The WFH revolution triggered a total rethink of this London home during lockdown

‘Most people went out and stockpiled flour and yeast – I rang Twentytwentyone to ask if they had any ‘Tip Ton’ chairs in stock,’ recalls Irenie Cossey, with a laugh.

Some people thought her priorities were weird, but the designer, who also launched Irenie Studio in 2020, knew that lockdown would mean the whole family would be working (and studying) from home. It was this same turn of events that prompted her to give her renovated Victorian house in Canonbury, north London, a big refresh.

Extending this Victorian property to the rear and filling in the side return has created a large open-plan kitchen and dining area, perfect for family life. Wide bi-fold doors ensure the garden is just as much a part of the space.

She added a new curtain to divide the living room from the busy open-plan extension containing the family kitchen and dining space – a hub of activity for Irenie, her architect husband Adam, and their three children, Olivia, Jake and Clara – and updated the downstairs bathroom, as well as one of the ensuites.

A ‘Home’ table, designed by Barber Osgerby for Isokon Plus and big enough to function as an ad hoc workspace as well as a place for family meals, is the focal point of this room.

Not all of the adjustments were purely practical, though. There has also been a subtle shift in the look and feel of this home. Moving away from its original minimal aesthetic, which she describes as ‘a white box with bright, lacquered blocks of colour’, Irenie has re-calibrated the space to be ‘more acoustically sound and softer’.

In son Jake’s room, a mirror by Hay sits behind a ‘Stool 60’ by Alvar Aalto for Artek, used here as a bedside table. The yellow lamp is the ‘Bellhop’ by Barber Osgerby for Flos. The carpet in the hall outside, described by Irenie as ‘deep, raspberry red’, is from Dutch brand Mid and it acts to connects the pops of bright colour in the home

Part of that process was selecting pieces by brands and creatives she has collaborated with, including Universal Design Studio and Barber Osgerby. It was the latter’s ‘Primavera’ tiles for Mutina (a project she consulted on) that she picked for the ensuite’s upgrade. Their muted, flecked tones are a departure from some of the brighter original choices in the house, such as the bold red carpet that runs like a ribbon between every floor.

The ensuite is a marriage of muted ‘Primavera’ tiles, designed by Barber Osgerby for Mutina, and a zesty orange vanity unit designed by Irenie and made by Paul McCormack joinery. The sink is by Cielo and the taps are from Vola.

Souad Larusi is also a friend, and textural finds from her well-known rug brand can be found on the floor in most rooms, as well as on one wall. These additions, along with the many smaller tweaks that occurred during those long lockdown days, are all driven by Irenie’s astute curatorial eye.

It’s a trait that she may have inherited from her mother, whose many collected curios and silver trinkets, taken from Irenie’s childhood home in Dublin, can be found in the modern vitrines that decorate the dining area. Regularly rotated, the displays in these museum-like cases could be seen as a metaphor for this home as a whole: much-loved, full of treasures and constantly evolving. irenie.studio