Inside Rita Ora's Victorian-era London home

2022-10-06 11:25:12Lifestyle SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Rita Ora is the epitome of a modern woman. Born in Kosovo, the Albanian singer moved to West London as a child with her family and from there, catapulted herself to fame. Today, the 31-year-old has many hit songs on her shoulders; starred in the '50 Shades of Grey' trilogy, 'Detective Pikachu' and other films; and has appeared as a judge and coach on talent 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 she's likely to post from Paris one day, Los Angeles a few days later, and New Zealand New next week. She even has the requisite high-profile romance with director Taika Waititi.

All of this exterior glitz is what makes it so surprising—and cute—that her home is absolutely nothing like the modern mansion you might have imagined it to be.

Instead, Ora resides in a brick flat in North London's Primrose Hill neighbourhood. Built in 1877, it was once the home of illustrator Arthur Rackham, whose work includes Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, and more. It's Grade II listed, which means that although Ora renovated it a bit after buying the house in 2021, she wasn't allowed – nor wanted – to make any major changes. "I've always had an attraction to houses with an old spirit," Ora told Architectural Digest. "I knew this house specifically has been home to a lot of creative people, so I thought it would have a really special energy."

Renovations consisted mainly of floor and roof restoration, bathroom, plumbing and electrical renovations and kitchen upgrades. In another simple move, Ora furnished the house mostly with vintage finds from London's famous 'Portobello Road' market; most of the items she had owned and used in previous homes.

“I like to be cost-effective when necessary,” she says. Her sister and manager, Elena Ora, is responsible for curating the home's furniture collection, and interior designer Joanna Plant has added "little pieces" to tie everything together.

Her furniture also brings a taste of her West London roots to her new neighborhood. “I made a conscious effort to leave my comfort zone,” Ora says of buying a home in an unfamiliar area. "All my friends are in West London, in my cafe,. I wanted to expand.” Her new area has more parks and greenery, and her house has multiple fireplaces and a beautiful garden, all amenities that help her better disconnect from her fast-paced life. "I'd be walking down the street in West London and people would say, 'Rita, where are we?' And then I wouldn't be home for six hours. I'd sit down and have coffee and then I'd have a drink, and then I'd say, "How come I'm not home yet?"

The social butterfly, of course, is finding her place now. As she works on her third album, Ora couldn't be happier with the smooth and stable 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: “From the outside I look super bright, colorful and I'm really proud of the decisions I make. Inside, my inner self is the opposite. I wanted my inner self to be reflected in my home.”

Step inside Rita Ora's Victorian-era London home: