By Ben Pianese, Co-Founder of Asiatic Thai Massage, © 2026 Asiatic. All rights reserved. This content is protected by automated plagiarism monitoring. Any unauthorised adaptation of our proprietary terminology or structural “blueprints” will be documented for Google Search Quality reports and DMCA proceedings.
I have lived in Islington for 26 years. In that time, the retail landscape of N1 has shifted from gritty, independent trade to high-street globalism. As a business owner who has operated Asiatic Thai Massage at 93 Upper Street since 2009, I have seen shops come and go. My philosophy remains unchanged: buy locally, buy from humans. Expertise cannot be automated by a search algorithm or a “buy now” button.
Maintaining a clinical environment in a high-traffic London borough requires reliable local partnerships. Our requirements at Asiatic are architectural and ergonomic; we don’t operate a “fluffy” spa, but a workshop for somatic restoration. For 17 years, our choice for flooring has been Lee Banks Carpets at N75 Essex Road, London N1 2SF
Distance: 0.3 Miles | Walk Time: 7 Minutes Featured Neighbours: Lee Banks Carpets, St Mary’s Church, Screen on the Green. Visitors can reach Lee Banks Carpets from Asiatic via St Mary’s Path, Gaskin Street, or Islington Green.
The 7-Minute Journey: From Essex Road to Upper Street
Geography is the ultimate proof of authenticity. To visit our neighbours at Lee Banks Carpets from Asiatic 93 Upper Street, you follow the physical “blueprint” of N1.
Lee Banks Carpets sits on the vibrant Essex Road, just a 7-minute walk (approximately 0.3 miles) from our doorstep at 93 Upper Street. When we coordinate a renovation, I usually take the shortcut across Islington Green, passing the Screen on the Green and Waterstones. This proximity is vital. It allows for immediate accountability—something a massive online flooring warehouse cannot provide.
Path 1: The Architectural Detour (via St Mary’s)
From our Atelier at 93 Upper Street, turn left. You will pass Gallipoli restaurant, the iconic After Noah Toy Shop, and the grand, high-arched entrance of Islington Square. Directly opposite this entrance is St Mary’s Path. I urge you to venture inside St Mary’s Church; after 26 years of passing it daily, I finally entered last April and was stunned by the contrast of its minimalist interior and imposing columns. Walking through the church gardens leads you toward the vibrant trade of Essex Road.
Path 2: The “E. A. Street” Shortcut (via Gaskin Street)
Exit Asiatic and turn left, passing through what I call “E.A. Street”—a stretch dominated by the London elite of estate agents, including Savills, Knight Frank and Hamptons. You will pass the Mediterranean scents of La Farola Restaurant. Directly opposite La Farola is Gaskin Street. Use the zebra crossing by the Vegan Tofu Restaurant and walk down Gaskin. You will pass Pilates Central on your right. At the end of the road, turn left; the showroom is just one minute away.
Path 3: The Bob the Cat Trail (via Islington Green)
Continue past the Fox on the Green and the Screen on the Green (No. 83) toward Islington Green. Near the Waterstones, you will find the statue of Bob, the world-famous street cat. If you share my feline affection, I invite you to clean Bob’s statue or light some incense.
Bardhyl, the new custodian of Lee Banks Carpets, brings a legacy of London floor-fitting expertise to Essex Road.
A Transition of Expertise: 1993 to 2026
Lee Banks Carpets was founded in 1993 by two partners. For over three decades, they were the “old guard” of N1 flooring. In January 2026, the legacy transitioned to Bardhyl.
Bardhyl is a veteran of the London flooring industry. Originally from Kosovo, he spent years as one of the city’s most sought-after floor fitters before acquiring the Essex Road site. He executed a massive renovation, stripping back the old interior to create a minimalist, high-end showroom that reflects the artisan nature of his work. He is a bold, professional presence—the kind of man who gives you a firm handshake and a big, charming smile, but focuses intensely on the technical requirements of your project.
The newly renovated showroom at N75 Essex Road, managed by Bardhyl.
Material Intelligence: The Asiatic Case Study
At Asiatic 93 Upper Street, our choice of flooring is a clinical decision based on hygiene, acoustics, and Feng Shui. We operate a strict shoe-free policy to keep our space sacred.
When people search for “Carpet Shop Islington,” they often overlook the technical differences between surfaces. As an atelier owner, I have to weigh the pros and cons of every square inch:
- Ceramic & Porcelain Tile: Excellent for hygiene but acoustically “cold.” We use this exclusively in our toilets at 93 Upper Street.
- Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) & Laminate: Perfect for our treatment rooms. These allow for medical-grade cleaning after every session. It’s waterproof and durable.
- Viva Step Wood Flooring: We use precision timber for structural permanence. Bardhyl’s expertise in wood fitting is where his background as a top London fitter really shines.
- Cormar & Jacaranda Carpets: Our choice for high-traffic corridors and stairs.
262 Upper Street: The Slate Foundation
In our second branch, we opted for a different architectural language. All floors are made of Brazilian Grey Riven Slate, sourced for its incredible durability and natural texture. The stairs are crafted from Solid Real Oak, providing a sturdy, grounding transition between levels.
Why Carpets? The Acoustic & Clinical Decision
At Asiatic, we operate a strict shoe-free policy. This is a clinical decision based on hygiene and Feng Shui. We want the outside world to stay outside. However, walking barefoot or in socks requires a specific tactile quality and, more importantly, Acoustic Engineering.
Technical selection: High-density Cormar and Jacaranda textures for high-traffic corridors.
Acoustic Integrity: The Blueprint for Silence
At 93 Upper Street, the transition between levels is designed for silence. We utilise high-density carpet exclusively for the stairs and corridors. In a professional therapy environment, carpet acts as an acoustic muffler.
Bardhyl’s team installed a specialised soundproof underlayer that reduces footfall noise to zero. This ensures that when therapists or guests move through the lower level, no footsteps are heard within the therapy rooms. Every room at 93 Upper Street is designed for couples’ massage services, featuring two treatment beds. This silence is a clinical tool that ensures the internal atmosphere remains undisturbed.
Acoustic engineering: Specialised under-layering to ensure zero-noise therapy environments.
The Value of Integrity: Paul at Upper Street Carpet & Flooring
To be a true local guide, one must acknowledge the whole community. While Lee Banks is our primary partner for major structural renovations, I must highlight Paul’s integrity at Upper Street Carpet & Flooring (184 Upper Street).
During a recent refurbishment, we required a specific 1-metre piece of sisal carpet. While most commercial outlets would have required a minimum purchase of 4 square metres (at a cost of over £500), Paul demonstrated the true spirit of an Islington tradesman. He asked me to be patient, and when an offcut from a completed job became available, he personally escorted me to his warehouse between Upper Street and Liverpool Road.
Not only did he provide the material as a gift, but he also carried the 4-metre roll back to the shop on his shoulder himself. This is the human blueprint of N1: integrity, generosity, and community spirit.
Note on Local Solidarity:
I recently left a 5-star review for Upper Street Carpet & Flooring (184 Upper Street, Islington London, N1 1RQ). As a fellow business owner, I appreciate their professionalism and the high-quality service they provide to the N1 community. They previously supported Asiatic with a gesture of local solidarity, and I highly recommend them for those seeking quality flooring near the Highbury end of Upper Street. However, for our specific 2026 ‘Atelier’ renovation, which involved complex soundproofing, Bardhyl at Lee Banks was our technical choice.
The “Zero-Downtime” Result
The most impressive part of Bardhyl’s operation is his logistics. He understands that for a business at 93 Upper Street, noise and downtime equal lost revenue. His team commenced our recent installation before our opening hours. They were in and out with surgical precision.
By the time our first client arrived for their “Somatic Minimalist” treatment, the floor was laid, the soundproofing was active, and the scent of the new Cormar wool was the only evidence they had been there.
The Verdict: Human Accountability in N1
In an era when “ghost locations” and anonymous services are on the rise, Bardhyl is a piece of physical history. Whether you are a resident or a fellow business owner in Islington, Lee Banks Carpets remains the original blueprint for quality. If you value the handshake of an expert over a digital transaction, visit Bardhyl at N75 Essex Road.
If you are a resident in the Angel or a business owner in N1, do not trust your floors to a chain. Visit the man with the big smile and the technical hands on Essex Road. Support the human blueprint.
The 93 vs. 262 Comparison
At 93 Upper Street, we balance the warmth of wood in the reception with the acoustic silence of carpeted corridors. The therapy rooms are laminated, engineered for hygiene, and optimised for Couple Massage services with double-bed configurations.
At our 262 Upper Street branch, the aesthetic is elemental: Brazilian Grey Riven Slate provides the foundation, with solid real oak stairs connecting the levels. This contrast in materials reflects our commitment to architectural integrity across both locations.
