Step Inside Rita Ora’s Victorian-Era Sanctuary in London
Rita Ora is the epitome of a modern woman. Born in what is now Kosovo, the singer of Albanian heritage moved to West London as a baby with her family, and from there, catapulted herself to fame. Today, the 31-year-old has had numerous hit singles; starred in the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy, Detective Pikachu, and other movies; and has appeared as a judge and coach on singing competition shows such as The Voice UK, The Voice Australia, The X Factor, and The Masked Singer UK.
She’s one of those 21st-century celebrities who seems to do it all—her Instagram followers know that she’s likely to post from Paris one day, Los Angeles a few days later, and New Zealand the following week. She’s even got the requisite high-profile romance, with director Taika Waititi. All of this outward glitz is what makes it so surprising—and delightful—that her home is absolutely nothing like the modern mansion with an infinity pool you may have pictured for her.
Instead Ora resides in a charming brick dwelling in North London’s Primrose Hill neighborhood. Built in 1877, it was once home to the illustrator Arthur Rackham, whose work includes Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, and more. It is Grade II listed, meaning that although Ora renovated it a bit after purchasing the home in 2021, she was not allowed—nor did she want—to make any major changes. “I’ve always had an attraction to homes with an old spirit,” says Ora. “I knew this house specifically has been [home to] a lot of creatives, so I thought it would have a really special energy.”
The renovations mainly consisted of restoring the floors and roof, redoing the bathrooms, pipes, and electricity, and upgrading the kitchen. In another down-to-earth move, Ora furnished the home mostly with vintage finds from London’s famous Portobello Road Market; most of the items she’d already owned and used in previous homes. “I love to be cost-efficient when necessary,” she says. Her sister and manager, Elena Ora, is responsible for arranging the furniture collection in the home, and interior designer Joanna Plant was brought in to add “little bits and bobs” to tie everything together.
Her furniture also brings a taste of her West London roots into her new neighborhood. “I made a conscious effort to leave my safety zone,” says Ora of purchasing a home in an unfamiliar area. “All my friends are in West London, my go-to coffee shop, my café. I wanted to expand.” Her new area has more parks and greenery, and her home has multiple fireplaces and a lovely garden, all amenities that help her better unplug from her fast-paced life. “I would walk down the street in West London and people would be like, ‘Rita, what’s up?’ And then I would not get home for six hours. I would sit and have coffee and then I’d grab a drink, and then I’m like, ‘How am I not home yet?’”
The social butterfly is, of course, finding her niche now. “I’ve made friends in the local Pilates, and they’re all gorgeous mums of three kids, and I’m sort of like, ‘This is how you guys live out here. Okay, cool. I get it.’”
As she works on her third album, Ora couldn’t be happier with the calm and grounding home base she’s created. “Everyone comes to my house and says, ‘I can’t believe you live in a house like this,’” she explains. She understands why people might be confused: “My exterior self is super flamboyant, colorful, and I’m really proud of the decisions I make. Internally, my interior self is the opposite. I wanted my inner self reflected in my home.”
Art: Chris Cuffaro.
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Almost all of the furniture in the sitting room is vintage from Portobello Road Market, save for the floor covering from London House Rugs and the Fortuny pillows on the sofa.
Art: © Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. All rights reserved / DACS, London / ARS, NY 2022.
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The wooden partition between the sitting room and the dining room is original to the home and not allowed to be changed, due to the home’s Grade II listing. Though Ora is a huge fan of vintage furniture, she opts for more modern art, like the butterfly piece on the left by Damien Hirst, whom she considers a friend.
Art Left: © Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. All rights reserved / DACS, London / ARS, NY 2022. Art Right: © Gilbert & George.
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In the dining room, more vintage pieces like the dining table and Mastercraft cabinet mingle with dining chairs from Soho Home, an Anissa Kermiche vase, skateboard decks by Damien Hirst, and art by Gilbert & George.
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Ora's updated kitchen cabinets are from 202 Design. " I didn't want it to feel too bright and white. I wanted a lot of earth tones," she says.
Art: Norman Seeff.
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“The ceiling being super high was so unusual, I loved that. And the bathroom being in the room was definitely so intriguing for me,” says Ora. Interholc Construction supported on the restoration of the floors, bedrooms and bathrooms, and more.
Art: Chris Cuffaro.
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“This home felt like it was my own sort of cottage within the city, which is so hard to find in a city like London,” says Ora.
Art Left: Douglas Kirkland. Art Right: Al Satterwhite.
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“A snug is where you watch TV, put the fire on, and there are books. You can play games there or fall asleep,” explains Ora of the British term. “Traditionally, where I’m from, a snug is very masculine, it’s like a man cave. That’s always been annoying to me. I was like, ‘What’s the female equivalent of that?’ I wanted that touch of romance and femininity.”
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Ora’s snug features a custom-made sofa atop a patterned rug from Soho Home, pink floor lamps from Made.com, a brown woven chair from Habitat, pink curtains from Marvic Textiles, and more Fortuny pillows on the sofa. The chandelier, like all of the light fixtures in the home, was added to the dwelling by Ora.
Art: Douglas Kirkland.
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The primary bedroom is located in what was once Arthur Rackham’s illustration studio. Though most of the home was furnished with Ora’s existing collection, she did bring in London-based interior designer Joanna Plant (“I like to call her my English rose,” says Ora) to help “tie it all together.” Plant is responsible for the custom-made bed upholstered in a pink Rose Uniacke mohair velvet fabric, as well as the blue sofa from B&B Italia (with a vintage Turkish throw). The bedspread is a vintage suzani from Nushka.
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“The balcony is the most magical thing to wake up to in the morning,” says Ora.
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“I live in [my closet and glam room]. I’m in there every day. For two to four hours, [I] could be in there doing makeup, hair, interviews, everything happening at once. It feels nice to be able to get ready in my own home,” says Ora.
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The black-and-white checkered floor and the double sink were original to the bathroom, but Ora did update other elements.
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Ora worked with Paul Jezioranski of London Gardener on the yard. The garden statues are from Portobello Road.
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“The house is so earthy. The garden has its own personality,” says Ora.
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Ora’s weeping willow tree was a big selling point for her when looking at the house. “It just felt like if I didn’t get this house, I’d be an idiot,” she says.
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Ora says her home’s rich history and vintage decor is “super grounding.”