Artist Grace Watts on creating a serene gallery-like living space in Bethnal Green
Words Billie Brand
Photography Genevieve Lutkin
Production Harry Cave
Grace, whose career also spans art direction and photography, has been busy developing her own “non-digital, craft-led” style of art. “I have an ethos where I try to express an energy with my mark-making,” she says. “I create each piece from scratch, stretching linen to make every canvas. I really like its texture when you start applying the paint.” When it comes to her interiors, Grace has the same hands-on approach, constantly shifting things around as her art comes and goes. “It brings new life to the space,” she says. Here she shares how she’s created a space that feels like both a home and gallery – and why it works for her.
Grace: “Before this, I lived in Keeling House, a prominent brutalist building by Denys Lasdun, which I found very inspiring, with a lovely foyer and a fountain outside. My one-bedroom flat was on the fifth floor and had fantastic views over the city, but the space was small. I held out and dug deep to find this place – I think I got lucky because it was during that very bizarre time when people were moving out of London at the start of the pandemic. As soon as I walked in here, I fell in love. It’s rare to find a flat on the ground floor of a building, which gives the place much more of a homely feel.
“The flat itself has a lot of characterful original features. I know it can be challenging for some people to live in a place like this because it’s not pristine, but I personally think it’s nice to see its history. The skirting boards, for instance, are bizarre but brilliant. They have been painted a different colour in each room – red in the kitchen; rust in the bedroom. The spaces, meanwhile, are airy and open – the kitchen doesn’t feel closed off from the living room; there’s a nice flow to it.
“As a creative person who gets inspired by so many things, I can feel a bit like a magpie. I’ve really had to hone in on what I find pleasing within the home. I want it to be peaceful. I don’t like bright colours – they make me feel stressed – or when a space is too crowded. But I do like the textures of materials such as wood, stone and metal.
“I’m drawn to things that are a little bit unusual, such as my 1980s aluminium sculptures by Eva Moritz. I also treasure my René Herbst dining chair, which I bought from Tom Bogle, and my collection of pedestals on which I place my objects. For me, they’re better than a coffee table because you can have more than one in the same space. I bought the one with the pinched waist from Monument Store and I have a spiral-shaped one from an antique dealer in northern England. I also love old books, especially those with good typography. I tend to pick out my favourites, which are always changing, and have them on display. I scour eBay, second-hand dealers and charity shops to find them.
“I love having my paintings in the space too. I don’t like leaving a finished one in the studio; I need to bring it home. I really feel inspired seeing what they look like alongside objects and furniture here. Because of my background in art direction, I enjoy curating them with my objects.
“The neutral walls work well for that. It’s nice to show people them in an interior context – what they might look like in a bedroom or in the lounge. When people view the work in the flat, they love it.
“I move everything around on a weekly basis, so I can change the energy of a space; I reinvigorate the place by adding new paintings or moving older ones around. I don’t want things to feel stagnant – and it gives me a chance to see what makes me feel good and at peace in my home. I take a lot of photographs when I’m curating – I find it helps me understand where things should go.
“I love being close to Columbia Road, which is so nice to visit on a Sunday – I often get a coffee and go to the flower market. It’s lovely to walk down to Calvert Avenue and Arnold Circus and spend a day round there too. London Fields and Victoria Park are nearby too. And it’s a treat to have all the bakeries of Broadway Market nearby. I’m quite spoiled, really. I’ve absolutely loved living here. It will be very difficult to leave.”
Is there a home for sale on The Modern House that’s caught your eye recently?“Kinnoull Mansions caught my eye because of its characterful details, such as the aged wooden floorboards and floor tiles by the fireplaces in the bedrooms – or where they would have been. This detailing is very similar to my flat. Equally the frontage reminds me of Arnold Circus in Shoreditch, which I love.”
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