the venetian pantry london martina

A Graphic Designer’s Redone Victorian, Where the Pantry Takes Center Stage

Sometimes, the coronary heart of the property really has a heart of its have.

For Italy-born, Uk-based mostly graphic designer Martina Casonato, the kitchen was central in the transform of her North East London property, yes—but a properly-made, effectively-appointed larder even a lot more so. “Nothing gives me really the exact same perception of peace and success as the sight of a perfectly-stocked pantry,” she says. “For quite a few individuals, a massive American-design fridge is the variety just one precedence in the kitchen area. I was far more than content to compromise on the dimension of ours (which is a relatively modest integrated model, tucked absent in a corner) in buy to have the pantry of my dreams. It is really my pride and pleasure and my joyful place.”

It is also the namesake of the Instagram account, @thevenetianpantry, where Martina started off chronicling her reworking progress for the duration of the next period of lockdowns in wintertime 2021. The account—with glimpses of the home’s inside and in-depth depth on the process—quickly grew to have 33.5k followers.

Join us for a appear at the household as of now, which Martina and her fiancé, Joe, along with firm Bradley VanDerStraeten, have transformed from a stripped-again, architecturally untouched Victorian into a warm, easygoing space—outfitted slowly and gradually.

Photography courtesy of Martina Casonato and @thevenetianpantry.

Over: “We started searching for a property with each other in 2018, soon after several years of sharing a tiny one-bed rental flat in Shoreditch,” Martina suggests. Just after looking all by means of Stoke Newington, they uncovered the Victorian terraced household at the commencing of 2019.

“It was ideal: totally vacant, a massive tree at the back again, white partitions and original pine floors and fireplaces. Not like most of the other qualities we experienced noticed, this experienced under no circumstances been extended, which made it the great blank canvas.” The few opted to lengthen the present galley kitchen (“which was narrow and dingy,” Martina claims) with two delicate extensions, which now household the eating space (left) and widen the new kitchen area (appropriate).

Above: “From a structural place of perspective, the primary modify was the addition of the two rear extensions and performing the loft conversion,” Martina says. “The remaining rooms just observed a mild intervention—restoring the outdated pine floors and a new lick of paint in most cases.”
martina
Higher than: Martina’s upbringing in Italy and the couple’s work in graphic design and style (Martina operates London-based mostly Widespread Kind) educated the strategies. In the cook dinner area, Martina “aspired to make a mix involving our favorite East London dining establishments and an aged Italian grandma’s kitchen.” The flooring is tiled in Botticino terrazzo from InOpera Martina designed the museum-like island with glass-fronted compartments, all crafted by Tekton Joinery.
the couple wanted to create a space where they could cook and entertain:
Higher than: The few wanted to produce a space where they could prepare dinner and entertain: “I experienced dreamed about owning my own kitchen area long prior to we commenced wanting for a household,” says Martina. The cabinetry is also by Tekton Joinery.
Over: “Budget-intelligent, we chose to participate in the extended sport and prioritize good finishes and elements more than furniture and decoration,” adds Martina. “To this date, nearly two a long time just after shifting in, we are continue to applying our old Ikea couch!”

Previously mentioned: “Once we uncovered a area for the pantry in the new style, every thing else flowed from there,” Martina states.

“Aside from plainly having a practical intent, it is effective brilliantly as a piece of decor in its individual proper. I developed it with a pair of fluted glass French doorways so that I could quickly conceal the mess inside of, but the real truth is we hold it open up and in sight 99.9 % of the time. In the night, it also works wonderfully as a lightbox, many thanks to the LED strips hid beneath the shelves. The backlit jars create this sort of a cosy and delicate ambiance.”

the fluted glass doors were custom made by tekton joinery based on martina& 16
Over: The fluted glass doorways ended up custom designed by Tekton Joinery centered on Martina’s have drawing. “I sourced the pantry skirt from a girl in Italy named Giovanna who has been my mum’s seamstress for the earlier thirty many years!” she adds.
the expanded kitchen leads into the living area. 17
Over: The expanded kitchen area sales opportunities into the dwelling space.
the couple share a neat wall mounted desk between the kitchen and living spaces. 18
Over: The pair share a neat wall-mounted desk involving the kitchen area and residing areas.
the easy going living room. the pine flooring is all original to the house. 19
Higher than: The easy-likely living home. The pine flooring is all unique to the dwelling.

Above: Most rooms are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Solid White, with woodwork painted in Skimming Stone.

Earlier mentioned: “We try to choose a gradual technique to decorating our house, and I like the considered that a person day it’ll be loaded with pieces that have sentimental worth for us—a testomony to our shared experiences,” Martina suggests. (For instance? “Our bed (A Gervasoni design from Italy) only arrived immediately after a calendar year of dwelling below.”)

a writing desk in a bright corner. 23
Earlier mentioned: A crafting desk in a vivid corner.

Higher than: “The current bathroom and rest room were also in want of some love, so we fully re-skinned the two,” says Martina. The powder room—at right—is appealingly deconstructed and painted in Bauwerk’s Sandstone lime paint.

flowers fill an unused fireplace in the guest bedroom. 26
Higher than: Flowers fill an unused fireplace in the visitor bedroom.

“My qualifications in design undoubtedly paved the way for my aesthetic: a sure appreciation for simple forms, clean traces, and a ‘less is more’ solution (in the terms of Mies van der Rohe),” says Martina. But I also believe a residence really should really feel lived in, welcoming, and heat, which is why I like to mix present-day items with antiques. There is an quick-likely quality about these form of pieces, and I am fascinated by the tales they notify, and the lives they have lived before coming in our possession.”

the couple added bead board paneling that doubles as a headboard (and a spot to 27
Earlier mentioned: The pair additional bead board paneling that doubles as a headboard (and a location to clip a looking through mild).
the couple also converted the house
Earlier mentioned: The couple also converted the house’s”loft” into a principal bedroom and ensuite, with sights of the London skyline. The flooring is new—Whinfell Planks from Tedd Todd—and the loft, like the kitchen area, is carried out in Bauwerk’s Stone lime paint.
a built in vanity echoes the design of the home office downstairs. 29
Previously mentioned: A developed-in vanity echoes the design of the dwelling place of work downstairs.

This was the couple’s to start with remodel (“and a steep mastering curve at that!” Martina claims). “Like most initially time-renovators, we approached the complete course of action with a specific diploma of naiveté, but were lucky ample to have surrounded ourselves with a workforce of trusted and effective contractors—we genuinely struck gold there.”

Abide by @thevenetianpantry on Instagram for a lot more appears to be like inside Martina and Joe’s home—and, likely, at their future challenge: their wedding ceremony following year.

And for extra homes subtly expanded, see:

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