtful and restrained material palette was crucial to the success of the project, according to Bindloss Dawes.
      “By embracing simplicity, maximising light and space, and employing a careful selection of materials, we’ve crafted a home that balances functionality with elegance,” the studio said.
      Venetian polished plaster in a Marmorino finish by Calfe Crimmings was used on the walls throughout the home, creating a sense of tactility.
      The steps are finished in European oak while the balusters are steelExpressed concrete brings a grounding element to the basement level, with concrete skirting that seamlessly extends onto the steps leading up into the courtyard garden.
      Concrete was also used to form the first flight of the new three-storey staircase, while the upper levels are finished in European oak to match the handrail.
      The steel balusters were painted in the same grey-based white by Farrow & Ball that was also used on woodwork and ceilings throughout the house.
      The bedrooms are hidden behind subtle pocket doorsTo eliminate visual breaks to the lightwell, pocket doors were strategically incorporated at the bedroom level.
      “The project exemplifies how highly detailed yet simple design can work to great effect within tight city footprints,” said Bindloss Dawes.
      The homeowner, a talented craftsman and metalworker, personally designed and created the lighting fixtures, adding a personal touch to the home.
      The home is a traditional mews house in ChelseaPrevious projects from Bindloss Dawes, which was founded by Oliver Bindloss and George Dawes in 2018, include a timber car barn for a collector of classic Porsches.
      The studio is based in Bruton – a village in Somerset that has drawn an increasingly metropolitan crowd in recent years after contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth opened an outpost in the area in 2014.
      The photography is by Building Narratives.

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      Socca restaurant feels like “a pocket of Southern France in Mayfair”

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      Local practice Fabled Studio has designed the interiors for London’s Socca restaurant, adding hand-painted murals informed by the French Riviera.

      Fabled Studio co-founder Tom Strother describes the eatery as “a pocket of Southern France in Mayfair,” with a playful and whimsical interior that complements the French Mediterranean menu.
      Socca is a French restaurant in London’s Mayfair”Both the menu and the interior are inspired by the Côte d’Azur and Nice,” Strother told Dezeen. “They have a laidback attitude but with French finesse.”
      Fabled Studio restored the original terracotta tiles on the facade of Socca’s Grade II-listed building, as well as maintaining its ornate ceiling mouldings.
      Hand-painted murals decorate the wallsThe main dining area, named the grand salon, is decorated with wood panelling on the lower portions of the walls while a warm-toned stucco finish covers the upper portions.

      Informed by French painter Raoul Dufy’s depictions of Nice, artist Mark Sands hand-painted blue-toned murals onto the walls to frame the hung artworks.
      Dark wood and bronze details feature throughout the interiorDark wood parquet covers the floors and short cream curtains were used to separate the dining room’s navy-blue leather banquette seats.
      The curtains are suspended from bronze metal rails, with matching metallic details dotted around the room in the form of fixtures and lights including the whimsical shell-shaped sconces.

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      To the side of the dining space is a bar topped with Breccia Violetta marble. This backs onto a trio of arched mirrors in a wooden box frame, stretching up to the same height as the picture rail moulding that encircles the room.
      Beyond the grand salon is a second bar space with oxblood leather seating and murals depicting illustrations of leaves and faces.
      Breccia Violetta marble tops the barAt the rear of the restaurant is a second dining space named the petit salon, designed to have a cosy, almost residential appearance.
      The petit salon is dominated by green hues, found across walls and seats to differentiate it from the other dining space.
      “We did this to give it a different identity and unique personality to the grand salon,” said Strother.
      Green tones were used in the petit salonMore hand-painted murals by Sands adorn the walls, including curving frames, faces and curling vines informed by artist and poet Jean Cocteau.
      Downstairs, the bathrooms were also designed to have a “residential ambience” with striped wallpaper, marble vanities and bronze hardware.
      Murals on the walls were informed by French artistsFabled is a London-based interior design practice founded in 2011 by Tom Strother and Steven Saunders. Socca is the sixth restaurant the practice has completed in collaboration with restauranteur Samyukta Nair of LSL Capital.
      Other London restaurants recently featured on Dezeen include 20 Berkeley, with Arts-and-Crafts-style interiors by Pirajean Lees, and an Italian restaurant designed to mimic the glamorous atmosphere of a 1980s Italo-American trattoria.
      The photography is by James McDonald.

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      BAO Mary draws on “utilitarian design” of Taiwanese dumpling shops

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      London’s latest BAO restaurant is modelled on the liveliness of Taiwan’s dumpling shops, with designer MATHs opening up its shopfront to “allow people to spill out”.

      Design studio MATHs aimed for restaurant chain BAO London’s latest outpost in Marylebone, named BAO Mary, to let its visitors interact more with the space outside the restaurant to create a vibrant feel.
      “With all our sites, we look to distil an element of Taiwanese culture,” BAO co-founder Shing Tat Chung and MATHs designer Priscilla Wong told Dezeen.
      “Taiwanese dumpling shops are lively – there’s a sense of excitement and chaos,” they added. “As with a lot of informal eateries in Asia, there are diners pouring into the street.”
      BAO Mary is located in central London’s Marylebone areaThe first change the duo made when taking over the 110-square-metre restaurant, which had previously housed another eatery, was to open it up more towards the street by removing banquette seats that made its front look closed-off.

      “The first design move was to open up the shopfront to allow people to spill out and blur the threshold between inside and out,” MATHs said.
      “This helps to create the liveliness that we find in dumpling houses.”
      It has a wood-panelled interiorThe goal for the interior of the two-storey restaurant, which serves dumplings and quick cold dishes, was to create an intimate atmosphere.
      As its existing fit-out had been completed just 18 months earlier, MATHs kept the timber-lined walls but added a parquette floor and simple white tiles in the kitchen.
      “The main dining space is small, so we wanted to lean into that and create a sense of intimacy, whilst referencing the utilitarian design of dumpling houses,” Chung and Wong explained. “The overall material palette helps to strike a balance between the two.”
      Tables and chairs were custom-madeFor the outdoor dining space, the designers used brushed-metal terrace tables from Arcalo that are altered to be shorter and complemented by stools from Artek.
      Inside, chairs and tables are bespoke and the restaurant is lit by lamps from Flos and Artemide.

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      BAO Mary also features a nod to the open self-serve fridges often seen in Taiwan.
      “It’s quite common in Taiwan to have open self-serve fridges,” the designers said. “Whilst in London, we contemplated whether we could do the same but in the end decided against it.”
      “To reference this feature, we have a cold drinks fridge in the back corner of the room,” they added. “These points of reference, alongside the glass table tops and the softly swirling fans, add to the feel of what we wanted to achieve.”
      A fridge next to the kitchen nods to Taiwanese self-serve fridgesAs the primary material used inside the space was the existing wooden walls, MATHs wanted to create a colour palette that would complement the panelling.
      The studio chose a “buttery yellow colour” for the ceiling, while cream and tan leather add neutral colour details upstairs.
      The basement floor, which can be booked by larger groups, has orange banquette seating.
      The open kitchen is the focal point of the spaceThe designers also referenced BAO London’s beginnings as a market stall with the design of BAO Mary, where the tiled kitchen functions as a focal point.
      “We wanted to create a glow at the end of the space – almost theatrical – to draw people in and create a visual focus,” Chung and Wong said.
      “The first view on entry is the brightly lit kitchen and sharp light of the fridge, which is sandwiched by the dark timber walls,” they added.
      “When we first started as a market stall, the great satisfaction was that immediate interaction, and feeling part of the restaurant and seeing it feel and come together rather than being stuck in a basement.”
      BAO Mary is set over two storeysHaving the kitchen open also creates a connection between the chef and the diners, the duo said.
      “It creates that focus in the room, the buzz, the clatter, the chatter,” they added. “It becomes that activation in the small room.”
      Other recent bao restaurants featured on Dezeen include BAO London’s King’s Cross branch, which was informed by Asia’s Western-style cafes, and Bao Express in Paris, which draws on traditional Hong Kong diners.
      The photography is by Ash James.

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      Fred Rigby Studio creates dried flower meadow inside Lestrange’s Coal Drops Yard store

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      Forest sounds and furnishings made from storm-stricken trees bring elements of nature into this menswear boutique in London’s King’s Cross, designed by local practice Fred Rigby Studio.

      The store is the fourth outpost from men’s fashion brand Lestrange and was conceived based on blueprints by biophilic design expert Oliver Heath, combining greenery with reclaimed and natural materials to forge a greater connection to the outdoors.
      Fred Rigby Studio has designed the latest Lestrange boutique in LondonAccording to Fred Rigby Studio, this approach was chosen to reflect the brand’s philosophy of using renewable and recycled fibres to produce clothing with longevity.
      “We wanted to create a sense of calm within the space, which didn’t feel like a generic shop but an interior which told a story behind the clothing and the brand’s ethos,” explained the studio’s eponymous founder.
      Rice paper lanterns are suspended at varying heights throughout the spaceThe Lestrange store is set inside the Thomas Heatherwick-designed Coal Drops Yard shopping centre, formed of two converted warehouses that were originally built in the Victorian era to store the vast quantities of coal needed by the capital.

      Rigby wanted to incorporate this imposing brick structure into his final design.
      Tactile plaster was used to cover the walls”We didn’t want to hide this history by covering it up, which would have also entailed using construction materials,” he told Dezeen.
      “So we celebrated it, breaking the space up using timber walls and cladding, then adding the rice paper lights to give the space a more intimate feel.”
      The same finish was also applied to a trio of display shelvesUsing the existing site as his canvas, Rigby focused on sourcing a tight edit of natural and reclaimed materials.
      “There are lots of new materials on the market, but finding those that are produced in quantity and applicable to commercial use can be a challenge,” he said.

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      London plane timber – harvested from “storm-stricken and diseased trees” within a few miles of King’s Cross – was used to form the partitions that define the store’s display and changing areas, as well as some bespoke furniture pieces.
      British manufacturer Clayworks blended unfired clays with minerals and natural pigments to create the tactile wall finishes, while the terrazzo-style countertops were made by Welsh company Smile Plastics using a mix of recycled plastics from discarded mobile phone casings and chopping boards.
      The changing rooms are clad in panels of London plane timberAs the ultimate counterpoint to the mass and severity of the brick, Rigby conceived the idea of an indoor meadow that meanders through the Lestrange store.
      The arrangement of natural dried flowers and grasses was realised by award-winning garden designer Lottie Delamain, integrating a carefully chosen mix of species to reflect the fibres commonly used in apparel manufacture such as cotton and flax.
      “We wanted to bring nature inside, using plants linked to the clothes while creating a touch point to the materiality,” said Rigby.
      Garden designer Lottie Delamain created a dried flower meadow for the storeClothes are displayed on simple white metal rails and the capacious open-topped dressing rooms feature speakers playing forest sounds, complemented by discreet wall lights that cast a subtle glow.
      There are also subtle nods to Japanese design in the form of the rice paper lampshades that float at varying heights throughout the store.
      The flowers are set in wood-framed stone beds”We started with a mixture of initial references, one of which was a teahouse designed by Charlotte Perriand,” said Rigby.
      “We wanted to create a material-focused space with nods to natural materials such as the rice paper lights, which we felt would add to the space and create a sense of calm and stillness.”
      The Lestrange shop is set inside the Coal Drops Yard shopping centrePrevious projects from Rigby, who founded his studio in 2008, include bespoke furnishings for a renovated 1920s office building in London as well as the interiors of Bath’s Francis Gallery, which is set inside a Georgian townhouse.
      The photography is by Felix Speller.

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