Tucked away on a 60-square-metre plot in east London, designer James Shaw created a surprisingly spacious and inventive home for himself and his partner. Having been on the lookout for a plot of land for a self-build project, the designer stumbled on a tight, challenging spot not far from Columbia Road Flower Market in East London. Working in collaboration with friend and architect Nicholas Ashby, the pair first set about finding a way around the strict planning regulations that allowed only a few metres of the house to rise above street level. The result, a largely subterranean structure full of clever design twists that gives a good name to basement expansion.
The two-storey home flips convention by inserting a modest one-bedroom home into the ground, with an open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area sitting below street level, and a private bedroom on the ground floor, accessed through a secluded courtyard. Below ground, exposed concrete walls are offset by generous glazing including smartly positioned skylights and a bank of French doors that open onto a compact terrace – featuring none other than a private plunge pool, which goes to show if you can dream it, you can make it so. The flooring contrasts define the interior, with oak finger parquet warming the living zones, while metallic raised-access tiles (liftable for hidden storage) add a sleek, industrial edge. Recycled plastic punctuates the interiors, reflecting designer Shaw’s own work and his commitment to sustainable materials. In the bathroom, a bespoke mosaic floor was assembled with the help of samples (everything has a use), complete with a playful abstract depiction of the home’s resident cat. A masterclass in making the most of limited space, the home is experimental, functional, and deeply inspiring.
Photography © James Shaw