The A-listers’ antiques dealer Owen Pacey and his magazine editor partner Rachel have created a sanctuary in Spitalfields
LIVING ROOM
‘The sofas were the starting point in this space. They’re so comfortable but there’s definitely no eating on them,’ says Rachel.
Camaleonda sofas by Mario Bellini, B&B Italia. Brocatello Francese bolection fireplace; bespoke Sputnik chandelier; 1970s coffee table; three-cone Stilnovo floor lamp; Murano mirror, all Renaissance London. Persian-style Kirman rug, Bazaar Velvet. Vintage Ikea occasional chair, JLF Antiquités (Paris). (On mantelpiece) metal bowl, H&M. Peony candlestick, Anna + Nina. Pre-lit 9ft Grand Spruce Christmas tree, The White Company. Glass baubles and Sumi glass baubles, both Oka. Large and small corded stripe baubles, all Anna + Nina. Gift boxes, Abask. Ribbon, Rowen & Wren. Walls in Smoked Trout, Farrow & Ball
having lived above his vintage interiors shop Renaissance London for more than 20 years – a cult destination frequented by the likes of Kate Moss and Mick Jagger – Owen Pacey was accustomed to having an open house. ‘His flat was his showroom,’ explains his partner Rachel O’Hare. ‘He never used to stop.’ For their new house in the historic streets of Spitalfields, the intention was to get away from all that, she adds, to create a relaxing haven; somewhere that wasn’t ‘too formal or stiff’.
After buying the house in the summer of 2021, the couple spent nine months making their mark on it. Despite its location, the townhouse is unusual in not being listed (it’s younger than its Georgian neighbours, having been partially rebuilt after a fire in the 1920s). As such, the building they bought was already ‘very minimalist’, explains Rachel – ‘very white and stark’. That worked well for them when it came to the kitchen and bathroom, but for the rest of the house, they decided instead on a sympathetic restoration, reinstating fireplaces, skirting and coving. In the place of some 84 spotlights, the couple installed striking retro chandeliers (it helps when you have a shop specialising in high-end vintage lighting at your disposal), as well as John Cullen downlights for the artwork. ‘I baulked at the cost of them,’ says Rachel, ‘but we’ve got a few nice pieces of art and the lighting creates a lovely halo effect – I’m so glad I was convinced.’
