Houzz Tour: A Converted London Bakery is on the Rise
High ceilings and bags of space persuaded architect Pereen d'Avoine and her partner to see the potential in a run-down conversion
‘When we first saw this flat it was pretty dark and in bad condition, but we felt it had so much potential,’ says Pereen d’Avoine of Russian For Fish architects. It was part of a former bakery that had undergone a cobbled-together conversion in the 1980s, and what it lacked in windows and natural light, it made up for in ample floor space.
‘My partner, Matt, and I are both architects and luckily we have similar taste when it comes to interiors,’ says Pereen. ‘But we were on a really tight budget, so we decided to live in the flat for a while before starting work on it, so we could understand what we needed from the space,’ she says.
One year later, the pair applied for planning permission to put in a new window, transforming a dark corner and helping them to make the most of their living area. Completed in 2012, the crisp, well-designed space now enjoys lots of natural light and is kitted out with restrained, midcentury-style furniture that complements the bold, chequerboard floor.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Pereen d’Avoine and her partner, Matt
Location Bethnal Green, London
Designer Russian For Fish
Size 2 bedrooms (one is on a small mezzanine), 1 bathroom
‘My partner, Matt, and I are both architects and luckily we have similar taste when it comes to interiors,’ says Pereen. ‘But we were on a really tight budget, so we decided to live in the flat for a while before starting work on it, so we could understand what we needed from the space,’ she says.
One year later, the pair applied for planning permission to put in a new window, transforming a dark corner and helping them to make the most of their living area. Completed in 2012, the crisp, well-designed space now enjoys lots of natural light and is kitted out with restrained, midcentury-style furniture that complements the bold, chequerboard floor.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Pereen d’Avoine and her partner, Matt
Location Bethnal Green, London
Designer Russian For Fish
Size 2 bedrooms (one is on a small mezzanine), 1 bathroom
‘Matt and I have quite similar taste when it comes to furniture,’ says Pereen. ‘As we had lived in the flat for a while, we had bought the odd piece before renovating, with the view that it would all come together in the end!’ The couple are drawn to midcentury pieces because of their unfussy, elegant shapes. ‘We have designed the whole flat around this simple aesthetic,’ she says. The flat’s footprint is quite long, so the couple settled on a brilliant white colour scheme to bounce light around the space and open it out. ‘That way, we made the most of the natural light and could introduce colour through accessories and furniture,’ says Pereen. She bought the 1960s G Plan sofa 10 years ago and had it reupholstered for the new flat.
The 1960s sideboard is from the same period as the sofa and is an eBay find. ‘We spent weeks trawling eBay looking for something suitable,’ says Pereen. ‘We were really lucky to find this.’
Check out 10 of the best sideboards
Check out 10 of the best sideboards
Each piece of furniture, like these occasional chairs, works really hard in the pared-back space. The chairs and the Anglepoise-style lamp are treasured finds from Crystal Palace Antiques & Modern, where the couple have spent many Sundays trawling its four floors, looking for bargain finds. ‘We decided to leave the pendant light fixture bare,’ says Pereen. ‘The ceiling is so high, and we liked the idea of having something very simple hanging here that didn’t break up the eye line.’
When the couple first moved into the flat, there was no window in this wall. ‘It was so dark in here we just didn’t use this space at all,’ says Pereen. Getting the window installed has transformed this part of the flat. ‘We have been able to relocate the kitchen here and move the dining area to the centre of the space so it flows much more naturally,’ she says. The kitchen cabinets are made from birch-faced plywood – one of Pereen’s favourite materials – which has been treated with white oil so the grain is still visible. The oil has the added benefit of preventing the wood from yellowing.
The Loop dining table by Hay and the open shelves introduce a Scandinavian feel to the couple’s simple, midcentury aesthetic, while the canteen-style dining chairs add a pop of bright red. ‘They are from Very Good & Proper and are incredibly comfortable, which was our main concern!’ says Pereen.
‘The dining area definitely has a slightly more contemporary feel,’ says Pereen. ‘My friend Tom Housden made the pendant light and gave it to me. I studied architecture with him and he now runs the Hand & Eye Studio.’
This generously sized room was originally the kitchen, but when the couple reconfigured the flat they moved their bedroom in here. ‘We wanted to maintain the open-plan feel throughout, so we have added folding doors to the bedroom, which we keep open most of the time,’ says Pereen. The door on the far wall leads through to a spacious dressing room and an en-suite bathroom. ‘The picture above the bed is an old hand-painted Bollywood film poster,’ says Pereen. ‘I’m half Indian and I lived in India for a while, so it has meaning, plus it really pops against the while colour scheme.’
The mezzanine space at the top of the staircase is original to the flat, but Pereen and Matt extended it. The area is now used as a bijou guest bedroom. The doorway below is another entrance to the en-suite bathroom. ‘It’s a very circular flat,’ says Pereen. ‘We really love the way the whole space flows.’
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