Pop art and surrealism converge at Charlotte and Philip Colbert's Spitalfields house

Located at the junction of pop art and surrealism, the collaboration between artist Philip Colbert and writer-director Charlotte Colbert finds form in a lobster and a giant womb–a modern surrealist project that they call "a home for dreamers." The house is the creative couple's answer to the question: what is Maison Colbert really? A private home, an art gallery or an artist's studio? "We decided to create a live-work space, with an area designed both for our creative practices and to be lived in as a home." There are lobster busts made of marble in the living room and a spectacular womb-shaped headboard in a bedroom with a fallopian theme. "As the project developed, we ended up creating real works of art. Works that–like the ones just mentioned-we are launching through a limited-edition collection called Maison Colbert," the couple told Architectural Digest Italia.

Their urban wonderland – all 500 square metres of it – is tucked away in Spitalfields behind a façade of Victorian storefronts. Inside we find their abstract and surreal world on full display. There's a bathtub covered with 108 silicone breasts and a huge marble coffee table dotted with eyes.

The project was made possible through the collaboration of local friend and architect Chris Dyson, who, in collaboration with the designers from Buchanan Studio, brought Charlotte and Philip Colbert's dream to life. "The work was certainly not easy, but it was extremely fun," say the Buchanan Studio designers, "from our first meeting with Philip and Charlotte we were immediately excited and inspired to start this project. There were no parameters or rules to follow; creativity was the real star. We wanted the design to be authentic and powerful, but-at the same time-the house had to be a peaceful sanctuary for our clients to live in." Of course, there was already a focus on art and visual identities, so Buchanan Studio began to design a space that could reflect these two artists together.

MAY WE SUGGEST: It's time to embrace crustaceancore in our houses

"We wanted to create a world for them that was completely unique. We also designed the logo and branding for Maison Colbert to give the house its own personality, which was really exciting," they continued. "Our involvement in the project lasted almost four years, from the very first design conception and rendering of the idea, to the finished property. However, we are still making changes and adding fragments here and there. Because, a house like this will continue to evolve." Furnished with giant sculptures and surreal works of art, the warm plaster walls take on a rosy glow, while, breast-shaped figurines in shades of pink and, womb-inspired symbols, combine with the couple's collection of 20th- and 21st-century works.

The couple's fascination with symbolism is evident throughout. "I love Charlotte's womb bed," comments Philip, "the womb is a symbol Charlotte has been using for years in her practice: drawn to its recurrence in undercover ways through architecture and art history, its reminders of a pre-patriarchal era perhaps less binary." The challenge for Buchanan Studio was precisely to bring these symbols and characters to life in the furniture. "The house has so many surrealist gestures and touches. It's playful and intriguing." The double-height main living space is dominated by a huge marble coffee table designed with Charlotte's iconic eye symbol, "her gaze follows you even as you walk along the upstairs loft."

Read More

At home with Andrew Lloyd Webber and his Havanese dog Mojito

There are also porthole windows from the living room to the master bedroom and small study, allowing an almost voyeuristic peek into the other rooms. Then there is a huge two-sided, hand-carved stone fireplace, featuring a subtle lobster motif by Philip Colbert. A very large Muse table, by Buchanan Studio, in travertine is surrounded by chairs (again with metal eyes by Charlotte Colbert). Here, the room's colour palette is toned down, allowing the art and marble coffee table to take centre stage. "For the bedrooms," the designers comment, "our idea was to take some of the key motifs from Philip and Charlotte's work and use them as a theme in each bedroom."