Siblings Antony and Lauren Johns and their French partner Briac Le Camus are the creative minds behind Hornsey’s new neighbourhood bar, Machine No.3. The name is derived from the extraordinary setting of the bar, a dilapidated old launderette on the corner of Well Street in Homerton, East London, which Lauren, Antony and Briac have transformed into an intimate, quirky cocktail focussed bar.

In the process of Machine No.3’s development, the team – who undertook the work themselves – wished to retain some of the original features and take inspiration from the building’s existing decor. The exposed brickwork’s warm colours are reflected in the copper light fittings, some of which were originally manufactured in the USSR as factory lights and were imported from Lithuania.

Retaining the roots of its original setting, a visit to the rest rooms at Machine No.3 includes sightings of the old washing machine doors themselves. The original washing machine covers now adorn the bathrooms.

The trio were looking for a unique space at the right size and location, as Lauren explains: “We did not go out purposefully searching for an old launderette – the fact that the establishment was a laundrette was a happy accident.”

Doors and windows

Machine No.3’s decor is a complete contrast to Antony, Lauren and Briac’s first venture – The Three Compasses in Hornsey, London. Here you can expect a traditional East End bar with decor that you would associate with an East End pub; framed boxing photos, framed vintage beer adverts, mirrors and guilt frames. Machine No.3 has a more modern presence with exposed brickwork, copper light fittings and warm lighting.

Floor to ceiling glass windows and doors were installed via Barking Shop Fronts, presenting the bar with vast amounts of light – a complete comparison to the original dark launderette it once was. Lauren explains how the team wanted the bar to differ from standard East End cocktail bars: “In contrast to the recent trend for dark and basement style cocktail bars, we installed floor to ceiling glass windows and doors in order to flood the venue with light.”

Reclaimed furnishings

Interestingly the wood used to produce the bar, tables and fixed seating is reclaimed wood – Keruing; a strong, hard and heavy substance – originating from old train carriages. The bar was produced via a local carpenter and fitted by Antony, Lauren and Briac. Meanwhile vintage school chairs from Peppermill Antiques in Staffordshire were selected for the sit-down area. Correlatively, specially commissioned furniture, such as the tables and fixed seating, were produced by a local carpenter.

Now mostly removed, a blue plaster, which was formerly covering parts of the brickwork, led to inspiration for the handmade furniture, in particular the leather coverings of the seating. Lauren describes the thought process behind the inspiration for the textiles and colours used for Machine No.3’s furnishings: “Our intentions changed throughout refurbishment as we started to strip down the original launderette features. When the walls were revealed and we saw how beautiful the original plaster was, our concept changed. We decided to keep parts of the blue plaster as a subtle design feature. This led to our inspiration for the colours of the handmade furniture and the leather seats and coverings.”

Colour inspiration

Further colour palette inspiration emerged from the green granite tiles of the former launderette, which were brought up to spec with a buff and polish. The team came across a few obstacles on their journey to opening Machine No.3. One of the main obstacles was the removal of the original industrial gas and water pipes used to keep the former launderette in working order. This task was an extremely time consuming and tedious duty for the team.

There were no existing radiators in the establishment due to the previous washing machines and dryers creating so much heat. The team installed new radiators, selecting a retro style and painted them slate grey to match the painted concrete floor around the edges of the room.

Speaking about the bar’s opening, Lauren enthuses: “We are so excited to be unveiling our brand new venture, Machine No.3, to Hackney’s blossoming Well Street. The area is already home to a number of brilliant pubs and restaurants and we truly believe our new bar will be a great addition to the landscape.”

The trio have no further plans to open anymore bars in the upcoming months, however Inex has been told to “watch this space”.