Walking into the open-plan interiors of the furniture designer Marc Krusin, it’s easy to forget that his home started life as a conventional flat in a new-build development. Overlooking Haggerston Park, with skyline views across Shoreditch, east London, the soothing space immediately puts you at ease with a neutral palette and natural materials.
These calm-inducing interiors mirror Krusin himself. The designer, 52, who recently launched a new property development service to help owners create a harmonious living environment in an affordable way, is also a meditation teacher. Having been introduced to the practice by his mother-in-law, Krusin has now been meditating for more than 20 years. “It has changed my life,” he says. “The connection between your mind and body means you experience a much deeper rest than you would normally. It has meant I need a lot less sleep and can work with more clarity and focus.”
The designer and meditation teacher Marc Krusin
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The dining area features Krusin’s Clay Table for Desalto, with dining chairs from Knoll’s Krusin Collection. On the wall is a large-scale lino print by Katharine Gorham
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Bespoke shelving in the hallway includes a “phone bin” where devices are left to charge overnight
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Since buying the flat in 2017, Krusin has completely overhauled its interiors, allowing it to better serve a family of four; he lives there with his wife, Mayra, plus his two sons, Emilio, 13, and Isaac, 16.
He has added full-height frameless doors to channel natural light, for instance, as well as underfloor heating to remove the need for bulky radiators. Meanwhile, a sliding partition between the living areas means that the space is now an adaptable hub that feels bright, modern and one-of-a-kind.
With no television dominating the compact living area, the adjoining “games” room, which also converts into a temporary movie room, is where computer games and screens can be used at leisure. “We didn’t want our children to lock themselves in their rooms with phones, computers or consoles,” he explains. “No devices are allowed in the bedroom, and this space offers them the freedom to do that. I’m never normally on my phone or computer when I’m at home,” he adds. “We have family dinners together every night, unless someone is out, and we don’t have any screens near the table.”
The streamlined kitchen has folded stainless steel worktops, door fronts made from the innovative material Fenix with oak edging, and bespoke aluminium handles that double as towel hooks
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The boys’ bedroom is lined with fitted desks and storage
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Krusin designed the bedside tables, which slide open to reveal hidden storage
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In the rest of the two-bedroom flat, Krusin has added integrated storage, instantly streamlining the space. In the central hallway, for instance, he has created a bespoke storage unit housing books, ornaments and a dedicated “phone bin”, where devices are left to charge overnight, allowing for disconnection from technology. The boys’ creative upbringing remains visible with their intricately constructed Lego models proudly lining the shelves of their bedroom and the games room in acrylic cases. “For ten years of our life Lego was a constant presence,” Krusin says. “We would sit down for hours to create crazy installations all over the floor.”
Within both bedrooms, the clever integrated storage continues, from floor-to-ceiling wardrobes in the main suite to raised cantilever storage beds in his sons’ room.
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Krusin’s own designs also populate the space. The dining area is centred on his Clay Table, designed for the Italian design house Desalto, while the dining chairs come from the American manufacturer Knoll’s Krusin Collection.
The large windows frame views over Haggerston Park that enhance the compact living space
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The wall between the kitchen and living areas displays personal mementos and artworks by his sons
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The sanctuary-like bathroom has mirrored cupboards and a pedestal basin with attached soap dispenser, designed by Krusin
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But it’s in the kitchen, where the worktops and splashbacks have been crafted from single sheets of folded stainless steel, that Krusin’s meticulous attention to detail and organisation becomes even more apparent. Designed to facilitate a seamless workflow when preparing food and entertaining guests, the slick arrangement moves you through each stage, from preparation to cooking and cleaning. The steel is juxtaposed with softer oak-edged Fenix door fronts and bespoke aluminium handles, and there is also a moveable island that doubles as a serving area or an impromptu workstation.
“I like to understand how a space is going to be used and then plan for it in a way that isn’t restrictive,” Krusin says. “That way it can adapt and remain useful over time.”