{"id":387099,"date":"2026-01-02T15:32:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T15:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/387099\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T15:32:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T15:32:12","slug":"inside-a-designers-calming-east-london-family-flat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/387099\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside a designer\u2019s calming east London family flat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Walking into the open-plan interiors of the furniture designer Marc Krusin, it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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. \u201cIt has changed my life,\u201d he says. \u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Marc<\/p>\n

The designer and meditation teacher Marc Krusin<\/p>\n

TRENT MCMINN FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES<\/p>\n

\"Dining<\/p>\n

The dining area features Krusin\u2019s Clay Table for Desalto, with dining chairs from Knoll\u2019s Krusin Collection. On the wall is a large-scale lino print by Katharine Gorham<\/p>\n

TRENT MCMINN FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES<\/p>\n

\"Built-in<\/p>\n

Bespoke shelving in the hallway includes a \u201cphone bin\u201d where devices are left to charge overnight<\/p>\n

TRENT MCMINN FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

With no television dominating the compact living area, the adjoining \u201cgames\u201d room, which also converts into a temporary movie room, is where computer games and screens can be used at leisure. \u201cWe didn\u2019t want our children to lock themselves in their rooms with phones, computers or consoles,\u201d he explains. \u201cNo devices are allowed in the bedroom, and this space offers them the freedom to do that. I\u2019m never normally on my phone or computer when I\u2019m at home,\u201d he adds. \u201cWe have family dinners together every night, unless someone is out, and we don\u2019t have any screens near the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

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<\/p>\n

TRENT MCMINN FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The boys\u2019 bedroom is lined with fitted desks and storage<\/p>\n

TRENT MCMINN FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES<\/p>\n

\"Bedroom<\/p>\n

Krusin designed the bedside tables, which slide open to reveal hidden storage<\/p>\n

TRENT MCMINN FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES<\/p>\n

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 \u201cphone bin\u201d, where devices are left to charge overnight, allowing for disconnection from technology. The boys\u2019 creative upbringing remains visible with their intricately constructed Lego models proudly lining the shelves of their bedroom and the games room in acrylic cases. \u201cFor ten years of our life Lego was a constant presence,\u201d Krusin says. \u201cWe would sit down for hours to create crazy installations all over the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019 room.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Read more expert advice on property, interiors and home improvement<\/a><\/p>\n

Krusin\u2019s 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\u2019s Krusin Collection.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The large windows frame views over Haggerston Park that enhance the compact living space<\/p>\n

TRENT MCMINN FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The wall between the kitchen and living areas displays personal mementos and artworks by his sons<\/p>\n

TRENT MCMINN FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES<\/p>\n

\"Bathroom<\/p>\n

The sanctuary-like bathroom has mirrored cupboards and a pedestal basin with attached soap dispenser, designed by Krusin<\/p>\n

TRENT MCMINN FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s in the kitchen, where the worktops and splashbacks have been crafted from single sheets of folded stainless steel, that Krusin\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to understand how a space is going to be used and then plan for it in a way that isn\u2019t restrictive,\u201d Krusin says. \u201cThat way it can adapt and remain useful over time.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Walking into the open-plan interiors of the furniture designer Marc Krusin, it\u2019s easy to forget that his home…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":387100,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[449,458,459,64,63,460,134],"class_list":{"0":"post-387099","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-arts-and-design","10":"tag-artsanddesign","11":"tag-au","12":"tag-australia","13":"tag-design","14":"tag-entertainment"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/387099","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=387099"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/387099\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/387100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=387099"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=387099"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=387099"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}