A London Bachelor Pad Gets a Warm, Modern Makeover

Project by: Katy Stevenson Bretton of Katy SB Design
Location: London, United Kingdom

When a bachelor musician approached Katy Stevenson Bretton of Katy SB Design to transform his East London home into a warm, inviting retreat, it was music to the designer’s ears. Playing off the bones of the house, she incorporated industrial nods throughout, seen in brick walls and Edison bulb light fixtures. But the design is still fresh and current and kept bright with light fabrics and white walls and ceiling beams.

The star of the show is the kitchen—a contemporary space with a large dining table for the owner to gather with guests. It sets the tone for the rest of the house—a comfortable, welcoming venue just waiting for the next jam session to start.

From Katy:

This project involved the conversion of two 1-bedroom flats into a new 2-bedroom house in Hackney, East London.

I was commissioned directly by the client who had seen my work in other residential properties. He had already commissioned an architect to start the process of converting the two flats into a single house and brought me onboard to manage the project and provide creative direction in terms of style, fittings and furnishings.

The flats benefited from lots of great features like exposed brick walls and roof beams, which we really wanted to make the most of: for example in the kitchen-dining area, the brickwork had been painted over so we sandblasted the walls to reveal the brick underneath. The whole time we were on site I was terrified that the finish looked too rough, but then as soon as the bespoke units were fitted and the decorating finished, they looked amazing and just provide the most beautiful raw backdrop to the contemporary kitchen.

For the furnishings, we were looking for timeless designs to provide comfort and warmth. There was no room for products that look good but compromise on quality. We purchased several pieces from Heals including the glass pendants over the dining table, the Buffalo leather dining chairs and the Edison bulb lamps. I especially love the Heals fabric, which has been used to upholster the bespoke seating in the dining area. We paired these pieces with standout canvases by California artist Richard Thorbird, along with a few vintage finds.

The result is a warm, elegant and calming home that embraces natural materials together with luxurious touches.

Thank you for sharing this amazing project, Katy Stevenson Bretton of Katy SB Design.

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