English text by Ana Lyon
Photography by Rick Mccullagh / LLI Design
In the leafy, urban village of Highgate in northern London, LLI Design transformed a heritage residence from an industrial-age abode into a modern family home. The space began as a dark and somewhat gloomy seven-story column of rooms and now stands as a bright and airy homage to contemporary life. It was a feat that turned the heads of the UK Property Awards, in association with Bentley Motors, which bestowed upon the project the 2017–2018 Award in the Interior Design, London category.
At 3,500 square feet in total, the home’s living spaces were in large part stripped away, and then thoughtfully redistributed to give all seven floors their most natural and practical modern roles. The family asked that their contemporary dwelling not be stark, but rather sensible with a feeling of warmth and soul. Their large collection of vintage travel posters set the tone for the rooms’ cheery solid colors, bold and blocky contrasts, and paring away of traditional flourishes in favor of modern silhouettes.
A formal living room constitutes the home’s fourth floor. After decades of loyal service, the room’s windows and fireplace received a modern overhaul and gained the company of built-in shelving and a prized gem from the family’s vintage travel poster collection.
The master closet and ensuite are the innermost chambers of this tall, graceful abode. And they are most calming, thanks to the gentle floor-to-ceiling neutral hues and soothing textures that surround simple yet dynamic shapes.
The master closet and ensuite are the innermost chambers of this tall, graceful abode. And they are most calming, thanks to the gentle floor-to-ceiling neutral hues and soothing textures that surround simple yet dynamic shapes.
A central staircase connects the floors and their rooms, each of which is generous in square footage. Before renovations began, the spaces seemed disconnected, without flow or relationship between them. To help with this, light was brought into the staircase by adding extra skylights on the top floor and also adding a floor-to-ceiling window on the fourth floor half-landing. The central staircase was reimagined in a grayed oak and refitted with a bespoke spindle, banister rail, and newel posts to be in keeping with the warm contemporary aesthetic.
The kitchen was relocated to become the heart of the home. This was accomplished by moving it from the third floor to the second and by setting it back from, but looking out onto, a wall of glazing that opens onto the terrace and garden. The new design creates an exhilarating spin on the traditional great room.
While the third floor was reconfigured to contain a utility room, family TV room, and gym, ascending one more flight of stairs reveals a calming, relaxing formal living room that’s a welcoming space for guests or family events. The living room’s existing fireplace was replaced with a bespoke Pietra Serena stone fireplace with clean, confident lines. Storage and display units were designed for either side of the fireplace, incorporating a decorative log storage feature. Here, bold solids and contrasts remain, but they’re rendered especially elegant amid dominant grays and neutrals.
The children’s rooms were kitted out with custom woodwork and cool furnishings to match their unique ages and personalities. Convertible hideaways were designed to tuck away with a few close friends or dream in.
The children’s rooms were kitted out with custom woodwork and cool furnishings to match their unique ages and personalities. Convertible hideaways were designed to tuck away with a few close friends or dream in.
The youngest residents’ bedrooms on floor five speak to each one’s unique personality thanks to imaginative custom furniture that incorporates nooks for playing and dreaming. Lively colors carry through these rooms, as well as to the fourth bedroom on the seventh and final floor.
The existing master suite on the sixth floor comprised an oversized bedroom, a small ensuite bathroom, and a small dressing room. It was reconfigured to become a smaller but better proportioned bedroom, a luxurious bathroom suite, and compact dressing room. Here, neutrals reign for maximum relaxation, but the space’s modern practicality, sturdy and beautiful new shelving, and playfully graphic references signal a private oasis within a warm and refreshing, masterfully connected multi-story manse.
