Good Vibes Only: Canyon House in North London by Studio Hagen Hall.

A little slice of Americana has invaded North London. Bright, textural and earthy, Studio Hagen Hall’s transformation of a townhouse-turned-bedsit into a 1970’s California inspired home is complete with a recording studio for a young musical couple.

With a good dose of John Lautner’s notorious “space-age flair”, while also taking cues from the famed modernist masterpiece Eames House, this home oozes with a feel-good atmosphere that captures the vigour of the classic Hollywood Hills heyday – think sex, drugs (*optional), rock & roll and lazy afternoons in 1970s Laurel Canyon.

The clients fell in love with the townhouse’s bones, location, and well-established garden, but vibe and circulation were certainly missing. With poorly built, awkward partitioning covering two staircases, the bedsit was split into three separate dwellings. Reimagining the physical and visual movement around the house, the studio gutted the interiors and reconfigured the staircase. This seemingly simple design tweak allowed the studio to create an elevated conversation platform and snug – fitted with a bespoke velvet sofa and hidden storage – that could be connected and removed from the dining space by heavy linen curtains drawn from custom elm recesses.

Related: Shoebox in Barcelona by Barbara Appolloni.

This flexibility can be felt throughout the home, the interior feels at once like a place you could really get down and throw a good party or just as easily curl up on the couch and have a tea.

“This house is so many things at once,” explains the design team. “It is technically complex but actually feels incredibly simple when you experience the space. It’s a wonderful place to just sit and to be in. The general feeling that has come from anyone who has spent time there is that nobody wants to leave.”

With strong visual connections throughout, the designers carefully selected a combination of materials and textures to achieve a modern yet Modernist balance. The richly textured and warm-toned carpet and upholstery in the lounge create a cosy, luxurious feel while the brown smoked mirror architraves and cork bathroom flooring and bath façade all nod to the 1970s style. Brass unlacquered hardware was chosen with endgame in mind, beautifully patina-ing over time alongside the original vintage mid-century lighting and furniture.

The steel and glass balustrade, a nod to Lautner, maintains a modern open-plan feel and seamlessly connects upstairs and downstairs. Consistency and continuity help create the sense of flow, with micro cement used for the flooring, worktops, sinks and baths.

The bespoke elm kitchen looks and feels like a room within a room. Fluted glass, brass hardware and the innate tactility of the cabinetry shine. Designed by Studio Hagen Hall and built by joiner Tim Gaudin, the focus here is on craftsmanship. A built-in window seat gives the clients views out onto the garden and back through the living area.

On the lower ground floor, Studio Hagen Hall inserted a professional-grade recording studio and writing room. Structurally isolated from the rest of the house, the volume was fitted with custom-made acoustically insulated doors and windows to ensure soundproofing and access to fresh air.

Laced with character, Canyon house is nostalgic without being too sentimental. Sexy and versatile ‘Modernist’ has been turned modern in this convivial and comfortable townhouse.

Related: Playfully Sophisticated: Wahroonga House by Tom Mark Henry.

[Images courtesy of Studio Hagen Hall. Photography by Mariell Lind Hansen.]