Today, this elegant townhouse in Islington, north London, exudes a certain serenity that’s perfectly designed for slow mornings and barefoot living. The soft, sculptural palette was inspired by Scandinavian curves, warm colors, and the quiet confidence of the property’s long-term owner – an original Londoner.
It wasn’t always thus. Rewind a few years and the kitchen was a blend of high-gloss cabinets sitting clinically alongside stainless-steel surfaces while other rooms, painted in variations of gray and white, lacked warmth and personality. Inspired by what she spotted online, the owner contacted Lishan Tham, founder of Studio Shan, and asked for help.
To start the ball rolling with all clients, Lishan sends a questionnaire about favorite places, memories, and items for them to fill in (one made a Spotify playlist to conjure their home’s ambiance – she listened to it on repeat while coming up with suitable schemes).
Lishan, who grew up in Malaysia and came to the US when she was 16, brings an emotional intuition to her clients and their projects that often comes from first looking in from the outside. She founded her studio in 2021 after working briefly with Rose Uniacke and then with Studio Ashby and has a near-poetic quality to her approach.
Objects are described as having time in them – they are expressions of craft that bear the marks of gentle wear and have a quiet beauty. ‘I believe design should be felt as well as seen,’ she says. ‘Spaces hold memory, shape our mood, and offer stillness.’
The house stands within a handsome row built in the late 18th century. While not listed, much of the original detailing remains, such as working shutters and intricate molding along the cornices and architraves.
This wasn’t going to be an exercise in taking the house back to its origins – hence the appointment of Studio Shan. ‘I always try to create “modern” designs in a way that is still homely and inviting. My client has a pared-back aesthetic that is quietly classy. I wanted to celebrate the history of the house while infusing it with a style that resonates strongly with her.’
Perhaps unusually in today’s society, much of the time spent together as a family is around the dining table rather than on sofas, hence the vast bespoke design made of solid pippy elm.
The sculptural Cab saddle leather dining chairs are new but will age beautifully over time and hopefully become family heirlooms. ‘My client loves leather and wears lots of black; they seemed like a perfect fit.’
Upstairs, the main bedroom has been divided into two: a sociable seating area with a sofa and daybed, which is separated from the private sleeping zone by a floor-to-ceiling screen, a quiet nod to Lishan’s Asian heritage. ‘I like semi-segregated spaces. If someone comes into her room and my client is dressing, she’ll be hidden behind the screen.’
While her client had said at the beginning of the process that her preferred hues were gray and blue, neither feature in the end result, explains Lishan, with a hint of pride in her voice. Instead, rich and warm colors are paired with layers of carefully chosen materials and finishes – from pippy oak veneers on the dining room cabinetry to a bouclé-covered ottoman in the main bedroom.
The kitchen is a sophisticated color-blocked interplay between gently veined ocean-green quartzite and a cozy mid-brown used for the oak joinery and taken up and over the ceiling. ‘
I knew that I wanted to bring color into the house and Lishan very much managed to do that,’ explains the owner. ‘She took the time to understand what I wanted to do and the results speak for themselves. It feels warm and cozy but is still elegant.’
