House Style with Rebecca Layoo and Roman Meyer
After showing us around their home, the Concrete Plinth House, in London Fields, east London, actor Rebecca Layoo and her partner, banker Roman Meyer, share their house style.
You’re happiest at home when…
Roman: We’re cooking for friends. We love informal dinner parties. In summer, we have the back door open, create a makeshift cocktail station and have friends chatting on the steps to the kitchen. The bench opposite the kitchen island is great – you’re never too far from the action there. The house feels just as warm and inviting whether we’re hosting a big group of friends, or it’s just us.
If you could save one thing, what would it be?
Rebecca: A painting we recently acquired, Blue Stream by Mary Stephenson.
I have been following Mary’s work for a while so I know it well and I was very pleased to buy the work from Peckham-based gallery Bosse & Baum. The surrealist scenes and dreamlike characters she portrays really speak to us.
What is your favourite living space around the world?
Rebecca: At the moment, it’s Mountain Retreat in New Zealand, by Fearon Hay Architects, but it changes all the time.
We love the mountain views and sense of escapism, and in this property the brutalist elements and minimalist finish appeal to us just as much. It was one of the many projects we used as inspiration when deciding on the materiality of our own living space.
What was the last thing that you bought for the house?
Roman: Some handmade bowls and espresso cups on a recent trip to Somerset.
We have long planned to acquire furniture and other pieces very gradually as we travel and discover local stores that you wouldn’t easily find online. We like to find items with a unique feel, which work with the overall aesthetic we’re trying to achieve. This has unfortunately been difficult during the pandemic, but we’re hoping to do much more of that now.
Top three coffee table books?
Rebecca: Hummelo by Piet Oudolf, which sparked the initial inspiration for our garden design. I Can Make You Feel Good by Tyler Mitchell. Collected Works by Gordon Parks.
If money was no object, what changes would you make?
Roman: We’d like to either extend the study or add another floor to it, but because we live in a conservation area, we’re constrained in what we can do externally.
Rebecca: Perhaps we’d purchase a really lovely sofa, like ‘Sofa 240’ by Pierre Augustin Rose, in a richly hued velvet instead.
You’re having people over for dinner: what do you cook?
Rebecca: Middle Eastern mezze.
We love big, hearty, convivial food when dining at home, particularly when we’re hosting a larger group. Dinner often runs a bit late so having a good aperitif ready to welcome guests is key!
What does Sunday here look like?
Rebecca: A relaxed breakfast, going for a walk or pottering in the garden (a recently discovered joy for us).
We like to spend Sunday mornings in our kitchen, enjoying a quiet coffee and reading. The kitchen gets great light in the morning and it’s a very enjoyable space. Depending on the weather, we might venture out for a walk along the canal or pop by Columbia Road Flower Market. In the afternoon we’ll often catch up with some friends, either at our place or in one of the local parks.
What are the best things about the neighbourhood?
Rebecca: Being so close to our friends. It’s great being able to pop round anytime.
Roman: There are also great cafes and restaurants nearby such as Brawn, Campania, e5 Bakehouse, Violet, and Climpson’s Arch, where Brat is currently in residence. We also love being near the canal and that the marshes aren’t too far away.
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