Interior Design in Highgate
Interior Design in Highgate: Lofty Living, Grand Proportions and Homes with Character
Highgate has a very different personality from many of London’s residential neighbourhoods.
There is the historic village, the Heath and the beautiful old streets, but there is also something else that makes interior design in Highgate particularly interesting, space.
There are substantial Victorian and Edwardian houses, handsome period properties, cottages and, perhaps less obviously, Highgate’s modernist side. From Lubetkin’s landmark Highpoint apartments of the 1930s to later mid-century developments, the area has a surprisingly strong tradition of spacious modern apartment living. That mixture creates a fascinating design landscape. Highgate isn’t one style, and it doesn’t need one.
For me, the common thread is scale, architecture and a sense of space.
Highgate Is About More Than Period Houses
When people think of Highgate interiors, it is easy to imagine a grand Victorian house with fireplaces, cornicing and tall sash windows.
And there are plenty of those.
But one of the things I find particularly interesting about Highgate is the contrast between those historic properties and the area’s more “modern” apartment buildings.
Some 1960s and 1970s developments have incredibly generous rooms, large windows, balconies and long views, qualities that can be surprisingly difficult to find in newer London apartments.
They shouldn’t necessarily be treated as properties that need to be made to look “more traditional”. Their architecture can be the starting point for something much more contemporary.
The Appeal of Highgate's 1960s and 1970s Apartments
There is a real opportunity here for thoughtful interior design. Instead of disguising the age of the building, celebrate it, mid-century furniture, warm wood, sculptural lighting, textured fabrics and strong artwork can all work beautifully.
This doesn’t mean you have to create a 1970s time capsule. A contemporary sofa, a vintage side table and a beautifully designed modern light still sit together very comfortably.
The key is to take the best qualities of the architecture and build on them. Large windows can become part of the scheme rather than something to hide, with panoramic vistas dictating furniture placement.
Generous rooms can accommodate larger pieces, and natural light can be allowed to do much of the work.
Victorian and Edwardian Houses: Make the Scale Work for You
The larger period houses in Highgate offer a different kind of opportunity.
High ceilings, tall windows, large reception rooms, generous hallways and long sightlines. All are wonderful architectural ingredients.
But large spaces also need furniture and decoration that can hold their own. A small rug floating in the middle of a huge room will often make the room feel more empty, not less. Instead, think about scale, a generous sofa or dining table, large artwork, a statement light and pooled drapes. These aren’t just decorative decisions. They help give the room a sense of balance and proportion.
Creating Intimacy Within a Large Room
One of the biggest challenges with a large Highgate home is making it feel warm and lived-in. The answer isn’t necessarily to add more furniture. Instead, create distinct areas within the architecture.
A sitting area for conversation, a reading corner, a place for music, a dining area that feels connected to the kitchen, perhaps a small desk or drinks area. Furniture placement can create these zones without building walls.
Lighting is equally important. A large room shouldn’t rely on a single central pendant. Layered lighting, with decorative lamps, wall lights, floor lamps and carefully positioned ceiling lighting, can completely change the atmosphere in the evening.
Colour in a Highgate Home
Highgate’s generous proportions can accommodate colour particularly well. Deep greens, terracotta hues, rich blues, warm neutrals and softer chalky shades can all work beautifully.
But colour doesn’t have to mean making every wall dramatic. It can be introduced through:
- wallpaper
- curtains
- upholstery
- rugs
- artwork
- painted joinery
- furniture
- decorative accessories
For a large period house, a darker colour can make a room feel more intimate.
For a mid-century apartment, a restrained palette can allow the architecture, views and furniture to take centre stage.
Again, the property should lead the conversation.
Mixing Periods Is Part of the Fun
Highgate is particularly well suited to interiors that don’t belong to one particular decade.
A Victorian fireplace with a contemporary sofa, a mid-century armchair in an Edwardian bedroom, an antique console in a modern apartment, contemporary artwork above traditional panelling. There is no reason why everything in a room needs to come from the same period. In fact, mixing periods often creates a much more interesting and personal interior.
Good design isn’t about matching, it’s about creating relationships between things.
Where to Look for Mid-Century and Vintage Pieces Near Highgate
If you’re designing a Highgate apartment or house and want to introduce furniture with a little more character, there are some particularly useful local resources.
Gonnermann on Archway Road, close to Highgate Station, specialises in original British and Scandinavian 20th-century design, alongside unusual antiques, and also offers upholstery and restoration.
That makes it particularly interesting for a Highgate home where you want to introduce mid-century pieces without making the whole interior feel themed.
You can also look slightly beyond the immediate Highgate boundary when sourcing. London’s specialist antiques, lighting and design showrooms can be invaluable when you’re looking for the one piece that gives a room its personality.
Making a Highgate House Feel Personal
The wonderful thing about Highgate is that there is enough architectural character to give you a starting point, with no need to manufacture it. The job is to understand what is already there and then make it work for the people who live in the property.
For one client, that might mean restoring a period room and introducing contemporary furniture. For another, it might mean completely embracing a 1960s apartment with mid-century furniture, strong artwork and beautiful materials. And for another, it might be a combination of the two.
Grand doesn’t have to mean formal. Contemporary doesn’t have to mean cold. And period doesn’t have to mean traditional.
The best Highgate homes are those where the architecture, the interior and the people living there all feel connected. That is what I love about designing homes in Highgate: lofty living, generous proportions and plenty of architectural character to work with.
If you’re considering renovating, decorating or simply rethinking a Highgate home, I offer interior design consultations, colour consultancy and residential interior design across North London.
I also design homes in Muswell Hill, Islington and Hampstead, and across North London.
Written by Lucy Kelvie, founder of Lucy Kelvie Creative and interior designer working across North London.
Create a home that feels unmistakably Highgate, but completely and wonderfully yours.
Image: Highpoint I, Highgate. Photograph by SilvaBarral, via Wikimedia Commons