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There’s little that inspires us like thoughtful interiors that express an individual’s style, life and character. Thankfully, throughout 2021, we’ve visited plenty of beautiful homes that are full of ideas to help us live in more modern ways. But what were your favourites? From an art-filled apartment in Pimlico, south-west London, to a renovated farmhouse in Wiltshire, and even a sustainable timber house in East Berlin, here are the most-viewed homes we featured in our ‘My Modern House’ series this year. Be sure to also check out our other yearly round-ups on your favourite neighbourhood guides and most-loved homes for sale.
1. Graphic designer Connie Barton and Honest Burger co-founder Tom Barton’s cottage in south London
Unlike many buyers, Connie and Tom only needed to view this light-filled Victorian cottage once before putting in an offer – and it was the only home they looked at too. It’s easy to see why they were quick to commit, thanks to its impressive contemporary rear extension and the magical, jungle-like garden that rises up behind the house. “The thing that really clinched the deal for me was the gnarly mulberry tree in the garden,” recalls Connie. “Looking out on all the plants is like a work of art, constantly changing through the seasons. I love watching peoples’ faces when they visit, because the garden relaxes and draws them in.”
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2. Designer Nick Wakeman’s peaceful home in east London
“My home is a place of absolute refuge and a total contrast from work,” says Studio Nicolson founder Nick Wakeman, of her airy and peaceful home in east London. The fuss-free, stripped-back interior leans on the side of minimal, with only carefully placed plants and books filling the space – her other belongings are neatly tucked away, as she prefers to simply let the bones of the building do the talking. Like the clothes she designs, it is a thoughtfully conceived, elegant space of neutral tones and considered materials. “I think interiors are like building clothes: just use really great materials and leave it at that,” explains Nick.
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3. Gallery director Mathieu Paris’ elegantly renovated flat in Pimlico
For Mathieu Paris, a senior director at White Cube gallery, his flat in a stucco-fronted building in Thomas Cubitt’s Pimlico Grid is a testimony to an architectural movement that he has been captivated by for years: modernism. Furniture by the likes of Pierre Jeanneret, Le Corbusier and Charlotte Perriand sits peacefully within a space that Mathieu sensitively renovated over the course of a year, reinstating walls that had been removed in the 1980s to create distinct rooms. “Many of the works on our walls are memories of a show I curated or enjoyed,” he says of his art collection, which includes pieces by the likes of Damien Hirst and Jannis Kounellis.
4. Curator and lecturer Corinna Dean’s mid-century townhouse in Camberwell
The charm of Corinna’s end-of-terrace house in a modernist development in Camberwell, south London, lies in its “generosity” of spirit. “Space was left empty where today a developer would probably squeeze in more houses,” she says of the area. Inside, original features such as an open-tread staircase ground the space, but Corinna’s contemporary additions also feel entirely appropriate – a kitchen clad in Douglas Fir and concrete on the floors. “We’ve increased the usable space on the ground floor by about 50 per cent, but preserved the spirit of the design,” she says.
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5. Architects Oskar Söllner and Insa Wagner’s sustainable timber house in East Berlin
Inspired by the fir trees that surround it, this new-build house in an East Berlin suburb was hand-built by its architect owners over the course of a year and is now their family home. “We clad it in sustainable larch, which we stained black, and insulated it with wood fibre insulation, so there is no plastic whatsoever in the build,” says Insa of the house that feels like something from an urban fairytale. “While we wanted a house that is comfortable, well-insulated and modern in function, we also drew on classical 1930s architecture for some of the features, such as the wide timber floorboards,” says Oskar.
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6. Fashion consultant Sukeena Rao’s Victorian house in Notting Hill
Citing Ilse Crawford as a huge influence, Sukeena Rao wanted to create a home with her husband that was comfortable, simple and beautiful. “I was adamant that this home had to be an oasis of calm, especially when both my husband and I were working long hours,” says Sukeena. They lived in the house for many years before renovating with the help of interior designer Charles Mellersh – a crucial time that helped them realise their visions for the space. “We understood the flow of the house – where light is at different times of the day, for example,” says Sukeena.
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7. Pub owner Charlie Luxton’s renovated farmhouse in Wiltshire
Swapping London for Wiltshire in 2015, pub owner Charlie Luxton wanted a home that could provide a relaxing, modern space to live with his wife Chloe and their three children. They struck lucky, and in a hasty three months transformed a 17th-century working farmhouse into a contemporary home with an open-plan layout and a Crittall-doored rear extension. Its original rustic charm is matched by unfussy, simple interiors: there are Georgian oak Windsor chairs, painted wooden kitchen units and slouchy sofas. “The colours here are generally unchallenging, but the art on the walls is brave and interesting and the furniture is eclectic,” says Charlie.
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8. Interiors store founder Tribe Ella Jones’ Victorian house in Walthamstow
In search of a calmer place to live, Ella, founder of Hackney’s cult interiors store A New Tribe, bought this house in 2017 with her partner Magnus. Although scruffy and unloved, she could see the potential of the Victorian building. “To bring a cohesive feel throughout the house we focussed on a few key details such as the wood and the wall colours,” Ella explains. The palette is based on Le Corbusier’s colour theory and they used a German company called Keim who mix the exact paints to match his palette. “The blue in the kitchen is the most striking, and the rest of the colours are more harmonious.”
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9. Lifestyle brand founder Ayesha McCormack’s Victorian terraced house in south-west London
Reflecting her curatorial eye and appreciation for the handmade, Ayesha’s renovated Balham home purposefully celebrates imperfections. “I’m really drawn to the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi,” she explains. “That’s why we selected hard-wearing components that will patinate over time, like concrete for the kitchen floor and stainless steel worktops for preparing food.” Pieces such as sheepskin rugs, cushions and what Ayesha describes as “slightly rusty trinkets” add to the layered, relaxed feel. “My desire is for each room to feel warm and lived in, never too minimal and clean,” she says.
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10. Hannah and Michael Holloway’s Georgian house in Bath
Over the course of a year-long renovation, Hannah, who runs clothing brand Maze, and Michael, a chef, learnt a life lesson: often the smallest changes can have the biggest impact. Although their beautifully proportioned house, which forms part of a listed Georgian terrace in Bath, had all the right bones, it did feel a little higgledy-piggledy and they needed to make sense of the space. “We spent a lot of time and budget on straightening and widening corridors, lowering floors and raising ceilings,” says Hannah. “I now see how they were well worth spending money on.” There was, admittedly, a more dramatic change too, in the form of a rear extension, which now houses an impressive open-plan kitchen and dining area and gives the house a contemporary edge.
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