Dennis Severs was an artist from California, who moved to London in 1979 and refurbished this large, rundown house in a way that would capture the atmosphere of the 18th and 19th centuries. It has been described as a 'journey through time' - each room of the Georgian house is dedicated to a particular era, decorated and furnished just as it would have been during that time.

The house is designed to look as if the house is still occupied, and that the tenants have just left for a moment, with half eaten food on display, and smells and sounds enhancing the visitor's experience.

Sever's described the house as a 'still life drama' and said that he "worked inside out to create what turned out to be a collection of atmospheres: moods that harbour the light and the spirit of various ages".

The fictional story of an immigrant family of silk weavers who occupied the house from 1725 to 1919 ties all of the rooms together, providing a loose framework for the journey through time. The project was typical of the bohemian culture of the Spitalfields area at the time, with several other artists such as Gilbert and George and Jeanette Winterson refurbishing other houses.

Severs gave the property to the Spitalfields Trust before he died, and the house is now open to the public. The latin phrase, Aut Visum Aut Non which is the motto of the house, means 'You Either See it or you don't'