House tour: inside a Swedish-inspired London Fields home

This striking detached house was re-built by architect Marcus Lee, who worked on Heathrow’s Terminal 5 and the Lloyd’s building. Alex is my sister, and I remember her telling me about the house Lee had built nearby in Clapton, known as the Framehouse, and how she and her husband Chris were very inspired by it. When they found a detached but boxy and architecturally uninspiring new build, they went to Lee for help in transforming it into a more distinctive family home.

The exterior of the house is painted dark grey and covered with a wooden frame made from Douglas fir. The same wood is used inside to create the feeling of being in a Japanese or Scandinavian retreat. The open-plan living area is zoned by the use of rugs, sliding doors and pillars, with a galley kitchen functioning as a walkway between the dining room and TV/play room. Beautifully coloured sliding doors throughout the house contrast with the natural wood to create a bold and contemporary atmosphere.

We come from a Swedish family and Alex is drawn to both the practicalities of modern Scandinavian design and the more traditional Swedish style. There is a common misconception that all Scandi style is minimal and monochrome, when it can in fact be very colourful and decorative – as with the upholstered vintage Josef Frank chairs in the living room.

Alex’s home has Scandinavian elements such as the iconic String shelves, lined with memorabilia and items the children have made. This table and chairs set was inherited from an aunt. The chairs are upholstered in Swedish fabric, while the Marmoleum flooring is colour- blocked in a mid-century style.

Alex says that east London is her spiritual home: ‘This area is all about change, it’s exciting! The majority of people that we have met here are working for themselves and it has inspired us to do the same. We both work for ourselves and run our own schedules. This house helps us do just that.’

Alex and Chris built a cabin-style house in their garden which they use for guests. Below, see inside the cabin.

This house is an excerpt from East London Homes by Sarah Bagner, which is out now and published by Hoxton Mini Press