This Victorian Home in North London Has a 'Scandi-Inspired Retreat' Hidden in the Loft — and It's a Lesson in Restraint in Design

It's not often that a London home can be described as expansive, but this Victorian home in North London truly warrants the claim. With five bedrooms, six bathrooms, three living rooms, and all the amenities you could dream of (we're talking a cinema room and an indoor gym), this home is a never-ending treasure trove of beauties. Every hobby is accounted for, with a dedicated space for musical pursuits, where you'll find a piano and drums, and a billiards room, too. But if all that activity gets too much, tucked away at the very top of the home, you'll find a calming refuge from the chaos below.

With pale, neutral tones and plenty of natural materials, this loft conversion was designed to act as a true escape from everything that lies beyond it. While the rest of the home draws upon the property's Victorian heritage, in this space, that visual language was swapped out for something slightly more contemporary, drawing instead on the design culture of Scandinavia. This is not an unusual approach for Pernille Lind Studio, the design studio responsible for this renovation. Although based in London, the eponymous designer behind the brand infuses all her projects with a distinctly Scandi style, drawing on her own Danish heritage, as well as her training at The Royal Danish Academy.

And this room, cloaked in calming neutrals and natural materials, with furnishings from Pernille Lind Studio's sister brand, Hyem, makes a strong case for the Scandi way. A lesson in restraint, this guest loft bedroom acts as a breath of fresh air, instantly uplifting and relaxing in its design — a challenge for what is often the most cramped room in the home.

The Inspiration

The loft space of this home for a family of five was intended as an escape for any guests and visitors. Positioned at the very top of the home, there was an element of seclusion that the homeowners wanted to play with.

While on the floors below, the designers sought to maintain as much of the original character of the Victorian home as possible, with cornices and crown molding decorating the space, in this loft conversion, there's a clear shift in design style. "We envisioned a 'scandi-inspired retreat'; a calm, airy space that feels like an escape from the busy house below," explains Pernille Lind, founder and lead designer of Pernille Lind Studio. This translates into a relaxed simplicity, typical of Scandi design, with a clear departure from the ornate detailing of the rest of the home.

Architecturally, there is a gentle softness to this room, with curved walls and a bright, open layout. In the design, Pernille achieved this retreat-like atmosphere by "keeping the finishes selections strictly natural and the furniture 'low-profile' to respect the ceiling heights." She adds, "We avoided wallpaper, as busy prints can feel claustrophobic on sloped walls and didn't work due to the height of the space, opting instead for tonal depth through art, selected pieces, and texture."

Light, neutral tones, and natural materials are at the center of this design, with layers of texture helping to create depth and intrigue — this is not a room that shouts or fights for your attention. Instead, it offers you a quiet warmth, an opportunity to unwind and relax.

Pernille Lind

With over 15 years of industry experience in hospitality and residential design, Pernille has worked with some of the most renowned names in London, including Anouska Hempel Design, Conran + Partners, and Soho House Co. Upon setting up her first company with partner Richy Almond,  under the name Lind + Almond, they won ‘Renovation & Restoration’ and ‘Hotel of the Year’ at the AHEAD Europe Awards 2018 for their inaugural project, Hotel Sanders, in Copenhagen. Since then, her partnership with Almond has continued under their joint venture, where a focus on hospitality and concept-driven projects lies at the heart of their creative endeavours.

Under her namesake company, Pernille established this to pursue her personal passion for creating inviting and atmospheric homes for those who wish to be influenced by her distinctive and creative approach, which blends Scandinavian design aesthetics with a touch of her Asian sensibility.

The Process

Having already gone through a conversion in years prior, this loft was in a better condition than some, but it was also far from the airy retreat the homeowners had envisioned.

As Pernille explains, "While the loft had been previously converted, it felt cramped and dated due to a low, flat ceiling that didn't take advantage of the roof's pitch." A direct conflict with the light and bright vision for this space, "It lacked the architectural 'breathing room' you expect from a top-floor retreat."

So, instead of simply making do with what was there and attempting to work against the essential character of the existing architecture, Pernille opted for a new, fresh start. "The goal was to reconfigure the entire top floor to create an expansive, self-contained guest suite," she says. The primary desire behind this renovation was to open up the space, making it feel less cramped and more welcoming. "The clients wanted to maximize the vertical volume by extending the ceiling upwards and adding a dedicated ensuite, turning a simple spare room into a secluded sanctuary," says Pernille.

By extending the ceiling height, the entire energy of the loft was lifted. This was one of the key ways Pernille was able to navigate the inevitable complications of designing a loft conversion. As she says, "You’re constantly balancing slanted walls and structural cavities for insulation against the need for usable space." And this isn't the only struggle they encountered: "Lighting is also a puzzle; integrated ceiling lights are often impossible, so we rely on surface-mounted fixtures to highlight the architecture."

To maximize the room's height, the team removed the flat ceiling that the loft had previously had. And, while this did transform the spatial dimensions, it did make lighting more complicated — but Pernille found a solution. She explains, "To solve the light issue, we added a large skylight in addition to the window that was already there, flooding the floor plan with natural daylight." In cramped lofts and attics, skylights can come as a true secret weapon, introducing some much-needed natural light into the space.

The Design

This kind of design, Pernille explains, relies on "A balance of light and weight." You need to find the sweet spot between brightness and warmth, with enough materiality to bring depth into the space, without weighing it down. And, as with all designs, this begins with a clear, well-considered foundation. "We used Farrow & Ball’s Slipper Satin on the walls and light oak flooring to bounce light around, while the coziness comes from 'tactile warmth,'" says Pernille.

"The slanted ceilings naturally create a 'cocoon' effect, which we enhanced with soft furnishings such as the jute rug, linen bedding, and draped treatments," says Pernille.

Throughout the room, Pernille relied on these textured fabrics, saying, "We leaned heavily into natural materials: bamboo, rattan, jute, and natural oak (featuring our Walford Oak and Rattan Bed from our sister company, Hyem)." These materials, with their earthy color palettes and rough, tactile finishes, form the basis of the design, bringing a textural identity that negates the need for loud, bold colors and patterns.

"We also added a heirloom chest of drawers and made the ensuite bespoke door a feature of itself by using a darker stain of oak, with decorative glass and warm brass details," says Pernille.

Unlike in the primary bedrooms, where personality and character are at the forefront, designing a guest bedroom relies on a more general, universal design appeal. "We use simpler textures and lighter sheers, so that the design doesn't absorb the specific personality of the inhabitants, but rather offers a serene, neutral canvas for anyone staying there," explains Pernille.

Although there's plenty to love about this gorgeous loft conversion, what stands out to Pernille, above all else, is the overwhelming 'sense of silence' created through the design. "There is something incredibly peaceful about the double-height volume with sloped ceilings that sort of cave in on you, combined with the natural materials. It feels physically removed from the 'heavy use' areas of the home; it’s a space where you can actually hear yourself think," she says. If that sounds appealing to you, you may find some inspiration in our list of ways to make a loft conversion feel cozier.

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