The awkward middle room
Often period homes, especially ones that have been extended, end up with a tricky middle area searching for a purpose. This was the case with this terraced Victorian house in Battersea, between the front reception room and the kitchen extension. Our client, a hard working young professional, required a home office so we set about transforming part of this space into an invigorating and inviting area for her to work long days and evenings. We added Crittall doors from the sitting room into the office increased light flow. In naturally darker, smaller rooms it is best to embrace the lack of light by going bold and deep with colour. We painted the ceiling in bright orange to add to the wow factor and make this once cramped, unimposing space sing. From this space we also created a utility room accessed from the hallway.
Small bathrooms
When it comes to urban houses, space is almost always at a premium so you’ve got to be smart when it comes planning and design. Bespoke joinery is the absolute best way to making the most of every inch. Here, we incorporated a built in laundry basket to the wall to wall vanity unit, maximising both floor and surface space. Large mirrors or mirrored cabinets are an excellent way of providing storage without overwhelming a tight space, and the reflection of light really opens the room up.
Box rooms
We’ve all got one! In this London townhouse, the compact bedroom was used by a teenage girl so had to perform many purposes. We designed the bed to have a wraparound headboard so that it became an area to hang out with friends as well as to sleep. Putting joinery above the bed makes the most of an unused area of wall and becomes a useful storage space. A niche was built into the side of the wardrobe, performing the function of a bedside table. We installed USB sockets so it became a handy phone charging point as well as surface space to place a book or a glass of water.
Dead space
Most homes have under used areas, and this is where an experienced interior designer can be worth their weight in gold in terms of coming up with clever ways of making dead space work hard.
In this Balham family home, the teenager’s bedroom was long and thin, with a completely unused length of wall by the entrance. We transformed it into a cosy reading nook for our young client, an avid reader. With open shelves, comfy cushions and a reading light, this space is the perfect escape after a busy day at school. A large pull out drawer under the bench provides valuable storage.
In this imposing Hampshire house our clients were true bon viveurs and regular hosts. In a previously unused nook next to the dining room we had fun creating a high gloss red bar area with reeded joinery, lighting and antique glass.
