THE GREEN PARTY
This couple’s oh-so natural abode gets our vote
WHO LIVES HERE
Pia Fairhurst, who is the creative director of the Azzurri restaurant group, lives in this detached contemporary house in Lewisham, London, with her husband Jon and young daughters Paris and Amelie. Designed by 31/44 Architects, the property is bordered by a stream, with parkland beyond, and boasts a wraparound garden, which is a true rarity in London. The couple used the architects’ neutral palette of materials as a backdrop to colourful modern pieces, while botanical murals and an exuberance of greenery serve to enhance the house’s connection with the garden.
OUTSIDE INSIDE
The couple discovered the work of 31/44 Architects on Instagram, and although they didn’t commission the house (it was a speculative project for a private developer) they loved every aspect of the design, from the restrained palette of materials to features such as the light well that floods this reading room with light. Pia has added modern-day icons, including a green Polder sofa by Hella Jongerius for Vitra. Plants from The Nunhead Gardener add further energy; outside the picture window, hardy ornamental grass (Stipa tenuissima) masks a nearby house.
ART INSTALLATION
The architects were inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement for the reading room. Pia took this a step further by commissioning artist Emma Jones to create a botanical mural that resembles a William Morris design. ‘It’s incredibly energetic and uplifting,’ she says. The Slow chair by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec picks out the hues in the painting, while a disco ball adds a fun touch. The cork stool is by Jasper Morrison for Vitra.
INTO THE WOODS
The architects designed the kitchen, but ‘it was as if they had secretly had us in mind,’ says Jon. The couple added the Mira table by Ebbe Gehl for John Lewis & Partners and Acro Sled chairs from UHS, which Pia covered in fabrics by Eley Kishimoto for Kirkby Design. The pendant light is by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.
POINT OF VIEW
The front living space frames more glorious garden views and has a chimney breast in the same grey bricks as the house’s façade. The panelling brings a sense of intimacy to this high-ceilinged room, and the chaise-style sofa and ottoman are softened with cushions and a sheepskin throw.
BLUSH TONES
Of the recurring use of blush pink, including the fabric of the living room’s Ro wingback armchair by Jaime Hayón for Fritz Hansen, Pia admits that she surprised herself. She even had a bespoke curtain made in the colour by Hespera Home, using Ada & Ina natural linen.
WILD THINGS
The simple palette of materials is lifted with plants and a delicate mural by Emma Jones, which references some of the wild flowers found in the parkland bordering the house.
GRAFFITI ART
Pia commissioned street artist Nick Wakeling to create the ceiling art for the guest bedroom, having worked with him on some of the Azzurri Group’s Coco di Mama cafes in London. Simple furniture choices are elevated with a Mega Dot bedspread and Steelcut Trio Dot cushions, both by Hay.
ALFRESCO FARE
‘When I get back from work, I’m greeted by woodland views and birdsong; it’s instantly calming,’ says Pia. The outdoor dining area, which leads off the kitchen, has a folding table and benches that were originally from a German beer hall, and picked up at local North Cross Road Market.