Furniture dealer Mario Kardana shares his House Style at his apartment in Hackney, east London
Furniture dealer Mario Kardana opened his first eponymous store M.Kardana on Hackney Road earlier this year. It has quickly become a staple for 20th-century furniture design, post-modern objects and eclectic art in east London, which welcomes visitors on the weekend, or by appointment during the week. Just like his store, he lends his naturally curatorial eye to his nearby home, a calming apartment on the edge of Broadway Market. We drop by for a tour and to find out more about his house style.
You’re happiest at home when…
The weather is miserable.
I love it when it’s raining and I don’t have much to do. I love the simple things about being at home, like ordering a takeaway and sitting back to watch the football unapologetically.
How would you describe the interiors of your home?
Playful, layered, curated.
My home is a complete mash up of styles. I don’t like to be too serious, so I can play with the objects and furniture easily. The shop is in such close proximity to the flat that my furniture and art naturally change depending on my mood or what I fall in love with. The apartment isn’t influenced by any particular styles or art movements but just by what I am most drawn to and what I think looks good together. I get slightly obsessed with industrial materials with beautiful curves.
If you could only save one thing, what would it be?
Ron Hitchens’ chainlink art pieces.
I was lucky enough to visit Ron Hitchens’ house in London Fields after he passed away. Just before the house sold, there was an auction of some of his belongings. I spent hours deciding what I was most drawn to and for me it was the chainlink art pieces. I’m a sucker for chainlink and the combination of the delicate gold frame with the objects incased stood out to me most. I’ve grown even more attached to them since.
What’s your favourite living space around the world?
Cy Twombly, Rome, 1966.
I’m drawn to all of Twombly’s living spaces, but his home in Rome showcases the perfect balance between a very traditional house with ornate tiled floors and intensely modernist art and design. Twombly’s studios and homes are incredibly playful — it’s my dream to live in an old house and fill it with 20th-century design.
What was the last thing you bought for the house?
An etching by the artist Lionel Ellis.
I’ve been visiting a very nice dealer in Spitalfields every week for several years. I came across this small etching last week and instantly fell in love with it.
Top three coffee table books?
100 Chairs in 100 Days, Martino Gamper. I’m infatuated by chairs and I’m obsessed with Gampers’ work. So, when the ‘100 Chairs’ exhibition opened, which I sadly wasn’t able to see, I had to have the book so I could flick through it instead.
Homes and Studios, Cy Twombly. I just love being able to pick up this book and feel inspired every time. Every space is classic, edgy and timeless.
A series of books that I am really into at the moment is GA Residential Masterpieces collection – in particular the title on the Luis Barragán’s Barragán House.
If money was no object, what changes would you make?
The kitchen.
I find everyone has become obsessed with having a long strip of cabinet cupboards and fridges that are hidden behind wooden doors. I love the simplicity of a kitchen that celebrates the beauty and design of an oven and a sink. I would also have shelves for my pots and pans, which might have a curtain in front of them to pull across and hide any mess. There would also have to be a bit of ply somewhere with an industrial metal surface.
You’re having people over for dinner: what do you cook?
Something fuss-free and super easy.
My family is Greek Cypriot and I love making a spanakopita for when friends come over. Then I usually follow it with a very simple, warming pasta.
What does a Sunday here look like?
Mondays are more like my Sundays as I spend most of my weekends in the shop.
However, when I close the shop I usually pick up some ingredients on my walk home to make a roast, which is shortly followed by sitting on the sofa and watching a good movie – or the football.
What are the best things about the neighbourhood?
Everything is so close, I never really have to leave.
Climpson & Sons have consistently great coffee, which I discovered during lockdown. Living so close to Broadway Market means it’s very easy to grab good food very quickly. The relatively new Japanese restaurant Koya Ko is my new favorite noodle lunch spot. I always seem to find myself at Donlon Books when walking around, sifting through their great collection of books – old and new. There’s barely an occasion where I don’t walk out with something. I have other favourites closer to the shop as well. The Premises on Hackney Road has such a welcoming atmosphere, which I find really important in London. My parents had a fish and chip shop growing up so, being in a family-run cafe brings back these memories and feels extra special as these places are becoming more of a rarity.
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