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    Lebanese street food informs interior of Common Breads bakery by MA Studio

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    A traditional Lebanese bread influenced design elements at this bakery in London by local firm MA Studio, where it’s the primary item on the menu.

    Common Breads on Buckingham Palace Road, close to Victoria station, celebrates the centuries-old Middle Eastern food staple of kaak.
    Common Breads was designed as a celebration of kaak breadIn Beirut, the bread is crafted from simple ingredients, covered in sesame seeds and moulded into an identifiable “purse” shape with a hole at the top, which allows vendors to hang the roll from a rig attached to their bicycles.
    “Inspired by this quintessential street food, a passionate trio of friends decided to bring the story of kaak to London,” said MA Studio, led by Selma Akkari and Rawan Muqaddas.
    The poured floor is speckled to look like sesame seedsThe studio designed the bakery’s interior to introduce the bread to new audiences in a contemporary setting.

    Formerly an office, the 65-square-metre space at street level was transformed with warm materials and nods to the heritage of the snack it serves.
    Kaak bread is also displayed in a window that looks into the kitchenThe original facade was altered to include two prominent reinforced columns at the entrance, while large windows create a connection between the outdoor patio and the indoor areas.
    “The interior design interprets the vernacular vocabulary of Lebanese architecture through a curated palette of materials,” MA Studio said.
    Caramel-toned wood creates a portal into the main service areaBeyond the glass door is a white-walled space with a speckled floor that mimics the appearance of sesame seeds.
    This room offers seating on built-in window benches, facing a glass panel that allows a glimpse at the preparation process in the kitchen behind and creates an opportunity to display the kaak on metal hooks.

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    A caramel-toned wooden frame references typical Lebanese architecture and creates a portal into the main service area.
    Here, two perpendicular counters are wrapped in checkerboard tiles that playfully suggest the patterns of backgammon – a popular community pastime in Lebanon.
    A white-painted room has bench seating built under the windowsTo adorn the walls above the two-top tables, Beirut lighting brand Fabraca Studios designed custom metal sconces that resemble kaak, complete with the signature hole at the top.
    “This thoughtful integration of traditional elements creates an immersive cultural experience, inviting customers to step into a space where the essence of Lebanese hospitality and culinary tradition come alive, offering a true taste of Beirut in the heart of London,” said MA Studio.
    Checkered counters provide a nod to backgammon boardsBefore joining forces, Akkari and Muqaddas ran separate studios in New York and London respectively, and collaborated on the interiors of a “minimal but warm” Brooklyn apartment.
    Muqaddas also previously designed the Sloane Street Deli in the UK capital, which features green tiles and bentwood chairs.
    The photography is by Felix Speller.

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      Linda Boronkay selects bold shapes and colours for The Sessile

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      Former Soho House design director Linda Boronkay drew on her experience of members’ clubs when creating communal spaces at The Sessile, a rentable apartment block in north London.

      Created by contemporary rental brand Way of Life, The Sessile is a 310-apartment building in Tottenham Hale.
      Linda Boronkay has created the communal spaces at The Sessile in Tottenham HaleBoronkay designed the interiors for the building’s communal areas, which include a rooftop orangery and a private dining area as well as a gym, a yoga studio and a dedicated vinyl listening room.
      “We opted for bold colours and pieces with lots of personality,” said the interior designer, who founded her own practice in 2020.
      The rooftop orangery opens onto wide terraces”We also integrated vintage finds like we always do, so the ingredients and our approach were very similar to how we would work on a members’ club design,” she told Dezeen.

      The 10th-floor rooftop orangery is the largest of the spaces, opening onto planted terraces with sweeping views of the surrounding area.
      Marble and dark timber feature in the private dining roomBlack terrazzo flooring was paired with gleaming green and crimson tiles, which line the windowsills and a tall central fireplace. Boronkay chose a trio of spindly, ornate chandeliers to contrast with these colour-blocked accents.
      Large skylights illuminate an open kitchen and various seating areas encircled by textured armchairs. Bespoke rugs decorated with bright patterns add “a layer of art and graphic design” to the space, said Boronkay.
      Boronkay selected lighter hues for the yoga studioThe private dining room is more intimate, with sliding timber joinery that allows a graphic, coloured tapestry to give way to a concealed television.
      “Joinery, artwork and drapery allow residents to instantly change the function or ambiance of a room,” explained Boronkay.
      The gym is illuminated by sculptural lampsTranslucent glass discs were clustered together to create a chunky overhead lamp, while burnt orange curtains and veiny marble sideboards add a touch of luxury.
      Lighter hues were chosen for the yoga studio, finished with “natural” earthy colours on the floors, walls and ceilings. Muted tones also evoke a sense of calm in the gym, complete with sculptural sandy pendant lamps.
      The vinyl listening room was created as a “private nook”A squiggly neon ceiling light features in the vinyl listening room, designed as a “private nook for reflection”. The space is characterised by open blood-red shelving displaying stacks of records.
      “We were conscious about coming up with a new colour scheme and new identity for each room,” said the designer.

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      Boronkay also included a ping-pong table in the room that can be used or stowed away depending on residents’ preferences.
      “We aren’t very used to designing in new build architecture,” reflected Boronkay.
      Terrazzo flooring was included in the interior design”Most of our projects are in historical heritage buildings and their story and style is an important building block in our design and narrative. At The Sessile, we had to almost ignore the architecture and create a world of our own that you experience as soon as you step inside,” added the designer.
      Elsewhere in London, local firm Studio Est referenced the industrial heritage of Battersea Power Station when creating the interiors for an apartment inside the redeveloped landmark. Archmongers studio recently renovated a home inside North Kensington’s Trellick Tower.
      The photography is courtesy of Way of Life.

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      Under One Roof exhibition celebrates Scotland’s “vibrant” emerging design scene

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      Design platform Slancha has curated Under One Roof, a furniture and homeware exhibition in Glasgow that spotlights 14 up-and-coming Scottish designers.

      The inaugural exhibition from Slancha, which is run by designers Findlay MacDonald and Harvey Everson, presented a hand-picked selection of furniture, ceramics and lighting pieces united by an emphasis on materiality and form.
      Under One Roof is the inaugural exhibition by SlanchaMacDonald and Everson were prompted to curate the exhibition after visiting Milan design week and observing Scotland’s comparative lack of a cohesive design community, despite the exceptional work being produced by local makers.
      “The more exhibitions and shows like this that happen in Scotland, the more people will start to see the vibrant design scene emerging here,” MacDonald told Dezeen. “We’re excited to be part of that movement.”
      Nicholas Davis’s Fireside Chair is made from African sapele woodAmong the pieces on display as part of Under One Roof was Nicholas Davis’s Fireside Chair, crafted using African sapele timber.

      The chair features a durable structure and bold graphic silhouette, informed by the designer’s background studying graphic design at the Glasgow School of Art before pivoting to furniture.
      “The Fireside Chair is a great example of contemporary design in Scotland, with a distinctive Scandi-Scot influence,” MacDonald said, adding that Davis’s practice exemplifies “exceptional craftsmanship and eye-catching forms”.
      Oliver Spendley (left) and Richard Goldsworthy (right) explored raw natural materialsOliver Spendley utilised locally sourced materials from his base in Durness – a small village on the north coast of Scotland – to create his Endless Orbit collection.
      The totemic sculptures are made using discs of Scottish timber, fitted onto Lewisian gneiss stones to suggest a celestial object and its orbit.
      SHY Design’s vases are crafted from scagolia plaster”Each timber base is hand-finished with precision, alternating between sleek and textured surfaces,” said MacDonald.
      “This careful attention to detail reflects the natural textures found in our environment, from the undulating ripples of rivers to the layered patterns of tidal sands.”

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      Other pieces in the exhibition that pay homage to nature include the Vessel IX vases from SHY Design, a Glasgow-based studio exploring the emotional connection between user and object.
      Crafted from scagolia – a plaster typically used for surface decoration – the vases feature expressive forms with craggy rock-like surfaces.
      “SHY nod to material origins, first building their pieces into strong simple architectural forms before unexpectedly carving into and destructing the surfaces to create new forms and reveal the patterns laced below,” MacDonald said.
      Charles Myatt (left) and Frances Ross (right) contributed sculptural screensFluid Screen by ceramicist Frances Ross is a divider comprised of 72 translucent Parian porcelain tiles set within an ash frame, which diffuse light and shift in colour to resemble flowing liquid.
      And Greenlaw-based Richard Goldsworthy, whose work celebrates the inherent beauty of the natural world, contributed a sculpture crafted from charred walnut and pewter.
      Kiko was informed by graffitiAlso included in the exhibition was furnituremaker Laurence Veitch’s piece Kiko, designed in collaboration with architect Dafni Michalaki, which features a vernacular form inspired by graffiti.
      Similar themes lie in the work of Glasgow-based Charles Myatt, including his Lichen Stone assemblage crafted from lime, silica and cement that takes cues from urbanism and the materiality of cities.
      Ruth Mae Martin creates colourful ceramicsThe exhibition also presented works by Rory Middleton, Neal Cameron, Calum Bettison, Ruth Mae Martin, James Grossman, Ruth Elizabeth Jones and an oak and aluminium table by the Slancha founders.
      MacDonald and Everson hope that Under One Roof can help the Scottish design movement continue to grow.
      Under One Roof also showcased work by Ruth Elizabeth Jones”This event has brought such an energy to the designers and the local design scene,” MacDonald said. “We’ve had so many people express a desire for more events like this, which really highlights there’s a strong appetite for design in Scotland.”
      “Our hope is to keep building on this collective energy, maintaining the momentum while inspiring more people to design and create here in Scotland.”
      Under One Roof took place at Stallan Brand’s gallery space in Glasgow from 6th July to 16th August 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

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      Tabitha Isobel completes “warm and inviting” Regent Street store for Carl Friedrik

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      Interiors studio Tabitha Isobel has designed a gallery-like store in central London for luxury luggage brand Carl Friedrik, featuring a rich and inviting palette comprising dark wood, metal and draped fabrics.

      Carl Friedrik approached studio founder Tabitha Organ to design the company’s first physical store, located in a Grade-II listed building on Regent Street just off Piccadilly Circus.
      Tabitha Isobel has designed Carl Friedrik’s Regent Street storeOrgan and her team developed a scheme for the 65-square-metre space that references the pared-back look and materiality of the company’s products, which combine heritage details with modern styling.
      “The brand style of Carl Friedrik is quite minimalistic and they wanted that to come across in the interiors,” Organ told Dezeen.
      Drapes provide a theatrical backdrop for the products”The brief was to design a space that emulated an art gallery and concept store whilst also being practical, warm and inviting – a space where the products could take centre stage, be admired and have space to breathe,” she added.

      The building’s listed status meant that only minor alterations could be made to the existing interior, which retained several of its original features including ornate cornicing and rich Versailles oak flooring.
      Lamps by &tradition and display trays by Tiger Nicholson introduce a metallic touchThe previous tenants had painted the walls a cold shade of grey and the space featured shelving in a traditional style that didn’t reflect Carl Friedrik’s more contemporary values.
      Organ chose a lighter, warmer shade for the walls that makes the most of daylight entering through windows on two sides. She also used calico fabric throughout the interior to soften the overall aesthetic and give it a more welcoming feel.
      Due to the short-term nature of the lease on this space, everything in the store was designed to be easily dismantled and reused in an alternative venue if required.

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      Drapes hung in front of two of the walls conceal the existing cabinetry and provide a theatrical backdrop for smaller bags and items displayed on aluminium shelves.
      Fabric suspended from the ceiling also surrounds a central column, helping to partition the large space and create a layered effect that draws the customer’s eye through the room.
      Bespoke plinths designed to display larger luggage items are finished in a consistent minimal and monolithic style to ensure attention is focused on the products.
      Midcentury armchairs and a marble coffee table form a small lounge areaThe plinths were made in the north of England by fabricator Studio Tuesday using stained oak or wood lacquered in Carl Friedrik’s brand colour.
      Throughout the store, Tabitha Isobel used aluminium and chrome to introduce reflective accents that catch the eye. The plinths are set on recessed aluminium bases that lighten their visual mass and create a floating effect.
      Brushed aluminium was also used for the base of a custom-made display table featuring an inset panel made from the same chocolate-coloured leather as some of the brand’s products. There are no tills in the store as all orders are taken using handheld devices.
      A Philippi bowl adds further metallic detailsA corner of the space is designated as a cosy lounge area organised around an existing fireplace. It features a woven bench positioned opposite a pair of mid-century armchairs and a marble coffee table chosen to complement the scheme’s material palette.
      Portable lamps by Danish brand &tradition and a bowl by German firm Philippi add further metallic details, while the display trays positioned around the store are made by Organ’s brother Tiger Nicholson, a stonemason based in Henley-on-Thames.
      To enhance the gallery-like feel, artworks including photographs by Daniëlle Siobhán and paintings by Melanie Anne Haynes provide focal points on some of the walls.
      Decorative flowers provide a pop of colourCarl Friedrik’s longer-term vision is to open additional stores that will utilise the same minimalistic style and rich material palette as the Regent Street store.
      Tabitha Organ established her studio in 2023 after a decade of working in the industry for studios including Conran and Partners and Tatjana von Stein.
      The Carl Friedrik store is her first retail project after working predominantly on residences including a London townhouse that combines natural materials with futuristic details.
      The photography is by Daniëlle Siobhán.

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      Intervention Architecture hides fold-out furniture behind walls of Florin Court flat

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      British studio Intervention Architecture designed bespoke plywood joinery to conceal furniture including a pull-down bed and a collapsible dining table inside this micro apartment in north London.

      The flat is located within Florin Court, a nine-storey art deco building overlooking Charterhouse Square that was designed by Guy Morgan and Partners and built in 1938.
      The 24-square-metre flat at the rear of the building was previously the servant quarters for a larger residence facing the garden at the front.
      Intervention Architecture has designed the interiors for a London micro apartmentIts current owners, a couple of young artists, commissioned Intervention Architecture after seeing images on the studio’s website of another tiny flat it designed in London’s Barbican Estate.
      Similarly to this project, the Barbican flat featured reconfigurable joinery that allowed for optimal use of the compact space.

      “The brief here was to create joinery for lots of storage and to have it all hidden behind doors to make the apartment feel more spacious,” Intervention Architecture founder Anna Parker told Dezeen.
      Furniture in the Florin Court flat is concealed behind built-in joineryA storage wall lining one side of the living area houses a bed that folds down to rest on a moveable bespoke sofa. Shelving above the bedhead provides space for books with built-in reading lights positioned on either side.
      The sofa, which can also be used as a daybed, was built to contain four bespoke flatpack stools. These can be arranged around a dining table that can be broken down and stored within the wall.
      The living area houses a daybed that transforms into a moveable sofa when foldedA focal point of the space is the open shelving that functions as a library along the end wall.
      Here, a recurring arch motif that references the building’s art deco architecture is used to frame the book-filled niches.
      The puzzle-like construction of the shelving was also informed by Florin Court’s claim to fame as the residence of Agatha Christie’s fictional detective Hercule Poirot in the popular ITV television series.
      Open shelving functions as a library with art deco-style arch motifsIntegrated into the storage units in one corner of the room is a study nook featuring a bespoke seat and a built-in drawing board that can be raised and adjusted to provide an ergonomic work surface.
      Joinery throughout the space was constructed using a single material – poplar plywood with a white oiled finish. The floorboards were sanded and given the same treatment to reinforce the cohesive aesthetic.
      “We wanted to retain a sense of calmness and singular surface tone of one natural material in the apartment to create an even tone of light from the one main window opening,” said Parker.
      Joinery was constructed using poplar plywood with a white oiled finishThe ceiling, walls and window frames are painted a simple off-white shade that helps to brighten the space. This hue is complemented by the tactile boucle upholstery chosen for the sofa.
      The room is illuminated by a single bulb above the study area and a central cluster hung at different heights from the ceiling. A pair of matching bedside lamps provides additional task lighting.

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      While the living area is minimal in its use of colour, the adjoining bathroom and kitchen are saturated in bold hues that introduce an expressive element to the scheme.
      “As the clients are two formidable artists, where the use of colour is intrinsic to their work, we wanted to reference a singular use of two colours in the two spaces ancillary to the main studio,” Parker added.
      The bathroom is clad with blush-pink tiles chosen to evoke a hue that might be found in a 1930s ocean liner. All-white aluminium taps, sanitaryware and a Japanese-style bathtub contribute to the clean and simple aesthetic.
      Blush-pink tiles cover the bathroom, contributing to a clean and simple aestheticThe kitchen is entirely painted in a vibrant shade known as International Klein Blue after the French artist Yves Klein, who used it extensively in his artworks.
      According to Parker, the use of saturated colour creates an “immersive experience” within the tiny two-square-metre space, which manages to squeeze in a hob, oven, dishwasher, fridge, sink, spice rack and concealed bin storage.
      The two-square metre kitchen is painted in International Klein BlueIntervention Architecture was founded by Parker in 2015 and is based in Birmingham, England. The interdisciplinary practice adopts a collaborative approach to its projects, resulting in bespoke solutions with their own unique personality.
      The studio has previously worked on several projects in its home city, including an extension clad in cedar battens and a brick extension featuring arched windows that resemble a colonnade.
      The photography is by Tom Bird.

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      Material & Memory exhibition responds to “raw materiality” of Brinkburn Priory and Manor

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      Tutors and researchers from Northumbria University have filled a derelict manor house, nestled in a curve of the River Coquet in Northumberland, with objects informed by the site’s rich history and materiality.

      The exhibition titled Material & Memory is being held at Brinkburn Priory and Manor, a former 12th-century monastery that fell into ruin and was restored in the 19th century, when the manor house was built alongside it.
      Northumbria University faculty has designed products for Brinkburn Priory and Manor. Top photo is by Brian Morris and above by Jennine WilsonAround 20 faculty members and researchers from Northumbria University’s School of Design and Department of Architecture created works that reference the fabric and atmosphere of the historic buildings.
      Co-curator and assistant design professor Anthony Forsyth said the pieces created for the show were influenced by the “tranquil and atmospheric” spaces at Brinkburn, as well as by the multiple layers of history evident in the empty rooms.
      Josh South’s Nook candleholders replicate the form of a shouldered door arch”The raw materiality of the spaces is a rich source of inspiration, while the span of history informs an approach that is contemporary yet acknowledges the past,” he explained.

      Several contributions reference architectural features that were exposed as part of English Heritage’s efforts to stop dry rot from destroying the manor, which had fallen into disrepair before the preservation charity took over responsibility for the house in 1965.
      Anthony Forsyth’s Mullion plinths are shaped like the manor’s stone window mullionsForsyth’s Mullion plinths feature forms derived from the tapered profile of the building’s stone window mullions, while the Nook candleholders created by design lecturer Joshua South replicate the form of a shouldered door arch in patinated sand-cast bronze.
      In collaboration with woodworker Johnny Hayes, South also developed the Quatrefoil tables, which are based on a pattern of overlapping circles commonly featured in medieval emblems and found in the stained-glass windows of the Priory at Brinkburn.
      South’s Quatrefoil tables are based on the priory’s stained-glass windowsPhilip Luscombe, who teaches on the university’s Furniture and Product course, created a lamp with an oak structure that evokes the robust construction of church furniture.
      The Monk lamp’s paper diffuser references religious texts and creates a warm glow when the light is turned on.

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      Forsyth also developed the Assemblage floor lamp, constructed using off-the-shelf components and parts retained from other projects.
      The design is informed by the state of the interior at Brinkburn, where layers of construction have been exposed and the reuse of materials is evident.
      Phil Luscombe has created a lamp with an oak structure that references church furnitureBen Couture, assistant architecture professor and co-curator of the exhibition, created a geometric yellow bench that intentionally contrasts with the architectural style of the manor house.
      The bench responds to the dimensions of the adjacent windows, through which visitors can look out towards the river.
      The exhibition includes various other works in mixed media, ranging from etchings to printed textiles, photomontages and wallpapers. Each of the pieces was created following repeated visits to the site and through conversations with experts at English Heritage.
      Ben Couture designed a geometric yellow bench. The photo is by Brian MorrisThe charity previously worked with Northumbria University on a similar exhibition of objects displayed at Aydon Castle, also in Northumberland.
      According to Frances McIntosh, a curator at English Heritage, the Material & Memory exhibition makes good use of the normally empty rooms, encouraging visitors to reconsider the past, present and future of these historic spaces.
      “Brinkburn Priory Manor House is like a blank canvas and exhibitions like this are a great way to use the space and allow visitors to think more deeply about the complicated layers of the building they can see,” she said.
      The photography is by Phil Luscombe unless otherwise stated.
      Material & Memory is on show at Brinkburn Priory and Manor until 3 November 2024. For more events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design visit the Dezeen Events Guide.

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      HawkinsBrown converts former Vitra showroom into own street-front office

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      Architecture studio HawkinsBrown has taken over a former furniture showroom, giving its staff a workspace with a shop window, a social kitchen and a Richard Woods-designed cabin.

      The former Vitra showroom on Clerkenwell Road is now a three-level office for 250 of HawkinsBrown’s 350 staff. The new street-front address was designed to give the architects a workspace that facilitates more diverse ways of working and offers greater opportunities for social activities and events.
      The street-front office is located on Clerkenwell Road in London”Our vast shopfront means we are on display, presenting us with a new and exciting opportunity to show the world who we are and what we do,” said HawkinsBrown managing partner Hazel York.
      “It’s a place to connect with our clients, collaborators and the wider Clerkenwell community through a programme of talks and events, temporary exhibitions and art installations.”
      The ground floor can be used for different activities and eventsCentral to this approach was turning the ground-floor space into a flexible “canteen” featuring a stainless-steel counter where staff meet for coffee and cafe-style furniture that can be easily moved around.

      “Our ground floor canteen is our working experiment, our laboratory,” said HawkinsBrown’s creative director David Bickle.
      A stainless-steel counter is the place where staff meet for coffee”It’s a place where we can host talks and seminars, workshops, supper clubs and sunset yoga, and invite takeovers by like-minded organisations,” he told Dezeen.
      “We’ve purposely kept it unprogrammed, loose fit and unfinished, preferring to ‘show not tell’ what we do to the world outside.”

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      A shed covered in the colourful cartoon-style prints of artist Richard Woods can be found on this floor, surrounded by plants.
      Known as Hut, it offers staff a place to find isolation.
      The Richard Woods-designed Hut sits among plantsThe idea was to create the feel of a building within a building, an approach that HawkinsBrown previously explored on projects including the Gantry at Here East and the Here + Now offices.
      “We recognised that many of us worked from sheds, home offices, lofts and kitchen tables during the Covid lockdown and that this form of isolation was important for certain concentrated creative tasks,” stated Bickle.
      This colourful cabin offers staff a place to find isolation”We talked through our ideas with Richard; he was immediately taken with our thinking and open to creating something new,” Bickle said.
      “The closed form of Hut creates a talking point. Paradoxically we placed the most private space in the most public location but, through its design, we created a sanctuary from the rest of the studio and the world outside.”
      The newly painted red staircase encourages staff to stop and chatMore art can be found on the glazed facade in the form of graphics designed by architect June Tong, the winning entry in an in-house competition.
      Power-assisted acoustic curtains allow the space to be subdivided if necessary, while a newly painted red staircase encourages staff to stop and chat while moving between floors.
      The design includes both formal meeting rooms and collaborative spacesMeeting rooms can be found on all three levels. These include a pair of adjoining basement rooms affectionately known as Ray and Charles, which can be combined into one larger room called Eames.
      These were named in tribute to former occupant Vitra, which produces furniture by the famed American architects.
      A modelmaking workshop is located in the basementA modelmaking workshop is located in the basement but visible from above, while pin-up boards were integrated into sliding doors as well as mobile partitions.
      York said the new office has shaped a more collaborative culture among staff. Amid the wider shift to hybrid working, she believes it has strengthened the firm’s sense of community and collective identity.
      “We knew having a shop window on a bustling street would be great but it has surpassed our expectations,” she said.
      The windows feature graphics designed by in-house architect June Tong”Watching the world go by is a constant reminder of how our work shapes and is shaped by the city and communities we serve.”
      “Equally, we are very open about the work we do; everyone can see in. We draw on the windows, stick up work in progress and regularly wave at people at the bus stop!”
      The photography is by Ruth Ward.

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      Studio Est adds “brutalist elements” to Battersea Power Station apartment

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      London interiors firm Studio Est referenced the industrial heritage of Battersea Power Station when creating the interiors for this apartment set within the redeveloped landmark.

      The apartment’s owner wanted to transform the empty shell into a space that would reflect both his personal tastes and the home’s setting within the former art deco power station.
      Studio Est has transformed the interiors of a Battersea Power Station apartmentKnown for its quiet luxury interiors, Studio Est applied a palette of subtle neutral shades to unify the apartment’s open-plan spaces and provide a consistent backdrop for various characterful furnishings and artworks.
      “We wanted to keep it simple but introduce subtle brutalist elements that evoke the building’s history,” founder Louise East told Dezeen. “These are complemented by softer textures that add a more feminine touch.”
      Mario Bellini and Charles Rennie Mackintosh chairs feature in the dining roomAlthough some areas of the redeveloped power station feature steel beams and other industrial details, East found the apartment entirely devoid of original elements.

      So the studio turned to furniture, artwork and accessories to introduce character and visual interest to the living spaces.
      A dramatic painting is set against the neutral wallsDramatic pieces, including a large painting in the dining room and a bespoke geometric sofa in the lounge area, were chosen to ground these spaces and introduce a masculine feel.
      East then layered these with textural details including cushions, lampshades and linen-wool blend curtains, all of which were custom-made for the project.
      The room also houses a metal reinterpretation of Gerrit Rietveld’s Zigzag chairAlongside the bespoke items, Studio Est sourced various vintage pieces including leather chairs by Italian designer Mario Bellini, which surround the dark wooden dining table.
      A Hill House Chair by Scottish art deco architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and a metal reinterpretation of Gerrit Rietveld’s seminal Zigzag chair also feature in the dining room.

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      The two bedrooms display distinctly different approaches to colour and materiality. The principal bedroom is painted in a rich terracotta hue that lends the space a warm, enveloping atmosphere, while the second bedroom incorporates textures chosen to complement the adjacent gardens.
      “Although it’s an open-plan apartment, we didn’t want all the rooms to look the same,” said East, who established her studio in 2020 after 15 years of working for other architects and interior designers including Russell Sage and Martin Brudnizki.
      A bespoke geometric sofa centres the lounge area”It’s good to be able to move from one space to another and have a different look and feel,” she added. “The main bedroom is intentionally different to the living areas because we wanted to make this a space where the client can come after a day’s work and feel comfortable reading a book.”
      Throughout the apartment, the owner’s ceramics collection is displayed on characterful plinths, carefully positioned to emphasise specific views within the spaces and of the landscaped gardens outside.
      Cushions and curtains were made custom for the projectBattersea Power Station was designed by British architect Giles Gilbert Scott and built by the London Power Company in several phases between 1929 and 1955. It was decommissioned in 1975 and subsequently given Grade II listed status.
      A lengthy redevelopment of the site on the south bank of the River Thames introduced accommodation, hospitality, offices and retail space while preserving the building’s iconic chimney stacks and facades.
      The principal bedroom is painted in a rich terracotta hueLondon architecture firm WilkinsonEyre oversaw the restoration and conversion of the former power station, which now features a glass lift within one of its chimneys.
      UK studio Foster + Partners designed an office for technology brand Apple inside the building as well as a store for the company that retains four original brick pillars.
      The photography is courtesy of Studio Est.

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      Beacon House extension by Office S&M features bubblegum pink tiles

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      A London house extension designed by Office S&M features a ceramic facade with the same pink glaze used for Tube station tiles on the Hammersmith and City Line.

      Office S&M designed Beacon House, a single-storey rear extension, for a Victorian terraced house in Tottenham, north London.
      Pink “pillow-shaped” tiles clad the extensionIt creates a larger kitchen and dining space for a couple and their two young children.
      The architects chose “pillow-shaped” tiles for the extension’s facade, giving the structure a puffy aesthetic.
      The pink glaze is the same used for tiles on Hammersmith and City Line stationsThe bubblegum pink glaze is specifically used on Hammersmith and City Line station tiles, to match the colour that indicates the line on the London Underground map.

      Here, it was selected to complement the original brickwork and reflect the clients’ love of municipal architecture.
      Pale green window frames contrast the pink”Alex and Ella showed us examples of public buildings they grew up with and ones they visited on their travels, which included sun-bleached climbing frames, tiled swimming pools, leisure centres and stations,” said Catrina Stewart, co-founder of Office S&M along with Hugh McEwen.
      “Just like with these buildings, they wanted their home to be both robust and joyful,” Stewart told Dezeen.
      The extension creates a generous kitchen and dining areaThe extruded clay tiles, handcrafted by manufacturers Materials Assemble and Teamwork Italy, contrast with the pale green colour of the window frames and downpipe.
      “Ella grew up in west London and her dad used to take the Hammersmith and City line every day; the pink tiles reminded her of home,” added Stewart.
      Curved details include a kitchen island and the wall wrapping a downstairs WCThe renovation also involved improving the building’s performance, making it better insulated and ventilated, and bringing a contemporary feel to the interiors throughout.
      The design features the bold colours and graphic style that have become Office S&M’s calling card, as previously seen in projects like Mo-tel House and Graphic House.
      As with Graphic House, the interior features several bespoke elements that inject a sense of the owners’ personality. Stewart points to the kitchen island as an example.
      Bold colours feature throughout the houseThe central focus of the extension, it features a resin and timber worktop made by surface design studio Mirrl, using a technique inspired by Japanese lacquer craft Tsugaru Nuri.
      “A bespoke pattern was created, referencing the clients’ memories of pastel hues and fading colours found along the British seaside,” Stewart said.
      The hallway includes monochrome tiles and a round yellow mirrorTiled surfaces and curved details feature all over, continuing the aesthetic of the building’s exterior.
      Examples of tiles include a yellow-grouted kitchen splashback, the monochrome flooring in the entrance hallway, and the soft yellow and pink surfaces in the first-floor bathroom.
      Pale pink and yellow tiles were installed in the first-floor bathroomProminent curves include the kitchen island, as well as a rounded wall framing the downstairs toilet and a yellow-framed hallway mirror.
      “Many of the municipal buildings that they showed us were associated with a story or a memory,” said Stewart.
      “The subtle references in their home serve as a reminder of these stories and experiences.”
      The three-bedroom property is home to a couple with two childrenThe colour scheme naturally progresses through the building, with richer tones at the front of the house and lighter tones as you move through to the top-lit extension.
      Local craft makers were involved in many of the smaller details, from the baby blue banquette upholstery in the kitchen, to the hand-painted gold number fixed to the front door.
      The photography is by French + Tye.
      Project credits
      Architect: Office S&MStructural engineer: Foster StructuresContractor: YG BuildersFurniture build: YG BuildersKitchen surfaces: MirrlGlazed pink external tiles: Materials Assemble, Teamwork ItalyGlobal paints: YesColoursUpholstery: Studio SwadeGold number sign: Mark Errington

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