Newbery House

Situated on a residential street in the heart of Islington, Newbury House is four-storey ex-local-authority block housing a number of leasehold apartments. The owner of one of the flats, a graphic designer, commissioned Russian For Fish to develop a small-scale but big-impact interior refurbishment including a kitchen reconfiguration and bathroom renovation.

As a creative, the owner was keen for us to be visually playful with the interiors, while ensuring the property’s decorative touches would not be off-putting for potential Airbnb guests. We responded with offbeat wall patterns, block colours, and unfinished white plaster surfaces, set against a pale timber floor, as well as Crittel-style door on the rear elevation – framed in an unconventional white. Half home, half rental property, the result is an effective demonstration of how relatively small design changes can transform the character of a space – without demanding significant budgetary outlay.