Product for a large luxury fashion ecommerce platform

In this “Hang With” feature, we talk to Mary Binding, the lead product manager for a luxury fashion e-commerce platform who is behind the Instagram account, Pevensey House, documenting the renovation journey of her art-filled East London Victorian home.

Step inside the PE collector's home and discover more about her first art purchases, her essentials for a happy home, and how she achieves her signature modern eclectic style.

I live in…a Victorian terrace house in Walthamstow. We moved to Walthamstow almost 4 years ago from Hackney. When we bought the house it was in need of a lot of love. The old owners of the house had ruthlessly stripped it of all the original charming features it ever had. We have spent the last 4 years adding these features back into the house where we could but also some more modern aesthetic details alongside these. This mix of new and old runs throughout the house.

I wanted my home to feel…tranquil & personal. Home is my favourite place to spend time. Before the pandemic, I was very church and state about work & home mixing. I really resisted working from home. Obviously, I have had to get over this over the last year! Home was my calm happy place and it took some adjustment to balance work at home. But on the other hand, I never would have thought I would have got so much value from my kitchen table and chairs.

My home suits my profession...because the house is in constant iteration. Much like creating new digital experiences for work, the house will never be “done”. We are always planning the next change, new addition. My husband gets tired of walking into rooms and finding I have rearranged the furniture. A new paint sample landing on the mat is a frequent event. 

My first art purchase…was from the RA Summer exhibition. A small piece by an artist called Jonathan Alibone, from his 2015 collection, “No More The Elated World”. I really missed the RA Summer exhibition last year. 
My first Partnership Editions purchase was from Alexandria Coe. We now have 2 of her pieces. We bought the big red nude as a wedding anniversary present to each other and it is a lovely reminder hanging in our kitchen.

My prized possession is…two paintings passed down from my Grandpa. They are both by an artist who was local to him called Robert Hunter. My Grandpa was also an art lover and his house was filled with paintings & pottery and I feel so lucky to have these 2 to enjoy every day.

If I could hang any artwork in my collection it would be…a Rothko. If money was no object, I would love a Rothko. Like so many people, I love his colour combinations and scale. Not sure where I could fit one in my little terrace house though... I would find a way!

When decorating my home I like to buy from…all over! Mixing old and new is a key part of the house. One of the items I get most asked about on the @pevensey_house_ Instagram is a Persian-style rug I got from a junk shop in Devon while on holiday. It is that juxtaposition of the old battered rug under the clean lines of our Hem sofa that I love. 

We are expecting our first baby in just over a month. So I am going to have to learn to mix in the baby aesthetic too. Could be more of a challenge! 

My recipe for a happy home is…my beautiful fat cat Bambou padding about, flowers on the kitchen island, the sun coming through the window, and a coffee… heaven. 

I spend most of my time at home…rearranging!

FOLLOW MARY:
@pevensey_house_