Irenie Cossey on the curious keepsakes in her family home in Canonbury, north London
There’s scarcely a surface left bare at Irenie’s. The designer has a penchant for collecting, artfully curating her finds on shelves, taping them to the walls and even hanging them from the ceiling. From spray-painted sticks found on Highbury Fields to family trinkets inherited from her father, ceramics she made in pottery classes to old Christmas cards, her pieces are a homage to the moments that have made her and her family. “It is an archive of life,” she says of the vitrines in the kitchen, filled with ever-changing mementoes – although the same can surely be said of the rest of the house too.
Irenie has also created various rooms around the house for retreating from the hustle and bustle of life here. One example is the snug living room, where she’s recently added a heavy floor-to-ceiling curtain, used to separate the space from the lively open-plan kitchen and dining area. “I don’t know how the house would be without it,” she explains. But her most cherished corner is her office. “It’s the centre of my universe,” she explains. From here she spends the day working, brainstorming and developing ideas – though not without the occasional interruption from a tiny intruder. “If everyone is out it’s great, but I do get disturbed all the time.”
Watch our film now to discover Irenie’s Seven Wonders and the stories behind them, along with colour inspiration and decorating ideas. As always, enjoy watching. And don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss an episode.
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