We’ve been working on an interior design project in London’s Clerkenwell over the last year, redesigning a flat on Clerkenwell Road for a professional couple who already lived in the area.
They loved this part of Clerkenwell and had been looking for a property to buy in the same pockets of streets that they already lived in.
The works have just finished and the building site has transformed into a beautiful home.
This flat was in need of refurbishment, and the clients were also keen to explore how the layout could be improved. In the compact properties that are more common in central London, changes to the layout can make a huge difference. Even small tweaks to the design of the interior – how we move within a space, what we see and experience as we live in the home – can make a huge impact on the experience of living there.
The layout was redesigned to make the space work harder, using broken plan designing to make more of the open spaces and the natural light they enjoy, as well as the views over the London’s rooftops. At the same time I believe it’s crucial that individual functions each retained their sense of personal scale, and that the mixed functionality feels natural and flows harmoniously.
The design concept for the interior reflected the style of the clients, and also suggested the history of the Clerkenwell area, and the heritage of those who have lived here.
For centuries the Fleet River made the area a main part of the water supply network in London, and this map of 13th century London shows the river passing through ‘Clerks Well’ at the top. It’s fascinating to see that Smithfield’s Market used to be called ‘Smoothfield Cattle Market’, its location presumably chosen because of its amenable terrain.
The road layout from Clerkenwell to Smithfields is still the same today, showing St John Street and Turnmill Street. There would have been mills on the river of course, but with most of London’s rivers now buried, covered or repurposed, the connections are no longer obvious from the street.
The plentiful water supply drew brewers and distillers to the area, before crafts, printmakers and clockmakers made Clerkenwell their home. Throughout the 19th century they were joined by a large number of Italian immigrants, and the area become known as Little Italy. These influences and the story of the area have been subtly woven into the design, through materials, textures, sources and details.
The area isn’t new to us of course – we’ve completed several projects nearby and in the City of London, including an interior refurbishment in Farringdon just around the corner, and a couple of interior design projects in the City of London’s Barbican Estate too. And we have many suppliers around Clerkenwell of course, not just on Clerkenwell Road but also around St John Street, Smithfields and Goswell Road.
What often strikes me about London though is how it’s made up of so many small areas – pockets of streets, the feel of which can change so quickly.
So although we thought we knew Clerkenwell just as well, visiting over the last year and regularly meeting with the contractor during the works has shown us not just how the area can change in a few streets, but also how even individual streets retain unique characteristics.
Just off Clerkenwell Green, and nestled between the architectural and design suppliers around St John Street on the east, and the transport hub of Farringdon on the other side, this is a beautiful area. Smart streets have retained smaller properties, homes and businesses. And the area around Clerkenwell Road is also home to the Sessions building and the trees and landscaping of Clerkenwell Green.
This interior design project is now complete and our clients are loving their new home. I can’t wait to show you the finished project soon.
