Naomi contacted me when the purchase of her flat went through. I first visited without her, borrowing the keys from the estate agent so I could take a peak and get a feel for the project. It was so exciting first setting eyes on the space. Such a beautiful flat in a very poor condition.

The flat is part of a Grade II listed building dating back to the mid 19th century. A horseshoe-shaped three-part terrace (originally 48 houses) designed by ‘Amon Henry Wilds’ encircling a private garden. It had been poorly renovated but thankfully retained some original features. The project involved reconfiguration of the space enabling it to work as a flat for Naomi and her son. Naomi had a strong vision for how she wanted her flat to look and work, I had the joy of making it become a reality.

The two key areas I looked at were creating a ‘living space’ where we currently had two small bedrooms and renovating the 70’s bathroom.

Creating the ‘living space’ involved removal of a wall creating one large room in which I needed to accommodate the kitchen, dining and lounge areas. A challenge as space was at a premium, the easiest and most obvious solution of putting the kitchen all down one wall created would create a space dominated by the kitchen so I worked hard to avoid this which of course came with compromises especially with storage. The end result is a cosy functional space that flows well.

The kitchen itself was also something of specific vision. As the main feature of the flat this needed to look stunning and reflect the nature and character of the owner. Naomi was really keen to bring in strong bright colour here, but that needed to blend in with a muted cosy backdrop and sit well with the mid 19th century features. Overlooking the private garden this room is calm, full of natural light and often dappled with sun. A muted pink sits well behind the vibrant yellow of the kitchen.

Key Design Features

01 : L-shaped kitchen layout so not dominating the room. Giving a sense of separate space

02 : Bespoke ply-wood kitchen with colourful Formica finish. Visually stunning pop of colour with a natural edge

03 : Stunning handmade tiles for an organic feel

04 : Muted wall colours to create soft, calm, restful living space

The bathroom needed to be completely stripped out. Budget didn’t allow for reconfiguration, so we had to make the bathroom work leaving everything where it was. The design was simple and suite very plain, but we lifted it with a beautiful combination of tiles and some stunning fixtures. The result is an attractive soft and warm bathroom with a nod to the era of build.

Key Design Features

01 : Creating a stunning bathroom on a tight budget

02 : Adding interest with strong floor colour

03 : Clever tap/shower combination to obtain a stylish over the bath shower

I also supported Naomi with other areas of the flat but it’s still a work in progress. Pictures will be added as the flat develops but it’s great to see her in and happy.