A key aspect of this design philosophy is an appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes. This is materialized through an emphasis on natural materials whose texture, patina and imperfections are juxtaposed with clean, minimal lines and volumes, as well as the use of specialized craftsmen like bricklayers, carpenters, stone-masons, blacksmiths and plasterers. 

For the New Cross Lofts’ interiors, the designers have chosen a palette of white hues for the walls and limed oak for the floors, which, combined with large street-facing windows and the built-in cabinetry, makes the relatively small spaces light-filled and airy. The polished whiteness of the walls (finished in either plaster or timber paneling) also serves to pleasantly complement the rich texture of the oak floors which have been lime-washed to reveal their grain. Darker tones are only introduced by the window frames and an eclectic selection of furniture that include distressed wooden and upholstered pieces as well as antiques.

Light hues are also dominant in the bathrooms, which feature off-white, honed-marble tiles on the walls, while the staircase that connects all the floors is treated in more earthy tones with exposed concrete steps and raw-plastered walls; the latter, designed as a winter garden featuring extensive glazing, provides additional daylight to the lofts through large, handmade windows and floor-to-ceiling French doors.

The designers have approached the building’s exterior with the same combination of traditional craftsmanship, minimal ornamentation and modern sensibility. Referencing the brickwork of neighboring Victorian houses, the facade stands out both for the considerably lighter hues and for the herringbone pattern that Chan + Eayrs have ingeniously designed both as a potential hallmark—the same pattern has also been featured to great acclaim in their previous project, fittingly named the Herringbone House—and as an architectural statement of bespoke simplicity.