My Houzz: An Airy Converted Warehouse is the Perfect Live/Work Space

Working with architect DiGiacomo, the couple drew up plans to maintain the spacious open room and to build a separate bedroom. The bank of shelves adds interest to the space.

Flooring: Tigerwood, Armstrong Flooring

Light bounces around the white walls, and in the evening the space can be turned into a media room using an Epson projector. The sofa provides the perfect space to cosy up with a good film.

All of the photographs in the house, including the two pieces seen here, were taken and printed by Sertorio.

See some more ideas on how to select the perfect sofa

Sofa: Focus One Home; floor lamp: Tolomeo, Artemide

Sertorio refinished an old library table bought at an auction at the Oakland Museum of California; it now serves as their dining area. The chairs are from the Vitra Design Museum.

The wall-to-wall bookshelves hold Sertorio’s collection of vintage cameras. Each part of the unit is a separate component, so the pieces can be mixed and matched.

The entrance is lined with Sertorio’s photographs, part of his ‘Passages’ series, taken on road trips around the country. The vertical garden contains various succulents.

Hanging garden: Urbio

Lee uses the mezzanine for her home office. The desk, a modern version of a 16th-century French writing desk, was bought at an antiques store as a birthday gift from Sertorio.

Check out some more mezzanines

Of the few walls constructed in the loft, there are three that form the bedroom, master bath and wardrobe. The walls are made of a sound-absorbent, fire-resistant, energy-saving material from Roxul.

Wall lights: Tolomeo Classic/Micro Wall Spot, Artemide; bed, headboard, side tables: Modloft; walls: Roxul

The sink and worktop in the master bathroom are one piece. The walls are lined with frosted glass tiles.

Tiles: Ann Sacks; sink, countertop: Ronbow; faucets: Hansgrohe; toilet: Blu Bathworks; light fixtures: Tiella

Sertorio’s photography studio is located on the ground floor for easy loading and unloading. The rubber floors are made from recycled tires, so they are not only durable but also shock absorbent.

Floors: Rubber Flooring

There is plenty of room for a roll of seamless background paper.

Floors: Rubber Flooring

The photography studio is used by Sertorio as an office, as a shooting space and for his fine art printing.

An example of another live/work space in Essex

BEFORE: Pictured here is the original main space, with its 25-foot ceilings.

BEFORE: Taken from what is now their bedroom, this view looks toward the future kitchen.

BEFORE: The floors were replaced and a guest bathroom and closet (for the washer and dryer) were added to an existing mezzanine.

My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, send some photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.