Open today, 10am - 5pm. Free entry.

A High-rise Flat in 2005

Nadia, Ashley and Alex have grabbed paintbrushes and are personalising their shared home.

Date

Permanent

We are open Tuesday to Sunday (and Bank Holidays), 10am - 5pm.

Where

Museum of the Home

An installation view of the “High-rise Flat in 2005” bedroom: on the left, a vibrant orange wall with white shelves holding a stereo, CRT TV, and DVDs; in front, a white iron-framed bed strewn with clothes. A beige carpet lies beneath. On the right, a pale blue wall displays a map and CDs on narrow shelving above a drying rack of casual wear. Below, a compact wooden desk with keyboard and a CRT monitor showing The Sims, and a bright yellow stool completes the scene.
Collections

About

Responding to a population boom, local authorities built high-rise blocks like Withy House from the 1950s to early 1970s in an effort to create ‘streets in the sky’. However, after decades of privatisation and a chronic lack of funding, many of these blocks had been demolished by the new millennium.

Nadia and Ashley have been looking for another LGBTQIA+ flatmate to move into their spare room. They recently met Alex at The George and Dragon in Hoxton, and later that same night, invited her to move in.

Their tenancy agreement forbids any changes to the flat without the landlord’s permission. However, after spending the last few evenings with Alex watching reruns of home makeover shows like Changing Rooms, they have all been inspired to grab a paintbrush and go for it.

More than just redecorating, they want to be able to personalise their home, and create a safe and serene space.

This room was curated with the help of participants from LGBTQIA+ communities and funded through Art Happens, Art Fund’s crowd-funding platform, John Shakeshaft and Andrew Hochhauser KC.

Objects to look out for

A hand holding up a smartphone displaying information and an image of a terraced house from 1978, with the actual display blurred in the background.

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