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Name: Ben Newton & Marie Pedersen, Print Designer
Location: Hackney, London, UK
Size: 900 square feet
Years lived in: 7 years; Owned

A light-filled, converted shoe factory in East London provides the perfect canvas for Marie and Ben's simple Danish-inspired aesthetic. Print designer Marie is the founder of design company Silk & Burg, and the apartment's clean, industrial features are softened throughout by her graphic textile and screen prints.

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Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our Style: Scandinavian modern.

Inspiration: Inspiration: Living in London means you're inspired everywhere you go. I get a lot of inspiration from friends' homes, blogs, and Pinterest, of course, and growing up in Denmark has definitely also influenced my style.

Favorite Element: The amount of sunlight we get all day. All the sash windows are south facing so we have sunlight streaming in all day, which is really important as we both spend a lot of time working from home. The flat is in the office part of an old shoe factory, and I love the hint of warehouse features such as the big Crittall window and the high ceilings.

Biggest Challenge: The downside to all the lovely windows and high ceilings is that it's quite a challenge keeping the flat warm in the winter. I also completely underestimated the challenge of assembling and installing the IKEA kitchen by ourselves!

What Friends Say: Everyone says that the flat has a nice atmosphere. It did even before we started any of the work, some buildings just do.

Biggest Embarrassment: I still haven't finished the bathroom, even though I started 3 years ago.

Proudest DIY: I'm proud that I've only ever had to hire a decorator once, which was to do the tiling in the bathroom. The flat was pretty much a shell when I bought it, and my dad and I have done all the decorating ourselves. I particularly love the shelves in the living room, which my dad built.

Biggest Indulgence: I don't really spend a lot of money on furniture, but a few years ago I spotted two teal arm chairs in a shop on Columbia Road and knew they had to come home with me. I bought the set for £1000, which at the time was a lot of money for me (and still is!), but I've never regretted it and I've since discovered it was quite a bargain.

Best Advice: Be patient and try to finish one project before you start the next. I've not succeeded at either of those.

Dream Sources: Hay Design (I would love one of their Dot carpets), Ferm Living, Pinch Design

Resources of Note:

PAINT & COLORS


LIVING ROOM

    • Jack Light: Tom Dixon
    • Sofa: ILVA
    • Teal Armchairs by Ib Kofod Larsen: Two Columbia Road
    • Sofa table by Ib Kofod Larsen for G-plan: Second hand shop
    • Wall shelves: made by my dad
    • Screen printed cushions: Silk & Burg
    • Screen print by Sanna Annukka
    • Black and white photographs: By my granddad

DINING ROOM

    • Dining Table by McIntosh
    • Ceiling lamp: found on the streets of Hackney
    • Oil Painting: By Charlie Warde

KITCHEN


STUDY

    • Desks: IKEA
    • Wall hanging boxes: IKEA
    • Oil Painting: by Marianne Martin
    • Screen Prints: Silk & Burg
    • Cushions: Silk & Burg prototypes

BEDROOM

    • Screen printed cushions: Silk & Burg
    • Chair: Eames Eiffel chair
    • Wall shelves: made by my dad

Thanks, Marie and Ben!

(Images: Rebecca Proctor)

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