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One Year, Two Rooms: A photographic exploration of 12 months in a London flat

When award-winning London photographer Darran Rees found himself living in a small London apartment, he decided to challenge himself and see if he could take interesting pictures inside the same walls for an entire year.

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A person sits on a purple sofa with laundry scattered beside them, speaking on the phone whilst sunlight streams through a window overlooking a London cityscape

The resulting series, entitled One Year in Two Rooms, takes ordinary, everyday things – such as curtains, kitchen utensils and laundry – and transforms them into works of art. With appealing light and shadow in every shot, the photographs are dripping with homely nostalgia.

Speaking of the work, Darran said: "I was constantly surprised by the ever-changing mood and nature of the same environment over time. Trying to find the beauty by looking at the familiar – simple and obvious, everyday and mundane, but in a different way. It was almost like having a conversation with myself."

Born in Wales, Darran originally trained in art and painting before moving to London and switching careers to photography in the mid '90s. Still based in the capital, but also in New York City, he continues to work for some of the biggest brands in the world.

Via Behance | All images courtesy of Darran Rees

Brown curtains frame a view through a window to London rooftops and chimneys bathed in soft light
Silhouetted figure seated at a desk by a window overlooking a rain-soaked London cityscape with tall buildings visible through the panes
A cluttered windowsill with hats, a vintage suitcase, coffee maker and various objects, overlooking London rooftops and chimneys under a cloudy sky
A kitchen window sill cluttered with household items and plants, with a view of frost-covered trees and buildings obscured by fog and rain streaks on the glass
View through a window showing three white-framed windows on a building facade with a utility pole and cloudy sky reflected in the glass
Person in red checked shirt sitting by window overlooking Parisian rooftops, with drinks and notebook on table beside them
Golden sunlight streams through a window overlooking a city skyline, casting warm shadows across a wooden windowsill and curtains
Metal clothes drying rack holding wet garments near a window overlooking a London cityscape with cloudy sky
A glass of espresso sits on a dark table beside a window overlooking a city skyline, with dramatic curtains framing the composition
A green candle in a white spotted holder sits on a shelf bathed in warm sunlight and shadow, with books visible on a wooden shelf to the right
Two kitchen graters with black handles hanging from a wooden chopping board against a warm beige wall, casting distinct shadows
Shadow of a cat on a kitchen window sill with a kettle and tap in the foreground, sunlight streaming through the glass
Brown wooden chopping board with handle positioned against a frost-covered window overlooking bare winter trees and a frozen landscape, with a small red object in the foreground
A television showing a man's face sits beside a sculptural white structure made of crossed metal rods, with sunlight streaming through windows overlooking London rooftops
Octagonal wall clock with aged face casting shadow on cream wall alongside metal colander and kitchen utensils in warm sunlight
Sunlit window with orange curtains, hanging coloured paper decorations and washing pegged on a radiator, city view beyond.
Taxidermied animal figure holding a Rwandan flag on a desk beside a window overlooking snowy evergreen trees
Footprint and handprint impressions on a frosted window pane with a blurred cityscape and chimney visible behind the glass
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