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A Tale of Two Styles: Proper Victorian on the Outside, Modern Zen on the Inside

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A Tale of Two Styles: Proper Victorian on the Outside, Modern Zen on the Inside

December 18, 2020

Ed and Reema Stanbury are the co-founders of BLOK London, a boutique gym that, according to Vogue U.K., “is not a regular gym; it’s a cool gym.” Its three locations offer cool classes like “Animal Movement” (which “draws on the basics of animal motion”) and “BLOKBreath” (“dedicated to unlocking the benefits of conscious breathing”), alongside more mundane practices like barre, yoga, and pilates. Its Shoreditch location even has a cool artist-in-residence.

Naturally, the spaces, all designed by architecture and interiors firm Daytrip Studio, are cool, too. So when it came time for the couple to renovate their home, a run-down Victorian in the Lower Clapton neighborhood of London, they tapped Daytrip yet again.

“We asked them to create a home that was sensitive to the period and maintained all the original features but with a contemporary twist,” says Reema. “We wanted a house that was calm, light, and the perfect canvas for us to add our own touches.”

To this end, the architects added lightwells to invite in more natural light; they excavated the basement to create a large open kitchen and sitting room; they added an attic guest suite; and they created a cohesive palette of off-whites (a mixture of pale Farrow & Ball colors in the rooms and lime washes in the corridors and basement, says Reema). Daytrip also enlisted Sophie Pearce of Béton Brut and Laura Fulmine of Modern Art Hire to decorate the home with rare vintage modern pieces, and architectural lighting studio There’s Light to provide lighting solutions.

Come take a tour, then go to The Modern House for the complete listing. (N.B.: The home has since been sold.)

Photography courtesy of The Modern House.

the traditional victorian facade belies what&#8\2\17;s inside—an ode 17
Above: The traditional Victorian facade belies what’s inside—an ode to modernity.
the basement level features polished concrete flooring throughout and even exte 18
Above: The basement level features polished-concrete flooring throughout and even extends seamlessly to the garden, just beyond the sliding doors in the kitchen.
evora marble tops the bespoke douglas fir kitchen cabinets. 19
Above: Evora marble tops the bespoke Douglas fir kitchen cabinets.
the powder coated brass faucet is from studio ore. &#8\2\20;all the metalwo 20
Above: The powder-coated brass faucet is from Studio Ore. “All the metalwork in the house—from ironmongery, brassware, towel rails, handrails on the stairs, and down to the letter box and locks on the windows—have all been either powder-coated in oyster white or treated in an antique bronze,” says Reema.
a lightwell from the street side garden gives a boost of natural light. 21
Above: A lightwell from the street-side garden gives a boost of natural light.
the view from the kitchen into the combo dining area and sitting room. 22
Above: The view from the kitchen into the combo dining area and sitting room.
a mario bellini &#8\2\20;camaleonda&#8\2\2\1; sofa, circa \1970, from b 23
Above: A Mario Bellini “Camaleonda” sofa, circa 1970, from Béton Brut, provides plush seating.
a noguchi lamp sits atop a stovax wood burning stove set in a custom polished c 24
Above: A Noguchi lamp sits atop a Stovax wood-burning stove set in a custom polished-concrete surround. (See 11 Times Noguchi Lamps Stole the Spotlight, Plus 5 to Buy.)
a \1940s sofa was reupholstered in sheep&#8\2\17;s pelts for the living roo 25
Above: A 1940s sofa was reupholstered in sheep’s pelts for the living room on the parlor floor. The furniture in the home is largely from Béton Brut, a store that specializes in rare modern designs from France, Italy, Netherlands, and Scandinavia.
a \1950s theo ruth &#8\2\20;congo&#8\2\2\1; chair from the netherlands. 26
Above: A 1950s Theo Ruth “Congo” chair from the Netherlands.
an axel einar hjorth &#8\2\20;lövo&#8\2\2\1; table, designed for n 27
Above: An Axel Einar Hjorth “Lövo” table, designed for Nordiska Kompaniet, makes a perfect desk.
the main bedroom, reema&#8\2\17;s favorite room in the house, takes up the  28
Above: The main bedroom, Reema’s favorite room in the house, takes up the entire second floor and has ample built-in storage. A pair of vintage Scandinavian brass sconces flank the custom bed.
a steel and glass partition separates the bedroom from the bath. the custom van 29
Above: A steel and glass partition separates the bedroom from the bath. The custom vanity unit is from Iusso Stone.
large calacatta marble tiles on both the floor and the walls. 30
Above: Large Calacatta marble tiles on both the floor and the walls.
a gerrit rietveld &#8\2\20;steltman&#8\2\2\1; chair from the netherland 31
Above: A Gerrit Rietveld “Steltman” chair from the Netherlands on the landing of the top floor.
in addition to the main bedroom on the second floor and the two bedrooms on the 32
Above: In addition to the main bedroom on the second floor and the two bedrooms on the third floor, there’s a guest room with ensuite bathroom on the attic floor.
a skylight brings in more light. 33
Above: A skylight brings in more light.

For similarly tranquil homes, see:

N.B.: This story is a rerun; the original piece ran on November 8th, 2019.

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