James Shaw’s light-filled London home is almost entirely underground

Lumpy recycled plastic furnishings and round skylights characterise this sunken London home, which designer James Shaw hid on a 60-square-metre plot for himself and his household.

Situated in a conservation space in east London, the two-storey dwelling was constructed by Shaw and his pal, architect Nicholas Ashby.

The neighbourhood’s planning restrictions required the pair to construct all however 2.7 metres of the constructing out of sight from the road stage, leading to a sunken dwelling with a big basement invisible from the skin.

An open-plan kitchen, residing and eating space characteristic on this underground house, which has uncovered concrete partitions interrupted by giant, floor-to-ceiling glass doorways that open onto a small terrace with a dinky plunge pool.

Shaw and his writer-curator spouse Lou Stoppard selected eclectic interiors for the house they share with their child daughter – a collaboration that started with the duo’s 2022 London Design Pageant set up of clashing furnishings, created to poke enjoyable on the tensions that come up when {couples} transfer in collectively for the primary time.

Made by Shaw, the pear-shaped walnut desk from the set up options within the residing space, surrounded by spindly stacking chairs first designed by furnishings model Blå Station founder Börge Lindau in 1986.

A customized aluminium bookshelf stretches throughout the wall reverse the desk, constructed by Shaw to suit the weird house. The designer additionally squeezed a bespoke burnt orange couch into one of many irregular corners, illuminated by a big round skylight.

Identified for his Plastic Baroque furnishings constructed from recycled and extruded HDPE, Shaw positioned a lumpy two-tone blue lounge chair subsequent to the couch – one other piece that featured in his earlier set up.

Reverse the residing and eating space, the rectilinear kitchen cupboards have been completed in veneered MDF, whereas the fridge was additionally fitted with a knobbly plastic deal with.

Chrome steel and pale blue HIMACS make up the worktops – one among which is on wheels to permit for flexibility when internet hosting.

Throughout the basement, a mix of oak finger parquet and raised-access metallic tiles have been used to create contrasting flooring. The silver-hued tiles will be lifted to disclose additional storage.

Additionally underground, the lavatory was designed with a playfully patterned mosaic flooring knowledgeable by the work of Bauhaus artist Anni Albers, together with an summary illustration of the couple’s cat, Rupert.

The mirrored bathtub displays and enhances the intricate flooring, whereas one other rounded skylight provides pure mild to the house.

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An extruded blue plastic bannister snakes up the staircase to the bed room – the one street-level room in the home.

The Shaw-designed oak and brass mattress options bedposts topped with squiggly pear-shaped sculptures, whereas the skinny timber wardrobe was hand-painted with ornamental panels by artist Marie Jacotey, who accomplished the venture on-site.

Stoppard’s huge artwork assortment options all through the sunken dwelling, together with delicate work by rising artists Lydia Blakely and Mary Stephenson and vintage artefacts from varied travels.

Elsewhere in London, Shaw’s trademark plastic furnishings has additionally been used for retail initiatives. Footwear model Camper’s Regent Avenue retailer contains bumpy yellow shelving by the designer, and a Traid charity garments store in Shepherd’s Bush has a wiggly bench upholstered in unsold garments salvaged from the Traid warehouse.

The pictures is courtesy of James Shaw and Lou Stoppard.