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My Houzz: A Stylishly Industrial London Flat
Rachel Christie has used her design eye and insider knowledge to create an open and inviting home with a cool edge
Being an interiors stylist and writer can have serious advantages when it comes to renovating your home. With insider knowledge and a great eye for a bargain, Rachel Christie has managed to create a cool and relaxed vibe in the north London home she shares with partner Ben and miniature dachshund Dexter.
Before they moved in, their first-floor flat in a Victorian house was “unloved,” she says. They went for a total renovation and stayed with Christie’s parents for a couple of months while they did it all. “There was a lot of wood chip, brown carpet covering lovely floorboards and an uncomfortable layout,” Christie says.
As Ben is studying building surveying, he was able to undertake much of the work himself with help from Christie’s stepfather. The bulk of the project took about six months. After swapping the bedroom and kitchen so the kitchen now sits on the flat’s upper level, next to the living room, they got to work pulling up floorboards to lay soundproofing, installing plumbing, exposing fireplaces and plastering the walls. Finally, it was time for the best bit — adding all the lovely finishing touches.
Before they moved in, their first-floor flat in a Victorian house was “unloved,” she says. They went for a total renovation and stayed with Christie’s parents for a couple of months while they did it all. “There was a lot of wood chip, brown carpet covering lovely floorboards and an uncomfortable layout,” Christie says.
As Ben is studying building surveying, he was able to undertake much of the work himself with help from Christie’s stepfather. The bulk of the project took about six months. After swapping the bedroom and kitchen so the kitchen now sits on the flat’s upper level, next to the living room, they got to work pulling up floorboards to lay soundproofing, installing plumbing, exposing fireplaces and plastering the walls. Finally, it was time for the best bit — adding all the lovely finishing touches.
The color scheme is based on grays and natural woods, with color added through a few key pieces of furniture. “I’ve given the dining area a vintage vibe, with old-school-style chairs I found in a vintage shop in Crouch End,” Christie says. She found the black one on the street.
A framed subway map hints at Christie’s love of London. “Our flat is in a central and young part of town, so I wanted it to feel part of the city,” she says.
Dining table, Broadway Arrow lamp: Made; map: Paperchase; map frame, filing cabinet: Helmer, Ikea
A framed subway map hints at Christie’s love of London. “Our flat is in a central and young part of town, so I wanted it to feel part of the city,” she says.
Dining table, Broadway Arrow lamp: Made; map: Paperchase; map frame, filing cabinet: Helmer, Ikea
The couple covered one wall in blackboard paint so they’d have space to write down shopping lists and recipes. “When we first moved in, all our friends were quite excited about it and scribbled all over it,” Christie says.
She was set on having exposed shelving. “I didn’t want to close in the kitchen with lots of wall cabinets. Open shelving is quite a nice way of relaxing a kitchen,” she says.
Bar stools: Cult Furniture; toaster: Dualit
She was set on having exposed shelving. “I didn’t want to close in the kitchen with lots of wall cabinets. Open shelving is quite a nice way of relaxing a kitchen,” she says.
Bar stools: Cult Furniture; toaster: Dualit
Christie isn’t a fan of traditional bins, so she opted for these reinforced paper ones. “I saw them and thought they were a really good idea. They’re very soft and are bigger than they look, so you can fit a lot in there,” she says.
The classic white brick subway tiles have a crackle glaze for a slightly different take.
Recycling bags: Future and Found; Bastille Crackle Tiles: Walls and Floors
The classic white brick subway tiles have a crackle glaze for a slightly different take.
Recycling bags: Future and Found; Bastille Crackle Tiles: Walls and Floors
The bike was a recent present for Christie from Ben. “I’ve only ridden it once so far, but I plan to get out on it quite a lot,” she says. They have a bike rack in the hall, but there’s room for only Ben’s bike, so this one has found a home in the kitchen, where it fits right in.
Wall paint: Blackened, Farrow & Ball; refrigerator: Smeg; bicycle: eBay
Wall paint: Blackened, Farrow & Ball; refrigerator: Smeg; bicycle: eBay
In the living room, Christie wanted a relaxed and homey vibe. The fireplace was originally boarded over with wood and concrete blocks; they ripped all that out. In the process, big chunks of plaster started coming off the wall, revealing the brickwork. It looked so nice, they left it bare.
The bright pink deer head was a present from Ben that the couple spray painted themselves. They found the old chest the TV sits on in a junk shop in Finsbury Park. The rug has a thick pile and is incredibly soft and cozy. “It’s so warm, and it lightens up the brown floorboards and exposed brick,” Christie says.
White antlers: Graham & Green; small antlers, Pedlars Friday Vintage; rug, Joss & Main; shelves: Ikea
The bright pink deer head was a present from Ben that the couple spray painted themselves. They found the old chest the TV sits on in a junk shop in Finsbury Park. The rug has a thick pile and is incredibly soft and cozy. “It’s so warm, and it lightens up the brown floorboards and exposed brick,” Christie says.
White antlers: Graham & Green; small antlers, Pedlars Friday Vintage; rug, Joss & Main; shelves: Ikea
The dark gray wall complements the brickwork in the living room, cooling down the warm tones. Christie has softened the look with cushions and lighting.
Wall paint: Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball; floor lamp: Ikea; sofa: Loaf
Wall paint: Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball; floor lamp: Ikea; sofa: Loaf
The nesting tables add a shot of bright color to the living room. “I saw them and thought they were really practical,” Christie says. “They’re great for having friends over for [takeout] and film night.”
Nesting tables: Kilo, Habitat; table lamp: B&Q
Nesting tables: Kilo, Habitat; table lamp: B&Q
Christie, seen here, has added masses of cushions to the sofa, for comfort as well as color and pattern. It’s a collection she’s accumulated over the years from places such as Heal’s and Habitat. It’s a favorite reading and lounging spot for everyone, including Dexter.
In the hallway a metal locker from eBay continues the vintage theme. It holds small items such as an iron and shoes.
The suitcases are also used for storage. The bigger one is from a secondhand shop in Finsbury Park, and the little one is inherited from family. The couple installed the banisters and painted the spindles with paint leftover from the living room.
Vintage locker: eBay; wall paint: Blackened, Farrow & Ball; banister paint: Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball; pendant light, Rockett St George
The suitcases are also used for storage. The bigger one is from a secondhand shop in Finsbury Park, and the little one is inherited from family. The couple installed the banisters and painted the spindles with paint leftover from the living room.
Vintage locker: eBay; wall paint: Blackened, Farrow & Ball; banister paint: Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball; pendant light, Rockett St George
A series of Polaroid photos runs up the stairs, giving guests a warm welcome. The Polaroid camera was a Christmas present from Ben to Christie last year, and some of the photos are printed from her mobile phone using the Printit app.
The bedroom is a relaxed and inviting room with a cool edge. Lighting is important to Christie, who likes lots of mood lighting. “One of my old university friends is from Helsinki,” Christie says. “She knows I love Christmas and anything Scandinavian, so she brought me back the star pendant light as a gift.” It’s teamed with origami lanterns across the headboard.
Christie painted the shelf with paint left over from the living room. The two posters show her love of London — one is from the Transport Museum, and the other is wrapping paper depicting a map of the city.
Fairy lights: Rockett St George; wall paint: Cornforth White, Farrow & Ball; bed: Feather & Black; throw blanket: Joss & Main; bedding: John Lewis; shelf, Ikea
Christie painted the shelf with paint left over from the living room. The two posters show her love of London — one is from the Transport Museum, and the other is wrapping paper depicting a map of the city.
Fairy lights: Rockett St George; wall paint: Cornforth White, Farrow & Ball; bed: Feather & Black; throw blanket: Joss & Main; bedding: John Lewis; shelf, Ikea
The couple put in the fireplace themselves. The chimney had been boarded up; they exposed it and added the decorative surround, which came from a friend.
The bottles and ornaments on the mantelpiece are vintage. On one of the couple’s trips to collect something from Suffolk they’d bought on eBay, the seller had an antiques shop and Christie found the vintage bottles there. “I also collect stuff on my travels and when I’m shopping for shoots,” she says.
The bottles and ornaments on the mantelpiece are vintage. On one of the couple’s trips to collect something from Suffolk they’d bought on eBay, the seller had an antiques shop and Christie found the vintage bottles there. “I also collect stuff on my travels and when I’m shopping for shoots,” she says.
The industrial theme is continued in the en suite bathroom. “We actually kept the original bath and just tiled around it in plain white metro tiles, and then added new taps,” Christie says. The toilet is fixed to a unit that she painted, again in Down Pipe by Farrow & Ball, giving the home continuity.
Bath faucet: Bristan; showerhead, Mira; tiles: Johnson Tiles; toilet: Victoria Plumb
Bath faucet: Bristan; showerhead, Mira; tiles: Johnson Tiles; toilet: Victoria Plumb
Christie chose shutters for both the bedroom and the bathroom. “I don’t like anything too fussy around windows, and shutters are a bit smarter than blinds. They work really well in a bathroom, because they’re waterproof,” she says.
The couple use the crate to store towels and shampoo bottles to prevent clutter. Above the basin hangs a vintage mirror. “I do like an art deco mirror,” Christie says.
Shutters: Shutterly Fabulous; stool: Rose & Grey; crate: Baileys; sink: Victoria Plumb; faucet: Bristan
The couple use the crate to store towels and shampoo bottles to prevent clutter. Above the basin hangs a vintage mirror. “I do like an art deco mirror,” Christie says.
Shutters: Shutterly Fabulous; stool: Rose & Grey; crate: Baileys; sink: Victoria Plumb; faucet: Bristan
Leftover blackboard paint was used on the interior side of the front door and serves as a home for a useful checklist.
A beautiful exposed bulb is the ceiling light, which Christie loves. “I don’t want anything too fussy in terms of lampshades. These decorative bulbs are so great, it would be a shame to cover them up,” she says.
Bulb: Plumen
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A beautiful exposed bulb is the ceiling light, which Christie loves. “I don’t want anything too fussy in terms of lampshades. These decorative bulbs are so great, it would be a shame to cover them up,” she says.
Bulb: Plumen
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes | Contemporary Homes | Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes | Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Rachel Christie; her partner, Ben; and her dachshund, Dexter
Location: North London, England
Era built: Victorian
Size: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
The kitchen was originally where the bedroom is now. The couple swapped the two rooms because the kitchen works much better on the flat’s upper level and enjoys better views.
They opted for steel cabinets to create a soft industrial look that complemented the wooden floorboards, which run throughout the flat. “We didn’t have a massive budget, so we bought the kitchen from Ikea,” Christie says. “I really like the cabinets and wanted the wooden worktop to warm them up.” The cabinet doors are no longer available, but Ikea’s Grevsta series is a close match. The faucet, which she found on eBay for less than $50, reinforces the industrial vibe.
Cabinets, countertop; sink: Ikea; faucet: eBay
Read expert advice on how to choose the perfect kitchen countertop