Architect-designer Joe Armitage enthusiastically refers to his latest creation as “The Compound” as he dismounts his motorbike on a quaint residential road in west London. Guiding me through a discreet garage door, we enter a beautifully lawned garden adorned with vibrant spring flowers. At the rear of the towering double-fronted house that overlooks the River Thames, a quince tree and a 400-year-old mulberry tree stand as guardians. This plot of land has been home to four generations of the Armitage family for nearly a century, establishing a small British dynasty of talented designers and craftsmen.
It all began in 1930 when the late Joseph Armitage, an architectural sculptor hailing from Yorkshire, purchased the original house, now known as Number One. Built in 1600 and extensively renovated in 1790, Joseph’s work can be admired on iconic public buildings such as India House, South Africa House, and the newly rebuilt Bank of England. However, his most recognized contribution is the National Trust’s oak-leaf logo.
Edward Armitage, Joseph’s son, carried on the family tradition as a modernist architect and famously designed a hospital in Ludhiana, India. His wife, Marthe, moved into one of the neighboring houses, Number Four or Five, both constructed by Joseph, at the young age of nine. Marthe emerged as a distinguished designer of hand-drawn wallpapers and fabrics, although her work only gained broader recognition in her mid-70s. Now at the age of 93, Marthe’s studio, managed by her daughter Jo Broadhurst, thrives.
Today, Marthe’s grandson Joe continues the family legacy. Trained as an architect and formerly serving as the design director at lighting brand Tala, Joe undertook the redesign of a distinct floor lamp originally created by his grandfather Edward in 1952. This lamp evolved into a comprehensive collection that includes floor, accent, suspension, and wall lights, available through SCP and The Future Perfect. The latest addition to the collection, a stunning chandelier, was recently unveiled at Nilufar during Milan Design Week.
As Joe and his grandmother sit together over mid-morning coffee and pastries at the dining table in Number Two, Joe reflects on his upbringing. He admits that he never realized design was a profession until he left university because it was simply part of his family’s DNA. Surrounded by his family’s creations, Joe explains, “That’s what granny designed. That’s granddad…” It was ingrained in their identity, and he had no idea it was a thriving industry.
Number Two, which split from Number One following Joseph’s passing, exudes an elegant and historic atmosphere with high ceilings, spacious rooms, and centuries-old charm. A stern portrait of Joseph hangs above the table, and one of his ornate cabinets resides in the corner. A chair featuring Edward’s textile floral design sits beside a sofa adorned in Marthe’s fabric, while the fire surround was acquired from the former Bank of England. Marthe’s wallpaper covers several walls, including designs inspired by plants from their garden. Upstairs, Joe proudly points out a design that cleverly incorporates their depictions as sweet male and female figures, representing his grandparents.
Marthe grew up in Number Four, and many years later, Joe also lived there. In the 1950s, Edward and Marthe built another house, known as Number Seven, on the same row. After Joseph’s passing, they moved to Number One. Now, after 83 years at this location, Marthe resides in a sunlit sanctuary converted from the original garage building. Her walls are adorned with vibrant paintings, including her own artwork and those of her friends, along with family photographs and clippings documenting her fascinating journey. A photograph captures Marthe at The Art Workers’ Guild, where she achieved the rank of Master, alongside the current King. Another image showcases her youthful self crouching over a hand-roll printer. “That’s me printing on the floor, just how I used to,” she joyfully explains. “I got the press in the ’60s, so I would have been in my 30s. It was hard, physical work printing wallpaper by hand.”
Marthe recalls that as one of the few women attending Chelsea School of Art in the 1940s, they were not taken seriously. Society expected them to simply get married, but she realized, “There’s nothing worse than being a really passionate artist and being married.” Balancing her roles as a wife, mother, and artist proved challenging, as she discovered that painting demanded complete focus and solitude, which was difficult with young children. So, Edward earned the income, and Marthe tended to the household.
Even when the children had grown and left home, Edward preferred that she did not paint, as it created a sense of distance when she immersed herself in her work. She recounts, “I had a room at the top of the house, and he couldn’t bear it… Strangely, when my mother became a widow at 68, she started drawing, having never picked up a pencil in her life. She joined an art class in Essex and spent the rest of her life painting. She told me, ‘I couldn’t have done this when Daddy was alive – he would have stood on his head.'”
During their time in India, Edward began crafting furniture, including the floor lamp made from Indian rosewood and salvaged materials. Its long, leaning wooden stem and conical shade give it a bird-like appearance. One of the original lamps they brought back to England still graces Marthe’s home. As Joe examines the lamp, he points out how it was assembled using various found objects such as a paint pot lid and motorbike spokes. Marthe adds, “We used and reused everything in those days, even paper bags.”
Joe muses on the lamp’s unique blend of decorative and modernist styles, acknowledging its resemblance to Brazilian midcentury design rather than traditional European aesthetics. He jokingly dubs it “Indian midcentury, Anglo-Indian.”
India also left a lasting impression on Marthe as she witnessed local artisans printing bedspreads using woodblocks on a roadside table. She recalls the hit-or-miss process and the realization of the possibilities it held. Inspired by the plants along the river, Marthe carved out a space on a landing and began creating her own wallpapers. Initially crafting them for her own home and friends, Marthe gradually gained a small and loyal customer base. She confesses that although she initially considered the work secondary to fine art, deep down, she knew it was meaningful. Her designs, characterized by their meticulous detail, romanticism, and fantastical storytelling, became a reflection of her inspiration.
In 2004, Marthe’s designs caught the attention of wallpaper maker Hamilton Weston, furthering interest in her work. During an event at her home, someone expressed curiosity about the floor lamp’s story, prompting Marthe to share its tale. The following day, she arrived at Joe’s door with 20 orders for the “old lamp,” promptly launching him into the deep end of lamp production.
With each passing generation, the Armitage family continues to leave an indelible mark on the design world. As Joe delves deeper into their remarkable family history, he cherishes the invaluable lessons learned from his predecessors and strives to honor their legacy in his own unique way.
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