A collaboration over four floors
Philippa & Dan, London E8
A new phase of life
Philippa's Hackney home is a tranquil haven of calm, contemporary elegance, perfectly positioned in East London with scenic views over the canal. The design is a sophisticated and minimalist sanctuary that retains the vibrant personality of the couple who live there.
Philippa, the founder of PeoplePlacesSpaces, a creative strategy and experience studio, and her husband Dan, a film editor, had just purchased this property as their two children headed off to university. Now their home’s primary focus was no longer on raising a family, Philippa had the freedom to pour her creativity and her extensive design experience into creating an ideal space for this new phase of life. She wanted a refined and uncluttered feel for both her and her husband, whilst still retaining the warmth and welcoming appeal of a family home, with space for their children to retreat to when home during the holidays.
Having previously renovated several properties, Philippa and Dan had a clear vision for their home and the extensive building knowledge to match. They embarked on a complete redesign of this home, starting with the property's layout, with Lozi collaborating on cabinetry and fitted furniture on every floor.
A collaboration over four floors
What originally started as a conversation about a single Murphy bed gradually grew into a carefully considered redesign of their entire home. After Philippa completely opened up the layout of her house —incorporating open-plan floors and sections with double-height ceilings—Lozi's design challenge was to ensure a smooth transition between each level, unifying the space into a cohesive home rather than a series of disconnected rooms.
Her professional expertise allowed us to thoroughly explore and refine numerous concepts, allowing for one of the most collaborative design processes we have had the pleasure to work on to date.
By partnering with us across all four levels, rather than managing multiple specialised contractors, we were able to establish a singular aesthetic that extends from the kitchen to the bedroom. A consistent, warm, and luxurious cherry veneer finishes every Lozi piece whilst distinctive handle designs add individual character to each room. This approach connects each space fluidly, avoiding any jarring layouts or clashing finishes, truly embodying our 'House of Lozi' ethos.
A multifunctional creative studio
On the ground floor, Philippa’s creative studio needed to also double as a versatile spare room, combining ample workspace for both creatives, an easily accessible music area for Dan's keyboard, and a welcoming spare bedroom for visitors. Crucially, each area needed to feel intentional, without encroaching on the others and had to be easy to use and easy to put away.
The key to this space's success is its layout. Designed over three walls, Lozi created an L shape storage unit with an incorporated fold down Murphy bed and hidden music cubby. On the wall overlooking the canal, a long deep desk with two workstations creates a comfortable shared home office with an inspiring view. Finished in a hardwearing Fenix laminate in Cacao Orinoco and with ample storage space in the adjoining unit for daily work items.
Fold down Murphy bed
The guest room was designed to be a welcoming space for visitors - not just an office with a bed added in as an afterthought. Thanks to a fold down Murphy bed it provides a full, comfortable mattress and set-up that is easily deployed when required. With the music cubby hidden and the desk quickly tidied, the room is guest-ready.
Whilst mainly used as an office during the week, at the weekend Dan escapes here to play his beloved keyboard. Lozi designed this cubby like a drop down desk, engineered to withstand the keyboard’s weight without buckling and finished with our signature curved hinge and cable management holes. At the end of his practice session, Dan simply pushes the keyboard back and closes the door, ready for the week ahead.
A kitchen at the heart of the home
On the first floor lies the heart of this home: this bold kitchen. Huge fire doors swing open connecting the kitchen to the dining and living rooms, creating a single, continuously bright and connected space.
To reduce clutter and preserve the peaceful minimalism that defines this home, we rethought the classic kitchen layout, completely removing upper cabinetry to maintain clean lines and harmonious flow without compromising on storage space.
On the far wall, a set of lower cabinets houses the oven and kitchenware, with a bright and light reflecting white counter top. On the opposing wall, a set of floor to ceiling cupboards conceals a fridge and a freezer as well as ample pantry space. In the middle, a completely bespoke kitchen island is a striking centrepoint, the bold green tiles adding a welcome finishing contrast to the cherry veneer surface seen throughout.
The kitchen island is a truly bespoke piece, the striking centrepiece to the whole room. To design this island we worked backwards, starting with the green handmade tiles Philippa imported from Morocco. The measurement of the grout and tiles themselves dictated the size of the island, with cabinetry scaled to fit.
Clad in tiles on the top and three sides, it perfectly houses both the sink and the dishwasher without needing to trim down a single tile, with access to the appliances and under the sink via cupboard doors on the far side.
Bedrooms as sanctuaries
On the top floor, the loft has been converted into a dedicated space for the couple’s adult children, with two bedrooms and a shared private bathroom. Designed as a haven away from university life, these rooms have been considered to offer flexibility and can be adapted for other uses once the children are settled in their own homes.
Each bedroom is fitted with identical triple wardrobes, a desk which can be used for cramming before exams or as dressing table and is finished with a double Lozi bed frame for extra storage and a great night’s sleep.
The main bedroom on the third floor is transformed into a luxurious and warm retreat, thanks to a full wall of classic Lozi wardrobes finished in a cherry veneer. This thoughtful installation ensures the space remains a tidy and relaxing sanctuary for the couple. The wardrobes may look simple, but there’s plenty of essential features hidden behind the doors, including adjustable shelves, clothes rails of varied heights and purpose designed cubbies to house precious items.
Embodying our House of Lozi whole-home philosophy, this home perfectly encapsulates the ideas and personalities that define the creative couple at its heart; where a peaceful design led haven meets loving family home.
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Please find our guided pricing here
Each project varies depending on the size of your home, the complexity of the design and your choice of materials and finishes.
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Ground floor: Spare room fitted cabinetry, including fold down Murphy bed, storage cabinets with music cubby and double desk.
Ground floor: Entrance way storage and bench (not photographed but shown in floor plans)
First floor: Full kitchen redesign, including bespoke island, tall cabinets and lower cabinets on opposing walls.
Second floor: A full wall of wardrobes in the main bedroom.
Third floor: Triple wardrobes with desk and double bed frame, in both bedrooms.
Design and development with our in-house designer-makers
Making, by our own team of makers on Hackney Road
Delivery and installation by the same team of makers
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Any home accessories shown including mattresses | decoration | electrics | plumbing | removal of any existing cabinetry or furniture
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After submitting your enquiry and confirming a quote that suits your budget, you'll be allocated one of our highly skilled designer-makers and they will schedule a site visit, where relevant. Based on your requirements and personal style, we'll provide a digital 2-D design to visualise the project outcome. Your designer-maker will ensure the experience is stress-free, supporting important design decisions and providing tailored, design-led solutions. All Lozi furniture is then made in-house and if appropriate, carefully installed by the designer-maker and workshop team.
Click here for a full breakdown of each stage.