20 Casas | En una antigua tienda

A flat in London, in an old shop.This property was until recently, a wine merchants. Yet remodelling has allowed its young owners to create a comfortable and cosy home. The main issue was that the couple were living in the property throughout the construction works, which lasted for five years. A warm living space is created through the decoration, of white walls and a timber floor. The shelving along one wall holds mementos and artefacts from their trips. The kitchen is designed in an 'L' shape making the most of the space, and retaining an area for dining. The natural colours used in the kitchen units are contrasted by the appliances which are finished in chrome. The owners bought the flat in 1999, and were always conscious that the renovation would take a long time, due to the dilapidated condition of the property.It is located on the ground floor in a building of the past century, which until the 1980's was occupied by the shop. After this its use was changed to residential, but it was never remodelled in depth. To save on costs, the owners, who are both architects, decided to live in the flat whilst they carried out the works. "We wanted to follow everything closely and verify all the progress every day" - they explain - "What we did not imagine, was that it would last for years."How they survived between rubble and construction workers is something they do not wish to remember. The ground floor consists of just one large open plan room, housing the kitchen and the dining and living areas. A main feature in this space was the pillars between the kitchen and the living area, which were existing within the property, having been repaired and reused they now define the different spaces. The lower level of the property was used for the bedrooms, the main issue was lighting as it was a basement and did not receive very much natural light. The owners tackled this problem by creating a courtyard to allow daylight into the bedroom.The decoration of the house, the owners say "is a result of our lives together. We spent a lot of time in Africa and Asia, and from those years we have many memories that we wanted to keep with us." The white walls are perfect to display their most treasured possessions and the African art stands out in this environment. The twin arm chairs in the living room are finished in wood and cotton, and contribute to a contemporary and warm atmosphere. In the bedrooms good lighting levels are achieved by using table lamps and spotlights on the ceiling and behind the headboard, whilst the wall behind the bed is covered in a silk cloth.