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The past so often holds an untouchable layer of beauty, a mark of history that asks to never be forgotten. Period properties often bring a sense of grand scale and elegant detail to shoot days, even once their facades begin to crumble. Distressed locations bring a different type of texture and mood to imagery, allowing a new light to shine within the bones of a building.
Vast and atmospheric, The Chapel is a uniquely distressed Grade II Georgian chapel located in Peckham. Concrete floors lie below whilst tall ceilings stretch out above, held by textured walls still holding plaques and stone detailing. Soft, natural light filters in through the magnificently preserved stained glass windows, adding a splash of colour to the otherwise earthy palette. There’s something romantic about this space; perhaps it’s the artful draping of festoons along the faded blue wall or the silent audience of chairs that look to be awaiting an emotive scene.
Near the tip of Norfolk lies Thurning Hall, an 18th Century Georgian property with regency flair and impressive grounds. Although it sits on the same grounds, its The Coach House has become a location in its own right. It holds five shabby chic rooms, some retaining their appearance as a functional stable space and others dressed with fine velvet furniture and even an upright piano. It’s a quirky space that lends itself to statement brands and high fashion, with unusual details at every turn. Bold patches of rich exposed brick creates amazing texture in each room, whilst wide windows spill light onto the exposed beams and rustic details.
Another uniquely presented Georgian property is Top Floor, a pair of rooms that sit atop Chesterton Road. These rooms look nothing like the crisp white spaces beneath; dramatically charred walls cast inky black scars across exposed brick whilst crumbling fireplaces are stacked with stones. It’s a raw and unapologetic space, bringing rich earthy tones and texture all bathed in soft, directional light.
Top Floor is a location made of contrasts, and the two rooms themselves differ to one another in their style. One has a more organic look to it, with an abstract mural of burnt plaster taking centre stage complemented by wooden swing chairs and dried foliage. The other is a darker and sleeker space that seems to hold on more tightly to its previous life, before it was touched by fire.
At Peckham Rye Station, The Old Waiting Room lies elegant and echoing. It’s a beautiful space with curved Victorian windows and a sweeping ceiling that arches above, grand yet melancholy in its own emptiness. Alcoves line the walls along with a sea of textured browns and beiges, the original floors below shimmering in the day’s light. This location also features a winding staircase that snakes past bottle green windows, leading up to a sympathetically restored venue on the first floor.
Another Victorian property with a twist is The Safe House, a completely stripped back home in Peckham. It feels like looking at the bare bones of the house, pale and stark with exposed structural timber splaying out like a skeleton. The effect is remarkable, creating an array of neutral tones and textures that form effortlessly versatile backdrops. As with all locations, the true beauty is in the natural light, which pools beside wide bay windows and trickles through the house’s incomplete walls.Though dressed in the quiet melancholy of age, these seasoned locations are a perfect preservation of a past that refuses to be lost. Each layer represents a moment in history, slowly revealed as the years march on to join the mesmerising collage of texture and time.
For more spaces swathed in timeless elegance, read our piece on Regency Properties with a Bridgerton Flair.
Join us On Location with Olana at Eagle House to see how beautiful bridalwear came to life at one of our favourite distressed locations.
Explore more locations with Distressed Walls and Beautiful Windows to inspire your next photoshoot.
As Autumn’s colours begin to paint the trees, take a look at The Seasonal Shift in Photography to discover how the changing light has an effect in-camera.
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