Home tour | A playful London chapel conversion

On Monday I shared a peek inside the beautiful London townhouse of interior designer Louisa Grey, which I visited during the ‘In the Neighbourhood’ pop-up last week. Now, as promised, here’s a look at the other space which formed part of the exhibition: the stunning apartment of Morgwn Rimel, founder of cultural design studio Superculture.

Even though I didn’t get to see this place in person, I couldn’t resist sharing the press photos. It’s set in a converted Methodist chapel and, like Louisa’s house, it’s a wonderful mix of old and new. But that’s where the similarities end; whereas the former is calm and muted, Morgwn’s home is brimming with playful design and pops of vibrant colour.

At its heart is a double-height living space with the original arched windows, now adorned with custom-made joinery by Barnaby Reynolds and Emily Forgot. Here, contemporary pieces sit alongside items collected by Morgwn on her travels over the years. There are minimalist rocking chairs and floor lamps by Muller Van Severan of Antwerp label valerie_objects, striking blue ‘Pleat’ sculptures by London-based Phil Cuttance and hand-dyed velvet floor cushions by Suffolk designer Kirsten Hecktermann, plus a hammock from Colombia and a vintage Bauhaus rug.

Most eye-catching, though, is the ‘Melting Pot’ dining table from Dutch designer Dirk Vander Kooij, who melts down waste plastic and remoulds it into unique multicolour pieces. It’s flanked by stools created by Belgian studio Atelier Ternier, whose understated forms are offset by bold hues such as orange and canary-yellow.

From the living space, a floating metal staircase leads up to the bedroom, which is enclosed in a pale wooden box that juts out over the kitchen. There’s also a snug in the eaves, furnished with an olive-green modular sofa from Danish brand Paustian and a glass and marble coffee table by Béton Brut. Both spaces provide a cosy contrast to the open-plan area below, although they’re no less eclectic.

Although I’m not normally a fan of bold interiors, I was surprised by how much I like the use of colour in this apartment. Every piece has been carefully chosen so that the overall mix doesn’t jar or overwhelm, and plain white walls and clean architectural lines ensure the feel remains minimalist and uncluttered throughout. I won’t be replacing the neutral palette in my own home any time soon, but it’s certainly inspiring to see the beautiful results that can come from thinking outside the box.

What about you? Do you love this bright and playful scheme, or do you prefer the soothing ambiance of Louisa’s house?

All photography by Michael Sinclair  for House of Grey