Helen and Andrew Magowan by Rachael Smith

PATRICK LEWIS ARCHITECTS – RIBBON HOUSE/MAGOWAN HOUSE, LONDON

Photographs – Rachael Smith

Words – Dominic Bradbury

A love of history, interiors and textiles combine in this unique London home created by Helen and Andrew Magowan, in collaboration with architect Patrick Lewis. Helen Magowan is a creative director working in fashion and textiles, while Andrew is a lawyer. Their passions and interests have been fully expressed and explored in this highly individual and ‘tailored’ home.

Textiles and fabrics became a key part of the design approach for the interiors, after discovering a historic link to a family of drapers who had lived in the house, which once hosted a shop on the ground floor. Lewis partly expressed the theme with literal threads or slivers of tapestry that wind their way through the house from top to bottom. These threads were specially designed for the project, forming a creative partnership with a small group of textile artists, while introducing subtle splashes of colour and pattern throughout.

A contrast was established between the light textures of much of the house and a darker winter room and study on the ground floor, where a fireplace and walls are clad in reclaimed slate from old snooker tables. The main living spaces are on the first floor, with a semi-open plan kitchen, dining area and sitting room, which features a mix of bespoke elements and mid-century finds. The master bedroom is on the floor above within a double height space, overlooked by Helen’s studio, contained within a crafted, timber clad ‘sewing box’.