Reworking Tradition: Inside a Highgate Family Home in North London
Overview
“Welcome to the Highgate project in North London,” says Sacha Berger, founder of Honeybee Interiors. What began as guidance on a rear extension evolved into a full interior refurbishment, driven by close collaboration between designer and client. “We were totally aligned,” Berger explains. “It was really collaborative and great fun to work with.”
Brand
Honeybee Interiors
Type
Family Residence
Location
North London
Services
Full Feature on YouTube, IG, FB & TikTok
Presented by
Sacha Berger
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
The Entry
The hallway introduces the home’s character with confidence. New beaded panelling introduces depth and structure, paired with a mural that runs the full length of the wall from Zardi and Zardi. Its antique character establishes a sense of heritage without feeling heavy. Furnishings from Soho Home and Restoration Hardware add weight and refinement, while a full-height mirror amplifies light and perspective.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
Original features are carefully preserved and elevated. New stained glass windows introduce soft pastel greens that echo the mural, complete with a delicate robin motif repeated along the staircase. Limestone flooring grounds the entrance and flows into the kitchen, contrasted by warm antique oak that continues throughout the living spaces and upstairs.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
A Kitchen Designed for Living
At the rear, the newly extended kitchen opens fully to the garden, creating a strong visual and spatial connection outdoors. Designed by Tom Howley, the kitchen balances traditional detailing with modern practicality. Sage green cabinetry, quartz worktops, and antique brass fixtures establish a calm, functional centre for daily life.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
Concealed storage keeps surfaces clear, while glass-fronted cupboards display the client’s crockery. “The family love to eat and she’s a really great cook,” Berger notes, elevating the range cooker beyond function to a defining feature of the space.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
Lighting is treated as an architectural layer. Pendants from CTO Lighting define the island, while rattan fixtures soften the casual dining area. Integrated LED lighting subtly zones the space from the adjoining living room, where a concrete plaster wall introduces texture and separation. A dual-aspect fireplace forms a shared focal point, visible from both sides.
A bespoke burl wood dining nook with chairs from Six The Residence adds warmth, tying into the home’s earthy palette.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
Informal Living and the Movie Room
Beyond the kitchen, the new movie room offers a softer, more relaxed atmosphere. Walnut shelving with integrated lighting frames decorative pieces, while a low-profile sofa anchors the space. A bespoke stitched rug enhances the room’s airy feel, complemented by artwork sourced from Etsy.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
Lighting from Porta Romana is positioned slightly lower, adding intimacy, while a skylight floods the room with natural light. “You really don’t need any of the high-level lighting in here,” Berger notes, crediting the architect’s considered design.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
Dining, Display, and Colour Flow
With open-plan living, colour continuity was essential. Greens transition into ambers and then soften into pinks, ensuring cohesion across sightlines. In the dining room, a travertine table sits beneath a statement chandelier from Pure White Lines. Antique chest drawers are retained and reframed with new panelling and textured wallpaper, accompanied by discreet wall sconces for evening ambience.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
An original stove remains in place, topped with an antique mirror to calm the composition. Nearby, two Louis Vuitton trunks from the client’s collection are repurposed as a cocktail bar. “Isn’t it just beautiful?” Berger says, pausing to acknowledge the personal history embedded in the design.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
Formal Living with Softness and Personality
The formal living room embraces a blush-toned palette, shaped around the client’s existing pink sofas. Deeper wine hues introduce contrast, unified by a layered rug. A newly designed marble fireplace anchors the room, echoed in bespoke joinery with gentle beading and integrated lighting.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
Personal artwork is carefully positioned, alongside matching wall sconces and a pink chandelier from Soho Home, which completes the space with warmth and individuality.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
Upstairs: Bedrooms and Bathrooms
On the first-floor landing, a once-modest area is transformed by a 3.5-metre bespoke bookcase with integrated seating, elevating the hallway into a functional and architectural feature.
Bedrooms continue the home’s cohesive language while allowing for individuality. The son’s bedroom layers light beiges and rust tones with shaker wardrobes lined in rattan wallpaper, softened by fabric lighting and tailored Roman blinds. An adjoining workspace introduces muted blue-grey joinery with bronze hardware, balancing practicality and warmth.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
The master bathroom is shaped by abundant natural light and a restrained palette. Chevron tiles sit alongside warmer stone finishes, while a reeded wood vanity from Parker Howley adds texture. A pendant from Pinch softens the space, and a freestanding bath is angled to maximise openness.
Photo: Honeybee Interiors
A Unified Vision
Throughout the Highgate project, Berger’s approach remains consistent. Original architecture is respected, new interventions are purposeful, and every detail reflects a shared understanding between designer and client. What emerges is a layered London home with architectural clarity and lived-in elegance coexisting with understated confidence.
Watch the full Youtube tour here.
Gallery
The Finer Details.
