I went to visit Dennis Severs House, a terrace house in Spitalfields in which the ten rooms have been recreated as a still life drama and a historical imagination of the years 1724-1914. Dennis severs lived in the house from 1979 to 1999 crating the journey the house takes you on. The candle and gas lighting, the background sounds and scents drifting through and the make the imposed silence make the experience very immersive, as if you are walking through a piece of art, cautious not to disrupt anything. The most fascinating thing about the house is that it appears as if the occupants were just in the rooms, playing card games, having tea or lying in bed. Each room tells a different part of the story of the family of Huguenot silk weavers named Jervis.
Having a narrative go along with the house made it a lot more personal and meaningful, the rooms weren’t just rooms but they were someones home with someones things in. in life most domestic spaces have stories to go along with them but you probably only know your part of it.
Freya's Blog 