Industrial evolution: a designer breathes new life into an old London warehouse

In the late 18th century, London was one of the busiest ports in the world, the docks in the east bustling with clippers, sailors and porters unloading tea, tobacco, rice, fruit, sugar and wine. It meant that industrial warehouses were thrown up along the banks of the Thames for much-needed storage. Almost two centuries later, only a handful of those Victorian storehouses survive, but those that do have been regenerated, inspired by the renovation of New York’s loft apartments in the 1980s.

For South African interior designer Veronique Hopkinson, a historical home – specifically, a warehouse in London – was always on the bucket list. Her riverside apartment in a Grade II-listed warehouse is in Wapping with a balcony that overlooks the Thames. The busy city river traffic includes raucous party cruisers, dredgers and navy patrol boats. When the tide drifts out, revealing the bones of the city below the waterline, hawk-eyed mudlarkers start sifting.

An ‘aircraft-inspired’ metal bedframe is softened with patterned rugs and textural wallpaper. Photograph: Ramona Balaban/Living Inside

“I love unique properties,” says Hopkinson. “And I loved the apartment’s exposed ceiling and brick walls – it’s all part of its identity.” Industrial remnants of the old pulley system adds depth and character to the building, setting the scene for her choice of chunky, industrial furniture, contemporary artworks and dimensional lighting.

Hopkinson started by stripping out all the rooms inside the two-storey apartment to create a vast open-plan living, dining and kitchen space. Her husband, Bradley, is a keen cook, regularly whipping up sourdough or sushi, and often nips down to Borough market to pick up cream to churn into butter (she applied for him to do MasterChef but he was too busy), so the kitchen is a central feature.

The bespoke steel island in the kitchen with statement Andrew Martin lights overhead. Photograph: Ramona Balaban/Living Inside

“I designed a massive island, 3m long, and arranged stools alongside it so that we could sit and chat while he cooks,” says Hopkinson. Made from steel, the bespoke island fits into her industrial-interiors vibe, alongside the steel units, concrete splashback, statement lighting from Andrew Martin, and their vast American two-door fridge, which had to be winched up to the balcony to get in. To the left of the kitchen is a small, hidden scullery, which boasts two dishwashers.

“I am big into storage,” says Hopkinson, describing her plan to reconfigure the entrance and stairs to create more space and cupboards. She has also installed a home office, cleverly divided off from the main living space using internal Crittall glass panels, which were custom-made to reflect the original Victorian window frames and invite natural light.

Studying graphic design and running her own advertising agency, Hopkinson compares her later career in interiors to working on an ad campaign. “You choose the visual references, consider the target audience and stick to the budget and deadline, it is very similar.”

The living room is broken up with an Andrew Martin rug, brown leather sofas from Seattle, a pair of Timothy Oulton sheepskin armchairs and a large Oulton sculptural pendant above. Describing her style as “functional and authentic”, Hopkinson says lighting is key to creating comfort in an industrial environment. “You have to be careful with brick and wood, but lighting adds ambience.”

Antique signs from Etsy, an old juke box, a leather punch bag from Notting Hill market and wooden sculptures and masks from the couple’s native South Africa decorate their home, which they share with their two daughters, who are at university, and two pet dogs.

The family dogs alongside some of the vintage-style signage that decorate the apartment. Photograph: Ramona Balaban/Living Inside

Colourful artworks embellish the yellow London stock brick walls, along with the uncovered wooden beams held up by their original metal columns, now repainted black again.

The dining room enjoys a bolt of red and blue from a large canvas by Ukrainian pop artist Mykola Kuryliuk. Other walls are embellished with metal shelving and a wine rack made from a stack of metal boxes. Above the generous wooden dining table and benches, which were shipped from South Africa, floats a tubular turbine light by Timothy Oulton.

An artwork by Mykola Kuryliuk brightens up the industrial stylings of the dining room. Photograph: Ramona Balaban/Living Inside

Upstairs in the master bedroom, a wooden African war mask demands attention above an antique wooden bench from Cotswold Grey. The bed, with its aircraft-inspired metal frame, is softened with an OKA rug and cushions, and a textural backdrop of Arte wallpaper.

Out on the balcony, a set of Ikea chairs contemplates the gentle but steady pace of the longest river in England, as it flows past. “Wapping is a great neighbourhood. With its local butcher and shops it’s like a little village, and walking the dogs I get to know people,” smiles Hopkinson. “And the lights in Canary Wharf are so pretty at night.”