Our client came to us having seen the work we had done on a friend’s apartment, but no two apartments are the same and when we revealed our plans for his flat, which was little more than a studio, he was committed to the changes. This was a good thing as the apartment, in a Victorian mansion block, presented challenges in the form of limited access and strict management protocol.

To achieve a better flow and use of space, it was obvious to us that we needed to remove as many of the original walls as possible, and to this end we employed the services of a structural engineer. We created a lounge at the front of the apartment, as this had the prettiest views, and moved the bedroom to the rear. While retaining the original hallway wall to create an entrance, we increased the footprint of the kitchen incorporating a dining table/desk and wrapping the shower room around the back corner to enable a 1700cm x 800cm shower, bathroom fittings and a utility cupboard.

In a small property, discreet storage is essential: bespoke joinery in the sitting room, which also contains the TV, runs all along one wall, a wall of mirrored wardrobes in the bedroom adds to the sense of space and light in this room, wall-mounted cupboards in bathroom contain washing machine and vacuum cleaner storage and bespoke kitchen cabinetry delivers enough room to be able to store away kitchen equipment and keep the area uncluttered enough to stand in for a dining room or workspace.  

Gallery

  • A versatile sitting room

    To make the most of the best views we turned the layout of the apartment back to front, siting the sitting room at the front. To allow for guests, the sofa is a bed-settee and there is wardrobe storage at the end of the bespoke cupboards, which also house the TV and media space. Two bespoke Ottomans were created to enable them to be moved away when the spare bed is in use.

  • Bespoke kitchen cupboards create space

    A bespoke kitchen enabled us to make use of every inch of available space and create enough room for a table and chairs that are used for eating or as a workspace.

  • Using mirrors to enhance light and create a sense of space

    To enable a King-size bed with bespoke headboard, we filled in the bottom half of an original alcove. Mirrored wardrobes run all along the wall opposite the windows and create a sense of light and space. The bedroom is divided from the kitchen space by pocket doors.

  • The view from front to back

    This view shows the depth of the apartment from windows to the kitchen showing the widened pocket doorway.

  • The view from back to front

    This is the reverse view from the kitchen windows through to the sitting room. The original wall on the left was retained to create an entrance space.

  • A surprisingly spacious shower room with utility cupboards

    The shower room wraps around one corner of the apartment and is large enough to contain a 1700cm x 800cm shower and fitted cupboards that hold the washing machine and a broom cupboard.