tall order
Artist-upholsterer Hannah Stanton’s townhouse, full of modern art and vintage finds, is an inspiring space to live and work
Modern art and vintage finds adorn all four storeys of this characterful east London terrace
Sometimes it pays to think big. Artist and upholsterer Hannah Stanton and her husband, film-maker Matthias Hoene, were house-hunting for a modest flat in London’s East End when they spotted a large house with plenty of potential.
Their four-storey Victorian house is now a combination of home and gallery. Filled with their favourite artworks, vintage finds and contemporary furniture, it perfectly reflects their lifestyle, with a workroom each and plenty of space to entertain their friends.
‘We did blow the budget,’ says Hannah, ‘so we were left with not an awful lot of money to do the place up. I was amazed by the scale of it. It was so imposing and lovely, even though the last owners were obsessed with blue, so everything was in that hue.’
Schooled in upholstery, Hannah knows a thing or two about the transformative power of stripping something back to rework it. She and Matthias ripped up carpets to reveal original floors and whitewashed the blue walls, giving themselves a clearer idea of the space to be artfully repurposed.
An architect friend drew up sketches to incorporate the basement flat into their living space and extend into the garden to make an open-plan study for Matthias. Above it, they opened the kitchen and dining area onto an east-facing balcony with steps down into the garden; divided the first floor into their sitting room and Hannah’s study, and put a bedroom and bathroom on the top floor.
From there, it was down to Hannah. Colour is always her starting point, from warm white to brighten the top-floor bedroom, where ceilings are lower, to the more earthy greys of the sitting room, and the robust blue of Hannah’s study. ‘The room is very bright so it
still works but also feels a little moody and holds everything together,’ she says.
A key feature is the balance of traditional and modern elements. Period details and vintage furniture coexist with sleek, linear storage and kitchen units, contemporary art and statement lighting. The result is fresh and uplifting. ‘I really like modern pieces but I wanted it to feel like an older house, too,’ Hannah explains, ‘so even in the kitchen area there are decanters and a chandelier. There are a lot of older objects – I like to mix it up.’
Upscaling plays a part in the scheme. The sitting room window had to be taken out to manhandle the big Thirties cabinet into place and the pair had a nail-biting moment wondering if their Victorian cabinet would squeeze into the dining room. ‘It’s huge,’ says Hannah, ‘ but our ceilings are so high it’s nice to have something to draw your eye upwards.’
Sculpture, prints and paintings – many by artist friends – bring a particular energy, and naturally Hannah’s passion for fabrics shows in every space, with tweeds, velvets and a painterly Manuel Canovas oriental print.
Stretching their finances has paid off; the couple love their home and its vibrant surroundings. ‘ We have essentially turned a four-bedroom house into a one-bed,’ she says. ‘It sounds like such a luxury, but we bought at the right time. We were very lucky.’
inspiration ‘I find texture really useful; it makes a different kind of light, so I always try to mix up textiles and textures’