Islington Residence
Handmade bricks from Petersen bricks are a prominent component in the house, stretching from the façade and walkway into the ground floor’s living space. Unifying the space was important to Thomson: the presence of Mosa ceramic tile throughout creates visual continuity. An Ernest Race chair sits next to a Hans Wegner sofa in the living room.
Multiple skylights, including one over the kitchen, bring sunshine into the home while keeping it private from surrounding neighbors. Pendant lights by Arne Jacobsen for Louis Poulsen, hanging over a dining table by ercol furniture, provides additional illumination. “The kitchen-dining-living room is cozy, but it is large enough to entertain 12 people,” Thomson says. The green chair is a prototype from Barber Osgerby and the rug is by Kate Blee.
“We wanted a house that was warm and intimate, and this meant carefully considering materials and finishes,” says Thomson. “We have chosen a limited pallet of quality, robust, and tactile materials that provide a consistent theme throughout the house.” Western red cedar was used for internal cladding, built-ins, and seating.
Thomson says “the house invites a frugal attitude towards ‘things.’ It demands a discipline in prioritizing what is essential in a small space.” Vitsoe shelving keeps one bedroom neat.
Thomson notes that the uniformity in the property is a nod to minimalism, but there are small details that distinguish one room from another. The size of the flooring tiles, which are heated, change in size from the front of the home to the back in order to create a “varied rhythm,” he says. The timber ceiling is painted with Farrow & Ball’s Charleston Grey.
Since surrounding neighbors can overlook the one-story property, Thomson created a roof detail that is environmentally friendly and attractive: “the bio-diverse [green] roof is planted with indigenous species of flowers and grasses,” he says.
“The design process was organic, but we wanted to create a well-crafted house with intrinsically beautiful materials that would deliver joy as well as robustness to sustain a long period of time,” Thomson says.