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Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

April 26, 2016

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

I have a home tour with a difference for you today, as it’s a house which I had the pleasure of mooching around in person over the weekend. I was visiting thanks to Tiffany Grant-Riley of Curate & Display and Annie Kruse of Style Juicer, who have joined forces to launch a series of design-focused gatherings known as Function + Form. Their latest event, organised in association with home renovation platform Houzz UK, took a group of bloggers and photographers around two beautiful London properties, starting with the stunning Georgian townhouse of architect Chris Dyson.

Located in the historic Spitalfields area of East London, the building was built in 1719 and was originally occupied by a Huguenot cleric, before becoming a tenement block and eventually a catering school. Chris and his family bought the property in 2005 and set about a total transformation, stripping away ugly modern additions to reveal the 18th-century facade and reconfiguring the interior.

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

Chris showed us around the house, and his enthusiasm for the building and its history was infectious. The ground floor is now his studio, and the first floor contains a beautiful drawing room and snug which he often opens up as a gallery space. Both are clad in elegant wooden panelling, which hides away books and the TV; there’s also a nifty built-in seating nook which can transform into an additional bed for guests. I was struck by how bright these rooms are; from the street, the tall brick terrace looks a little dark and imposing, but inside it’s flooded with light thanks to large sash windows at the front and back.

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

The second floor is home to the bedrooms and bathroom, while the loft space at the very top of the house – once used by Huguenot silk weavers – is now a sunny kitchen-diner with contemporary black units and banks of windows (I didn’t manage to take a photo but you can see one here). One side opens up onto a lovely little terrace planted with lemons and herbs – a peaceful sanctuary high above the city buzz.

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

Throughout the house, Chris has mixed contemporary furniture (sleek leather sofas, Matthew Hilton chairs) with salvaged pine flooring and antiques from nearby markets; I loved the old French grandfather clock in the hallway, and the quirky taxidermy dotted here and there. There are also little morsels of history uncovered during the restoration, including a collection of old pipes and a couple of horse’s skulls found in the cellar.

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

Home tour | A restored Georgian townhouse in East London

I’ll share some photos of the second property we visited later this week, but in the meantime do have a browse around Chris’ website to see more of his inspirational projects. And if you like the look of his home, you might want to check out my tour of a similarly beautiful Georgian B&B in Bath.

All photography by Abi Dare

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2 Comments · Interiors

Comments

  1. Jill says

    April 26, 2016 at 9:53 am

    Looks gorgeous. And what a treat to have a wander round in person. Am extremely jealous! Lovely photos x

    Reply
    • Abi says

      April 26, 2016 at 11:19 am

      Thanks Jill! It’s great to see historic buildings like this being refurbished so sensitively x

      Reply

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HELLO

Abi Dare | These Four Walls blog

I’m Abi Dare – a stylist, photographer and writer based in Bristol (UK). I set up this blog to share interior design, travel and lifestyle inspiration for simple, relaxed living at home and beyond. You’ll find home tours, advice and tips, interviews, reviews, postcards from places I love and more – always with a focus on soft minimalism, muted colours and timeless, considered design.

‘Top 10 UK interior design blogs’ 2025, 2024, 2023 & 2022, Vuelio

‘Best Interior Design Blog’, uFurnish Home Awards 2024

Winner of the ‘Blogger’ category in the Sweetpea & Willow Home Influencer Awards 2023

‘Best Design & Architecture Blog’, UK Blog Awards 2019

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Back on the grid after more than two weeks. Thanks Back on the grid after more than two weeks. Thanks to everyone who sent messages checking I was OK - I just lost my Instagram mojo and needed a bit of a break. Anyway, here are some phone-camera snippets of life lately...

1.  Guard cat on duty while I work
2.  Evening light hitting the last of the Japanese quince blossom in the garden 
3.  Country drives
4.  Coming across 17th-century graffiti while house-hunting
5 & 6.  A lazy Sunday stroll on Clevedon Pier, on one of those hazy days where the sea and sky seem to merge into one
7.  Keeping drooping spring blooms going for as long as possible 
8 & 9.  Wisteria at @ntbarringtoncourt in Somerset 
10.  Brunch at the always-wonderful @lunitapasteleria 
11.  Enjoying the balmy spring breeze 
12.  Stunning mosaic floors at Chedworth Roman Villa in Gloucestershire 
13.  Bluebell season
14.  My kind of wine
15.  Wild garlic 

#springhassprung #slowsimpleseasonal #cornersofmyworld #lifelately #blossomseverywhere #thisprettyengland #thelocalwayfarer #westcountry #littlestoriesofmylife #poetryofsimplethings #seeingthepretty #tinytinymoments
[AD - PR product] I've always loved marble as a ma [AD - PR product] I've always loved marble as a material, and the beige Kunis Breccia version of the @newworksdk 'Kizu' table lamp caught my eye immediately. I now have this design in three different colourways around the house, and this is definitely my favourite to date! 

#softminimalisthome #softminimalstyle #neutralhomedecor #simplehomestyle #minimalistdecor #simpleinterior #mycosyhome #neutrallivingroom #minimalistlighting #scandiinterior
A few weeks ago I travelled to Drammen in Norway f A few weeks ago I travelled to Drammen in Norway for the big project I'm working on (more on that soon), and while I was there I had a look around @askogeng's workshop. I've been a fan of their sustainable bamboo kitchens and furniture for a long time, so this was a real treat. And the space itself is full of the time-worn textures and beautiful details that always catch my eye.

#texturesandtones #warehousestyle #kitchendesign #scandinavianinteriors #scandinaviandesign #bitsofbuildings #ihavethisthingwithwindows #perfectlyimperfect
Is it just me, or are slightly droopy flowers the Is it just me, or are slightly droopy flowers the most elegant? Anyway, these are butterfly ranunculus - always a favourite. I couldn't resist the lovely soft peach ones - such a pretty colour for spring.

If you've seen my Stories, you'll know we've had a stressful Sunday and Monday thanks to a poorly cat and some big house news. At least it's only a four-day week!

#springflowers #springhomedecor #simplehomestyle #softminimalhome #springdecor #simpleinterior #neutrallivingroom #victorianterracerenovation #myminimalhome #springhomestyle

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