Mid-Century Design Meets Countryside Serenity in Primrose Hill
Not many people living in the capital can hear owls hooting at night and, if they wake early enough, gibbons calling from London Zoo. ‘It’s a flat of two halves: the windows at the back face the wildflower meadow of Barrow Hill Reservoir so it feels like being in the countryside, and at the front we look out across the urban landscape of St John’s Wood,’ confirms South African multi-disciplinary artist Nicole Vinokur, who owns this two-bedroom flat together with her partner Andrew Milne, operations director for a global restaurant and hotel group. ‘It’s extraordinarily quiet. Our estate has a gate straight onto Primrose Hill playing fields and we can walk into central London in 20-minutes.’
Nicole & Andrew’s home is exclusively for sale with Story of Home, you will find the link at the bottom of the interview.
It’s not just the occasional animal kingdom soundscape that make the Kingsland Estate a rarity in the area – it’s the mid-century modern design too. Built under the direction of pioneering Camden borough architect Sydney Cook who wanted to create high-density social housing that eschewed the tower block model so prevalent at the time, it comprises three blocks of low-rise, scissor section maisonettes on either side of a courtyard. ‘Our affection for Modernist and Brutalist architecture meant the style of building was important to us. We wanted to live somewhere purpose built with a clean aesthetic that showcased the bare building materials and structural elements,’ continues Nicole. ‘We love the layout of the estate; there’s a convivial atmosphere but also a huge amount of privacy as you’re not looking into anyone’s home.’
For Andrew, the amount of natural light was also a major part of the appeal. ‘The flats were designed to maximise light from both aspects and on the balcony side, we have the sun from late morning until around 9pm in the summer.’ Their home is split across three half levels: an open-plan kitchen and dining room; a pair of double bedrooms (one is used as a television snug) and bathroom; and then up again to a second bathroom and reception room, which doubles as Nicole’s studio. ‘Each floor has been carefully considered to reflect its use,’ he says. Part of my job involves creating experiences for people and thinking about how different spaces need to function to encourage these. This has helped me refine what I want in my own home.’
Renovating, curating and editing each room to their exact requirements was a two-year labour of love for the pair. The biggest changes included removing the stud walls between the kitchen and dining room to open-up the space; creating a sightline through the double volume stairwell by replacing one side of the wooden balustrade with glass; and switching the function of the bathrooms around so the bath is now on the top floor. Yet it’s also the design details that really make the flat sing – especially those that cohesively tie the rooms together. ‘We chose a black and white scheme with the most minimalistic architraves and skirting because we wanted to accentuate the edges and apertures,’ explains Nicole. ‘It looks almost like a line drawing. The black is quite bold, but it feels timeless and gives definition in a surprisingly subtle way.’
Other small alterations and additions that make a big difference include introducing floor-to-ceiling internal doors at each level to emphasize height and fitting the same blinds and matt black taps throughout. ‘Repeating elements, such as the white metro tiles and green wall paint in both bathrooms, serve to connect these areas. We chose colours that complement and anchor the furniture, art and objects in each space,’ says Nicole, citing the cossetting deep blue in the bedroom and dusky pink in the snug as more examples. Also key to the theme of continuation is the cork floor. ‘We felt cork was in keeping with this style of property, it’s durable and warm underfoot with a sound deadening underlay which makes it softer: it has all the qualities of carpet but none of the texture,’ she says.
Andrew continues: ‘if you remove all the furnishings and just experience the flat as an empty space, it’s perfectly self-contained with a sensitive consideration for the architectural details.’ Having created a home that’s exactly as they want, the couple – who are taking a sabbatical to cycle around Europe and visit Africa – admit that it will be hard to leave. ‘It’s a wrench to think about not living here, not only because of the property but also its unrivalled location,’ says Nicole. ‘We will miss the lovely community too: residents really care about the estate and each other. In the summer, we have street parties, and everyone makes it feel festive at Christmas. We just feel now is a good moment for an adventure.’
Nicole & Andrew’s property is exclusively for sale with Story of Home, click here for more details.
Words by Emma Love.
