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If you happen to be wandering through the Chiswick area in London, you might pay attention to some of the storefronts as you wander by. One storefront, in particular, may not necessarily catch your eye, because it fits in the area so nicely. It isn’t a restaurant or an upscale boutique, however, the store trimmed out in blue and white is actually a funeral home.

Irish restaurateur Oliver Peyton and London design firm Transit Studio are hoping to make funerals a bit less dreary, thanks to Exit Here. Some people may consider this to be insensitive but in reality, it is sometimes necessary to step back from the norm and rethink the possibilities. That includes the traditional experience you may have in a funeral parlor.

Photo: dezeen / Agnese Sanvito

“After both my parents died, I realized that the sector offered limited choice or variety, and this meant people didn’t have the chance to celebrate their loved ones in a way that reflected their unique lives,” Peyton recently told design website Dezeen. “Exit Here is an attempt to shake up the sector.”

Photo: dezeen / Agnese Sanvito

The new funeral location involved work by Barry Prichard, a funeral director along with Transit Studio director Ben Masterton-Smith and Payton. Rather than going with a dark and gloomy experience, they brighten things up with goldenrod and teal. From the moment that you walk into the next level funeral parlor, you will be met with vintage and contemporary furnishings, lovely wood flooring, and arched doorways. You can say goodbye to the old overstuffed floral armchairs and deep pile red carpeting.

Photo: dezeen / Agnese Sanvito

The freshness of this approach is not only seen in the decor, but it is also seen in the colorful urns and caskets they make available. This includes a Día de Los Muertos–themed coffin that is impressive.

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