MY STYLE STORY
Architect and presenter George Clarke tells Sophie Hannam about his next renovation project and love for Robin Day’s furniture designs
Architect George Clarke shares his passions for collecting, Robin Day furniture, plus renovating a 1970s caravan in the Lake District
My home is a Modernist 1960s house in London. It’s really cool, with fullwidth ribbon windows in all of the rooms. It’s the only house I’ve ever been in that reminds me of the house I grew up in in the North East. The rst piece of furniture I bought was a dining table and chairs I designed myself and had made by my friend, Mark Derbyshire. He’s a brilliant carpenter, and I still have the table – it’s over 20 years old now.
The oldest thing in my home is an original silver coin from 333BC with the head of Alexander the Great on it. I love to imagine the millions of hands that it has sat in over 2,300 years. The most recent thing I have bought for my home is the Robin Day 675 chair that I’m si!ing on at my desk right now. I love Robin Day’s furniture – it is beautiful, elegant and a "ordable.
A decorating triumph was adding classic 1960s-70s vertical oak slats to the interior of my house. They’re beautifully warm, plus they bring texture and character. My next interiors project is to # nish my house in Ibiza. I’m obsessed with having under$oor heating installed everywhere, which is a massive job. Where do I start with collecting? I have furniture, watches, cameras, old stationery, fountain pens, vintage knives, art, photographs, motorbikes…
If my home were on re, I would honestly save nothing. As much as I love collecting, I don’t need anything. If it all went, it would give me a good excuse to start from scratch again!
My interiors at home are always inspired by timeless design. Everything I buy has to be of good quality. The proudest moment of my career was starting my architectural practice a %er university. During a free day you’ll either # nd me at home relaxing or on a long walk.
My favourite historic building to visit is Durham Cathedral, which I’m a proud ambassador for. I visited it for the # rst time as a child and it’s the building that inspired me to become an architect. The most unusual build that I have been involved in was transforming a 1979 Ace Excellence static caravan into a holiday home for my family on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces.
I did that in 2012 and I still have it by a lake in the Lake District – it’s my favourite place in the world.