When London-based recording artists and partners Ben Garrett (aka Fryars) and Rae Morris bought a 1960s townhouse in Primrose Hill in North London, they wanted it to evoke the atmosphere of Los Angeles’s “canyon homes”—specifically Laurel Canyon—where they had spent time living and writing music together. So they approached architect Louis Hagen Hall, founder of Studio Hagen Hall, to realize their vision.

“Ben and Rae chose to work with us because they recognized the hints of ’60s and ’70s design in our previous work, specifically our use of materials, joinery design, and spatial planning,” reveals Hagen Hall. “I’ve always admired and been influenced by the work of Lautner, Neutra, and Charles and Ray Eames, so I drew on them when working on the design for Canyon House.”

Hagen Hall actually describes Ben and Rae as “the Eames, but musical,” which isn’t surprising—the couple visited the Eames House while living in Los Angeles, and mentioned it specifically in talks over the redesign of their townhouse.

The original home had been split into three separate bedsits, and the primary challenge was restoring it to a single occupancy home. Now, the lower ground floor is a professional recording and writing studio, the upper ground floor is for entertaining, and the top floor is a calm, private retreat.

“Between the three of us, we created a home that meets their ambitions of a live/work lifestyle,” says Hagen Hall. “The house is open plan, but can be divided into smaller, more intimate spaces with the use of large curtains and hidden pocket doors. Flexibility is at the heart of the home.”

At the home’s entrance, a bespoke Douglas fir screen separates the street from a front garden. The timber-paneled entryway—complete with cupboard storage and a concealed utility room—provides a sightline directly through the entirety of the home. The doors to the kitchen and bathroom are incorporated into the joinery, framing a sightline across the width of the home. Cleverly placed mirrors expand the space visually.

“The house is open plan, but can be divided into smaller, more intimate spaces. Flexibility is at the heart of the home.”
—Louis Hagen Hall, architect

A long storage bench covered in sumptuous gold-hued velvet divides the dining area from a raised seating area, which was conceived as an “inverted conversation pit,” says Hagen Hall. The bench can be spun to completely open up the living area for entertaining. A fireplace at one end is framed with wall-height mirrored panels, which have the effect of making the space feel more open while concealing a television and additional storage.

Against a wall are two sets of stairs: one leading up to the bedroom suites, and below it, another going down to the recording studio. A floor-to-ceiling glass screen framed in steel keeps them open to the dining and living spaces.

The downstairs recording room is a “room within a room”—a building technique common in music studios wherein the floor, walls, and ceiling barely touch the main structure of the building in order to achieve acoustic isolation.

“Ben can be blasting out something he is mixing in the studio, and you could be sitting on the sofa upstairs and not hear a thing,” says Hagen Hall. Because the room is soundproof, it is also airtight. The elm wall paneling conceals a sophisticated HVAC system.

A major consideration was future-proofing the space. The studio has been designed so that if the couple moves, it can easily be converted into a third bedroom.

Upstairs, the primary bedroom has been opened to expose the rafters, creating a light and airy haven. The sleeping area is separated from the en suite by a moveable steel-and-glass screen and a large blackout curtain.

Given that home is only 1,400 square feet, it was essential to incorporate as much hidden storage as possible within the walls and furniture. At the same time, there was also a strong focus on creating display moments for the couple’s collection of art, ceramics, and memorabilia.

“Canyon House was a very collaborative process from beginning to end, so Ben and Rae feel like they live in a house they played a big part in conceiving,” says Hagen Hall. “I think they’re very satisfied with how we all managed to recreate or transfer the mood from the Los Angeles houses they love so much, without creating an imitation. The best compliment that they could pay is that they’ve told me they never want to leave!”

Related Reading:

Before & After: Big Color and Pattern Give a Drab L.A. Midcentury a Major Glow Up

A Dingy L.A. Dive Becomes a Hip Bar, Hotel, and Music Studio Complex

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Studio Hagen Hall / @studiohagenhall

Builder: California Building

Structural Engineer: Blue Engineering

Interior Design: Studio Hagen Hall

Sound Engineer: Level Acoustic Design / @levelacoustic

Cabinetry Design: Studio Hagen Hall& Tim Gaudin

Kitchen Design: Studio Hagen Hall & Bysse

Photography: Mariell Lind Hansen / @mariell.lindhansen

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