Our Favourite Small London Homes Under 60sqm/646sqft

Never Too Small

Win one of three iconic Lampe de Bureau lamps from Vitra! Subscribe to NTS Magazine before 1st April for your chance to win https://www.nevertoosmall.com/utm/vitra-lampe-de-bureau  London’s homes are shaped by layers of history — Victorian terraces, converted warehouses and post-war apartments — often resulting in compact interiors that demand inventive design thinking. In this special compilation, we revisit seven small London homes under 60sqm/646sqft. From sleeping pods and colour zoning to flexible furniture and smart joinery, each home explores a different way of unlocking light, space and liveability within a tight footprint. There’s a boho-Japanese-inspired apartment centred around a cocoon-like sleeping pod enclosed by translucent panels, while a compact King’s Cross flat uses bold colour zoning to define space and create a sense of warmth. Inside the iconic Florin Court building, continuous plywood joinery conceals a Murphy bed, movable sofa and foldaway dining table, creating a calm, flexible home for two artists.  To see more on our favourite homes https://www.nevertoosmall.com/post/five-of-londons-best-small-homes-under-60sqm-645sqft  #smallapartment #architecture #interiordesign   Episodes & Credits  00:00-08:01 Shoji Apartment  https://youtu.be/cBvebYEiYYs?si=rIUHghxaIAv1XVoE  Architect: https://proctorandshaw.com/   08:01-19:01 Mia’s Apartment https://youtu.be/OxBemZikkLY?si=bdKM-Y6iszaH6Ojz  Designer: https://www.studiomama.com/   19:01-28:41 Poirot’s Bijou Apartment https://youtu.be/P25GF4F0Ocs?si=xUW3xUORhhwA3by7  Architect: https://www.interventionarchitecture.com/   28:41-37:19 Alaska Buildings https://youtu.be/BwDiOzxw_io?si=6uIRPgQZ-X0h89zw  Architect: https://www.studio29architects.co.uk/   37:19-44:14 Camden Loft https://youtu.be/C_9_tbso-FM?si=kPidKillL6yWkeb3  Architect: https://www.craftdesign.co.uk/   44:14-54:03 King’s Cross Flat https://youtu.be/QhOfGCil5cY?si=6MlOgFVvRV4jqhD_  Architect: https://www.saraleonorstudio.com/   54:03-59:14 Small Town House https://youtu.be/0Zrz_PuR-fY?si=LX5Om6_4I8pi7u69  Designer: https://www.studiomama.com/   Music: Artlist.io Found by Kevin Graham Anyway-Instrumental Version by Kyle Cox Envision by WOOLFSON Ocean Hued by Wav Two FewDoors - Upside Down Skygaze - Kissing the Moon Ben Hendler - Sunset  Cosmonkey - Hotkeys Steven Beddall - Beauty All Around Us Ballerino by Yehezkel Raz Courage by Some Were at Sea  Whorl by REW  See You Tomorrow Sunshine by Yestalgia August Rains by Yestalgia A Trip by Sig Howler  Share your projects with us- https://www.nevertoosmall.com/submissions Subscribe to our newsletter- https://www.nevertoosmall.com/subscribe  Check out our store- https://www.nts-store.com Website- https://www.nevertoosmall.com Instagram-  https://www.instagram.com/nvtsmall Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/nvtsmall

Transcript

00:01The apartment is located in North London in an area called Belsize Park.

00:10The client is a young professional who works and has been studying in London.

00:16The core concept for the apartment is the creation of a sleeping pod within a warm light filled open plan

00:26space.

00:32My name is John Proctor. I'm director of Proctor & Shaw Architects.

00:37We're an architecture and design studio based in London.

00:42The location is very cosmopolitan. There's really nice green spaces nearby.

00:50And the area is dotted with cafes, pubs and restaurants.

00:56The apartment is on the first floor of a Victorian building on a lovely tree-lined street.

01:02It was built in the late 19th century as a handsome townhome.

01:07And it was since being converted, we think in the 1970s, into four smaller residential units.

01:16It was important that the flat catered for work as well as living and had adequate social spaces for what

01:24is still a small apartment.

01:27One of the core parts of the brief that the client asked us to interpret was this term Boho Japanese.

01:33That means clean lines, simple structure, flexibility in the design whilst styling the space towards a younger urban generation.

01:47When I first visited the apartment, there was a very awkward layout.

01:51It was divided into cellular rooms.

01:53The bedroom occupied the nice room with the bay window.

01:58The kitchen was at the back and it was really dark.

02:03The flat was completely ripped out back to bare brick.

02:09By taking all the walls down, the main social space was able to inhabit the lovely bay window.

02:15So there's fantastic light sort of pouring in.

02:17We felt that there was an opportunity to exploit the 3.4 metres that we have here.

02:23So a key concept in the design was the sleeping pod.

02:27And underneath that, we have placed a lot of key storage elements.

02:34As soon as you enter the apartment, you've got views through the bay window to the lovely tree that's outside

02:39the front of the building.

02:42The living room is very simply decorated and furnished.

02:46We didn't want to have to be forced into having a lot of fixed furniture which defined how someone might

02:53like to live in the space.

02:59There is some built-in cabinetry and some nice elegant shelving.

03:04Birch ply was chosen in conjunction with the predominant material of the space, which is a clayworks plaster.

03:11The natural patina brings a warmth to the home.

03:16The floor finish is lino. It's by a company called Forbo.

03:20There's one main space and therefore we needed one floor finish which unifies all of those spaces.

03:28As a core part of our intentions for the project, which was deliver a luxurious level of living, the kitchen

03:35is quite large for the size of the apartment.

03:39There is integrated washer dryer. It's got all of the cooking and storage facilities that you need, all integrated into

03:48simple birch plywood finished cabinetry.

03:53The kitchen countertop is courtside, which is extremely durable and very easy to maintain.

04:01The dining area occupies the middle of the plan between the living room and the kitchen.

04:07We felt that the dining offer had to be large and luxurious. It's a normal sized dining table.

04:13We chose a floss string-like pendant so that it kind of expressed the height of the space.

04:21The sleeping pod is enclosed with a series of polycarbonate screens, which are framed in a nice thin aluminium.

04:33It was influenced by Japanese shoji screens, which does define space, but is also openable in a very flexible way.

04:45The sliding doors open to reveal a space saving staircase.

04:51It's called an alternative tread staircase, so that each tread is actually two steps high.

05:00And when you're at the top of the stairs, you're on a small landing, which gives you simple access into

05:07the king-size bed.

05:09There's also some small nooks. There's a nice lamp. There's a place to put your bedside book.

05:18What's lovely about the system of screens is that the bed area can be very private and very cocoon-like.

05:26But when it's open, you do have views from the bed space out onto the street.

05:34At night, with the screens closed and the lights on, it is a lantern, which creates a really lovely warm

05:41glow, nice sort of cosy feel for the rest of the apartment to enjoy.

05:49Underneath the king-size bed in the sleeping pod is a walk-in wardrobe.

05:54It's also used as a spill utility space.

05:57There is actually a second freezer concealed in there behind the birch ply cabinet door.

06:05The bathroom occupies the same location as the original bathroom.

06:11The bathroom has a walk-in shower. There is no shower tray.

06:15We used a micro-cement concrete.

06:19There's a floor-to-ceiling shower screen in glass.

06:24The sanitary ware is finished in stainless steel.

06:29We used the space, which is usually wasted, above the system to the toilet.

06:35We designed a custom built-in cabinetry.

06:39And it's finished in the same micro-cement finish as the rest of the wall, so it's very discreet in

06:45the space.

06:48Again, we exploited the height of the space.

06:51We put a structural deck on the top of the bathroom in order to create a loft-style storage area.

06:57It's also where some of the main services are kept.

07:02As a practice, we're interested in researching and exploring what micro-living means.

07:09In the UK, that's particularly pertinent because we do have a housing crisis.

07:16We would like to think that this project starts a conversation about how space might be reviewed or understood in

07:27a qualitative way.

07:28Even though this apartment is small, the quality of the architecture and the experience of living here is extremely high.

07:38The UK has a huge amount of existing housing stock, ripe for renovation and retrofit.

07:45The answer may not necessarily lie, and shouldn't lie, in just knocking these neighbourhoods down and building taller buildings.

07:54I think there are other avenues which could be explored.

08:08We've experimented a lot with the small space living and that sense of wonder when you come in.

08:17This idea of how you can really change a space with very simple elements, suddenly it feels very transformed and

08:24different.

08:27I'm Nina Tonstrup, part of Studio Mama.

08:31And I'm Jack Mama, the other half of Studio Mama.

08:37Our idea was to explore how to create a transformative space where you can subdivide that with sliding door elements

08:46that could create different zones within the space.

09:00So the flat is located in Islington, the north part of London.

09:05It's a very central location, very beautiful streets lying with big trees.

09:10You know, which gives that kind of nearly a suburbia feel or not being that central in London as you

09:16actually are.

09:20This is a lower ground floor flat in a terraced Victorian house.

09:26I went to see the flat and it was really a maze of walls and really run down.

09:35So the challenge was basically how do we make this feel light and open.

09:41So it's a lot to try and squeeze in to a fairly small space and then also feel that it's

09:47actually spacious.

09:51When I first entered the flat, there was one living room that had a narrow kitchen.

09:57And then there was a master bedroom that took basically the best view to the garden.

10:01The new floor plan that we created was very much about opening up the space so we could connect the

10:08front of the flat to the back of the flat.

10:11Because that's where we have the window.

10:14Converted what was two bedrooms that was in the front of the flat towards the garden to being topped at

10:20the entrance.

10:21And then we moved the kitchen on the other side.

10:24So the kitchen obviously has to choose a different location.

10:28We've got a separate entrance where you come in and you walk down the stairs in a little forecourt.

10:33So in that way you are kind of feeling that it's really your own little space here.

10:40So when you enter, the first thing you have is a bench to take your shoes on and off.

10:46There's loads of storage space for your overcoats and shoes.

10:51We did a lot of work with that, you know, how much space do we need for it to feel

10:57generous.

11:00And then the first thing when you turn in is this really big bookshelf.

11:04It feels really generous when you enter the space.

11:10The bookshelf was built around an old fireplace and then we used the opportunity to put in a big mirror.

11:18We work a lot with mirror in small spaces and in the evening it can also give this very sculptural

11:23feel to the space.

11:26The mirror actually helps to balance the light and also help amplify the sense of space upon entering the main

11:32area when you come in.

11:37We thought about the layout of the study a lot so that it connects to the sofa space.

11:45The desk is facing outwards to the garden so you feel connected to the outside.

11:50We also incorporated the standing, working possibility that you can switch easily between sitting and standing.

11:59The study space needs storage all built in Douglas fir.

12:05That gives that kind of a whole different sensibility and warmth when you sit in that space.

12:13When you get through to the garden side of the flat, we wanted to create both living room space and

12:20the dining space.

12:22There's not that many square meters to get all that squeezed in.

12:27The sofa is designed to visually take up as little space as possible but obviously maximise the seating.

12:35So one of the things we did was to make it as floating as possible.

12:40So that's cantily when the sofa we gained that extra visual sense of space.

12:45We designed the coffee table because again the space is not so big.

12:51The armrest also serves as a side table as on so you can leave your book or a cup of

12:56tea.

12:57The ceiling in the study and the living area is lower than the rest of the flat.

13:03We actually used it as a feature because there's something really quite cosy.

13:08You get the feel that the space opens up in front of you.

13:11And then you see the garden and the light.

13:14You have this garden that comes with the lower ground floor flat here which I think is a massive plus

13:21for the flat.

13:23This is a beautiful mature garden where we have big trees that you would see.

13:30The tree also makes the space really green when you look through.

13:34So we had this challenge with the kitchen that we have a big structural column that we have to work

13:39around.

13:40We created these two areas around the column.

13:43We wanted to create this kind of a graphic feel to the kitchen.

13:47So the kitchen comprise fridge, freezer, dishwasher, oven.

13:52We had to find a way to have drawers for knives and forks and all of that.

13:56And that we put in in the curb end.

13:59So that was only space left.

14:01So we managed to kind of squeeze it in and make it a feature for the kitchen.

14:07The light for the kitchen is integrated LED lights onto the cabinet.

14:11So that is motion sensors.

14:13The material that we have used for the workshop and the splash bag.

14:17The material made with off cut wood.

14:20So it was important that we also had the material that worked both for the workshop and the splash bag.

14:25That kind of a continuous line always gives more openness.

14:30We really like to have some open shelving but it also makes access very easy and give that openness.

14:40The dining table was within a narrow confine so we came up with this idea of this more diamond shaped

14:45table.

14:46That takes up much less footprint so that you could easily have the chairs tucked in and be able to

14:51pass through to the other side of it.

14:55It had a recess so that we could integrate a bench into it.

14:58We found these Swiss designed dining chairs by Bruno Ray.

15:03This shape is nice because you are facing each other which I think is quite nice and more convivial.

15:12For the first sleeping pot in the front of the pot we had to integrate some stairs for accessing the

15:19pot.

15:22The first pot has sliding doors and it also gives a sense of privacy.

15:27It's quite cozy when you are in there.

15:31And on the top of the pot we integrated a glass box that gives light from the front of the

15:37flats.

15:41There is also some shelving that can be used for books and etc.

15:50In the front of the pot there is pull-out storage.

15:54One thing that I was quite conscious about is having two sleeping pots up against each other.

16:01So they are separated by a big sliding door which gives that kind of a movement in the space.

16:08It just gives that sense of you have a space that can be divided up.

16:14And it creates privacy between the two pots.

16:19So the second pot was at a lower level.

16:22There is a sliding door to close it off for privacy.

16:26On the other side of the pot there is a sliding door element.

16:29So there is an opportunity to play with the openness of the space.

16:34What is not visible to people is that the top part is in two halves.

16:39So you have storage from the outside but also from the inside of the pot.

16:47We managed to integrate some storage under the bed.

16:53We have quite vivid colours inside the wardrobes.

16:57Quite bright yellow.

16:58The other wardrobe is quite bright blue.

17:01We like to have our colours but we also have that balance of that the colours really has to fit

17:07in and not take over the space.

17:12We wanted to keep the sight line of the front and the back of the space very open.

17:17So the bathroom is quite narrow.

17:19Kind of glass above.

17:20It has this nice light intake.

17:22We have used this idea of framing things very much in this project.

17:28We have used micro-cement and one can customise the colours.

17:32The bathroom is in a light blue.

17:35We have the same material on the floor and the walls.

17:38It also makes the space feel bigger because it's less boundary visually.

17:44I think that's something that's very nice about this space that we've created here.

17:49And it's difficult to put into words but it's the feel of it when you walk in.

17:53Maybe it's to do with the combination of natural materials and colours that we've used and the way that we've

17:59worked with the layout and so on.

18:03The thing that we often work with smaller spaces is that, aha, when you come from quite a confined entrance

18:10and you get into a space that opens up.

18:17The lamp to bureau is a masterclass in simple, purposeful design.

18:22Originally designed in the 1930s by French designer, engineer and architect, Jean Pruvet to light student desks in France.

18:29Made from bent powder-coated steel, its downward shape does one thing very well.

18:34It throws light exactly where you need it, glare-free.

18:37Nearly a century later, its minimal and elegant silhouette still feels right at home on a modern desk.

18:43Today, Vitra continues the tradition, producing the lamp in colours drawn from the original palette.

18:48A small piece of design history perfectly suited to your modern home.

18:52Subscribe to the Never Too Small magazine before the 1st of April for your chance to win one of three

18:57of these timeless classics.

19:07This is a home for two well-known London-based artists.

19:11The owners have local studio spaces for their own art-making practice with a lot of vibrant use of colour.

19:19So their home, in contrast to that, was to be relaxing and tonally muted.

19:25One material was used throughout to create a coordinated light surface tone.

19:32Another way of providing that continuity was to create multiple zones with moveable elements,

19:38which are reconfigurable within one studio apartment space.

19:47My name is Anna Parker. I'm an architect and founder of Intervention Architecture, based in Birmingham in the UK.

19:57This apartment is located in Charterhouse Square in central London.

20:02The building was constructed between 1935 and 1937 and has a striking curved facade inlaid with critter windows.

20:12And it's an iconic Art Deco building, which is featured as the fictional home and office setting for Agatha Christie's

20:20character Poirot.

20:22The building was always residential, with the ground floor originally including a public restaurant, cocktail bar and club in the

20:30basement.

20:33The existing studio layout space was very similar in plan to now, as we had to retain the existing structure

20:41due to the listed status of the building.

20:44The apartment is 24 square metres.

20:48They wanted the apartment to be inventive, whilst also maximising storage.

20:54During the works, we had to retain all the structural walls.

20:58New joinery was added to the main space to include wardrobes, a Murphy bed and a desk.

21:04In order to enable an oven and full size hob within the kitchen space, we had to reorient the layout

21:11and provide a smaller sink zone.

21:14For the bathroom and separately for the kitchen doorways, we introduced bifolding plywood doors.

21:30Upon entering the apartment, the vestibule area has open shelving to store shoes and keys.

21:37Also in this area is enough space for a cloakroom, which also conceals a consumer electrical unit.

21:46And the frontages are floor to ceiling in mirror, to help make this small space feel bigger.

21:55In approaching the design of the main space, we had the existing parameter of the beautiful main window arrangement,

22:03which has custom bifolding plywood shutters and existing heating underneath.

22:09To complement this, we placed the desk area closest to the window, with the library shelving connected to this.

22:18There's also a pull-out seat and stool on wheels in the workstation zone.

22:24The workstation has a drawing board, which can pivot up for use.

22:29And it's also got drawers integrated within it for paperwork storage.

22:36The library storage shelving has round arch panel features to reference the three curves to the front entrance facade of

22:45the Art Deco building.

22:47The plywood is waxed on ends to give colour differentiation.

22:52The joinery within the main space is multifunctional.

22:55It takes from a Japandi style with Art Deco referencing and provides a holistic layout for storage.

23:05And taking inspiration from flat-pack furniture, the joinery uses CNC routing technology and is drawn to precision in advance

23:14to cutting, minimising waste and time in the production process.

23:19To enable the studio space to be as flexible and adaptable as possible, the bed is integrated within the main

23:29joinery wall.

23:31It's a Murphy bed foldable system and it's on a special piston so that it's very easy to pull down

23:39and has a soft open and close.

23:42The moveable sofa is used at the foot of the bed to help support it.

23:48You can also use the flat-pack stools to support it to enable the sofa to then be used as

23:54a sofa bed.

23:55Behind the bed is an adjustable headboard zone with book shelving behind and a zone to hide away the duvet.

24:03Within that main joinery there's also cutouts for bedside lamps, light switch, sockets and there's also spot lamps for reading

24:14in bed.

24:16A key objective within the studio space was to reduce the visual aspect of clutter through considered storage.

24:24Within the main space there's floor to ceiling storage as well as wardrobes framing around the entrance doorway.

24:33At high level we've included marmolium inserts to reference that Art Deco arch and there was also varying types of

24:43ad hoc shelving which required a curation to feel more considered and integrated.

24:52The dining table is a flat-pack approach in a simple cross-X shape mechanism and that means that the

25:01client can then entertain and have friends around.

25:05Underneath the sofa there are flat-pack stools and that is also a very kind of easy way of providing

25:12extra seating.

25:13You could easily fit around six people around the dining table when it's put into place.

25:21The legs can be fully taken off and stored away into the joinery wall itself.

25:28The wall opposite the library is floor to ceiling wardrobe and clothes.

25:35There is an area of chamfered shelving to connect back to the door entryway and also provide additional storage.

25:45The doorway to the kitchen was previously a curtain and now has a bifolding plywood door.

25:53From entering into this space you're saturated with this blue finish.

25:58This provides a surprise from the lighter main space to provide a fun pop of colour.

26:08We've integrated a dishwasher, fridge freezer, full-size oven and hob as well as a skinnier sink and tap location.

26:19The exhaust fan is also self-circulating. Due to building management issues we couldn't create any changes to the exterior

26:30walls.

26:30The fabricator also came up with a brilliant idea to include a corner bin within a dead use zone of

26:39the countertop.

26:40To complement the black appliances we proposed a Corian countertop which was black but had these speckles of gold and

26:51different flecks of interest.

26:54Below the sink is cabinetry storage and spice rack.

26:59Overall we gained much more storage and the client is able to enjoy cooking with many more integrated appliances.

27:10For the bathroom, due to the Art Deco plumbing which we couldn't change, all of the existing positioning of sanitary

27:18ware had to be retained.

27:20All of which were replaced except for the towel rail which is an original feature.

27:25The new bathtub is a Japanese style tub so it's much deeper and the bath frontage we actually tiled in

27:36the same finish as the floor and walls.

27:39To the bath itself there's a bi-folding screen so that when it's not in use it can be folded

27:46back against the wall.

27:48The overall look and feel of that space is meant to evoke Art Deco ship cabin.

27:56It's functional but then also has this romantic blush pink.

28:02Fortunately within the main building amenity space a laundry zone is provided so that meant that we didn't have to

28:10integrate any utility appliances.

28:14We approach small spaces as though we're solving a puzzle.

28:19How to maximise the floor area and to get as much concealed storage within that.

28:26Taking on a smaller space and refurbishing it, making it your own, it's really important I think to have that

28:33element of fun.

28:34And you can still create stylish functional homes that have a real lasting legacy.

28:48I've always liked materials that have a lot of pasta, especially historic materials.

28:55Really my interest goes back to me growing up near shipyards and being surrounded by brick and steel buildings.

29:06This is my family home for my son and I and it is most importantly his childhood home and I

29:13want him to remember it.

29:15And this is why I was inspired to become an architect living and seeing incredible properties as a child.

29:23So the building was built in the art deco style by Wallace Gilbert and Partners who also built the Hoover

29:32Building.

29:33It is in the heart of the historical industrial area near River Thames.

29:40This apartment block was originally the offices for the factory behind and then was converted into apartments in the 90s.

29:53I wanted a place where I could totally relax and have a slower pace and just be in a calm

30:00space in the city centre.

30:14The weather here in London is very grey so the idea was always to have rich materials.

30:21I wanted it to be warm and cosy especially on those dark grey winter months.

30:28And also the idea behind the texture is it makes the space feel much larger.

30:34So the existing layout was a bit awkward originally.

30:38The double height space was completely ignored and it seemed a missed opportunity to me.

30:43So on the ground floor we added a door to the kitchen, a door to the understair storage and built

30:51-in cabinets in the dining area.

30:53On the first floor I totally renovated the bathroom.

30:58In the bedroom I added storage units and privacy doors.

31:01I just wanted some extra privacy as it was very light and it helped to sleep better.

31:09Once aside, to make the entrance feel more important I added a landing step.

31:15I added two wall mounted IKEA timber cabinets with a circular mirror which creates a vanity unit.

31:22So I positioned the sitting area away from the window to give a very private area and the seating is

31:29in an L shape so it divides the uses.

31:33The ceiling is quite low at two metres so I painted it in a dark brown chocolate colour.

31:38And the idea behind this is that dark colours recede to the eye so it doesn't feel as noticeable so

31:43it gives it height.

31:46I have a terracotta velvet coplar sofa from Sancal which is set high on legs so it allows the light

31:52through underneath.

31:55There is also a white shelving system with base cabinets which I use for my son's books and toys and

32:05also my CD player.

32:12My favourite spot in this apartment, it's probably where I'm sat right now under the lanterns because it's actually super

32:21relaxing.

32:22Even when the windows aren't open the lanterns are just floating very gently around and it just has a very

32:30calming effect.

32:33The custom dining table has a painted MDF top.

32:37The dining room has a four metre tall ceiling with large concrete beams that span across.

32:43So I chose to hide these with a large mesh ceiling screen.

32:48It also creates a base for the spotlights.

32:51I also have one pendant light for the dining room table which I picked up on my travels to Indonesia.

32:57The chairs are vintage chrome Magnus Olsen X line chairs and these can be stacked and also moved out the

33:04way.

33:05The table can also be folded up and moved so the space can be used in a totally different way.

33:11Along the window wall I designed a birch plywood unit with cabinets for storing shoes and also to hide the

33:18original radiator.

33:26The kitchen is very small at just over two square metres so I had to plan the layout to the

33:31millimetre.

33:33And the kitchen doors are all birch plywood with no handles and the ceiling is again painted chocolate brown so

33:40it gives the feeling of height.

33:42I managed to get all the appliances in, a dishwasher, a washer dryer, a fridge freezer, oven and even a

33:47combi microwave.

33:50For additional storage I have a pegboard with all the items I need at hand so I can cook happily

33:56without searching for things.

33:58There is also a small wall shelf with everyday items so everything is just there ready to go.

34:07The landing is oak to match the main floor.

34:11I also added a David Gropey shade wall light and it's not only a light but it's a mirror I

34:18can use to check my lipstick before I leave.

34:21Every looking cranny is useful here.

34:24The staircase is folded perforated metal which doesn't sit against the wall so it gives it a floating look.

34:33The stair is also perfect to light up at night and enhance this floating feeling.

34:42And then the bedroom itself is accessed with two sliding doors which fit around one of the original concrete beams.

34:51The metalene floor is the original simple pine boards which are oiled and the ceiling is painted in a concrete

34:57colour which matches the living area.

35:00To this I added built in storage, a wardrobe and cabinets all in birch plywood.

35:09I added a woven hanging to the head of my bed to define the area.

35:13It's made from grass and it is made in Spain by espadrille makers.

35:17And it just gives some texture to the room as a lot of the walls are smooth.

35:25The metalene has a simple glass balustrade with a rich wooden handrail.

35:31And behind this is a large folding door which is installed for privacy from the main space.

35:40I share the bedroom with my toddler son and he has a small toddler bed.

35:45And I have a low height queen size bed because the height in the bedroom is quite short.

35:50Under my bed there are four pull out drawers for extra clothes storage.

35:56On the stair landing I added two deep shelving units in birch ply each with two doors to save space

36:03when open.

36:07In the bathroom it was completely redone adding lots of storage.

36:11The main shower head is Fifth Avenue by Westworld Bathrooms and it looks a little bit industrial so it fits

36:17in very well.

36:19The basin style was picked because it was in a very simple shape, a little bit arc deco.

36:24And above there is a wall mounted rose coloured hanging bar for hooks and shelves which come in orange for

36:31storage.

36:32And it's part of a modular system by EXT.

36:35At the battery mentions there is a large concrete beam which runs along the top.

36:40And you have to duck to get into the bathroom.

36:42It's just one of those quirks of converted buildings.

36:48I think it's important when you design small spaces to think big.

36:51Don't believe that you can't get everything you want.

36:53You just have to think of it and solve it in a different way.

36:58City dwellings often have constraints.

37:02Really you don't have to add space to make a place feel bigger.

37:07You just have to manipulate materials and colours to have the same effect.

37:24The property is located in the city of London in an area called Camden Town.

37:39Originally the house was conceived as a family home.

37:43Ten years ago it was subdivided in three separate flats.

37:52This is a loft space which is in the top floor of the property.

37:59The brief of the project was to have an open plan space but at the same time have different spaces

38:06with privacy.

38:15The building is occupied mainly by young professionals as the area is quite vibrant.

38:22It's one of the most touristic areas of London.

38:28It's full of bars, restaurants, nightclubs.

38:33Amy Winehouse used to live literally around the corner.

38:39The original area of the apartment were 40 square metres.

38:44And then with the project we included a new mezzanine which added 14 square metres.

38:49So at the end we ended up with 54 square metres of area.

38:57When we found the flat it had a small kitchenette and it had a small bathroom.

39:03The first thing that we did was just to scale up the volume in the middle in order to create

39:08different private spaces.

39:09But everything within the same open space.

39:15The first space that you discover once you come up from the entrance is the open plan kitchen and dining.

39:26Immediately in front of you, you have a long unit where all the appliances that doesn't require any height are

39:33located.

39:34You have the dishwasher, oven, cooker and the wash basin as well.

39:42We also decided to have some open shelves for the kitchen.

39:47It's nice to see some of the elements when you are cooking without opening cabinets.

39:56Immediately to the right of the kitchen is where the opportunity was to allocate those higher appliances like the fridge

40:03freezer unit.

40:07Also some storage.

40:16And most importantly, you have what we used to call the coffee temple, which is this niche with a coffee

40:24machine which we really loved.

40:32The living room is one of our favourite places of the design.

40:39When you are sitting in the living room, what you see is just a big gallery.

40:45And then when you actually see into detail, you find a staircase that leads you to the sleeping area.

40:55We also have a small balcony together with a big window facing to a very green area of the property.

41:07The sleeping area is located in the central part of the apartment on top of the volume.

41:13The bed sits flat on the floor. It's a Japanese style bed.

41:17And the idea is for it to be hidden by the parapets that surround the central volume so you don't

41:23see a bed popping out.

41:29It also has a working space area with a foldable desk to create more space when it's required.

41:38The great thing about this mezzanine is that you can actually visualise the whole space from this platform.

41:46As we are sitting in a loft space, the heat tends to go all the way up.

41:51So these skylights allow the air to come out.

41:56The bathroom is located within the central cube.

42:01It is the only place of the flat where we decide that a bright shade of colour was required.

42:08Because it's contained, it doesn't have any natural light coming through.

42:13The cabinetry of the bathroom is also very simple and is completely covered with a mirror to make the space

42:20feel bigger.

42:25I think designing small spaces is quite challenging.

42:28We need to create flexible, usable spaces which will allow you to use the space in a very clever way.

42:36Using single and minimalistic lines has always helped make the spaces feel a little bit bigger.

42:44London has grown from 7 million habitants to 8 million habitants in the last 10 years.

42:49That means that we require more flexible and dynamic spaces in order to accommodate this growing population.

42:58Properties that used to be a single family home, like the one we're sitting in right now,

43:03can very easily be splitted in separate units.

43:06And you can, in a very, very small footprint, achieve the same that you used to achieve before.

43:18What does a magazine look like when you jam it full of intoxicating Greekness,

43:22Dreamlike Logic,

43:23Compeggi's Convertible Creations,

43:25Roboty Sculptures,

43:27Jaime Hion's Contagious Creative Compulsions,

43:30Intimate Home Portraits from Japan,

43:31and Enzo Mari-inspired Creatures?

43:33Well, it looks like this, and this, and this, this, this, this, and this.

43:39And it includes sexy as hell small apartments from Amsterdam, Athens, and Milan too.

43:45As well as a spectacular archive of stickers and labels telling stories of design histories.

43:50And it also features the 100% definitive and scientifically proven principles of timeless design.

43:56Disclaimer, not 100% definitive or scientifically proven.

43:58Wait, there's more!

44:00There is a salami factory turned art museum, and there are very un-kitcheny kitchens,

44:05laundries, legacies, mythology, and some seriously hot pots.

44:09Oh my!

44:10Get your copy now!

44:18The idea for this flat was to create different areas where the client could feel cozy,

44:23making the spaces look larger and full of storage.

44:28When we initially started working on the project, the colour was not the main idea.

44:35It's not a space where we can put many elements,

44:37so it was actually with the colour where we found this cozeness.

44:43So it's not that they came and they say, I want a colourful house,

44:46but trying to make the space look like what they're trying to achieve,

44:50colour was the solution.

44:53We wanted to use Victorian period materials and details,

44:58such as the metro green tiles and copper finish of the kitchen counter.

45:03By mixing colours with the historical features of the flat,

45:06we can create a modern flat while still maintaining its historical past.

45:21This flat is located in King's Cross, in central London.

45:25King's Cross was originally an industrial hub and has since evolved into one of London's most dynamic neighbourhoods.

45:32The building was constructed in 1912 by the Central London Building Company and has become quite an iconic building in

45:40the area.

45:43The flat is 40 square metres.

45:47The owners are young professionals that work nearby.

45:52When I first saw the flat, it was old and dark and lacked storage.

45:58It's a one bedroom, a separate kitchen and bathroom and a living room.

46:05In terms of the layout, we only changed the floor plan in the bathroom,

46:09moving the toilet and the sink to the rear wall to allow for more space and to have the full

46:14-size bathtub.

46:16The rest of the renovation was more about optimising storage and functions in each of the rooms.

46:27The colours start at the front door, which we repainted in red.

46:31The owners had renovated the corridor before we worked on the project.

46:38It's a small corridor, surrounded by a dado rail on the walls that separates the painting section from the wallpaper.

46:48The owners loved to cook and entertain, so the kitchen was really important and the first step in our renovations.

46:57We worked with them to choose the rich green metro tiles from Solu Ceramics for the splash back,

47:02and different shades of green paint for the cabinetry and walls.

47:07Using the same colour broadens the visual perception of the room, making it appear a bit larger than it is.

47:15We heat all the appliances behind cabinet doors and added more storage by including wall cabinets and a tall full

47:24-height cabinet at the end of the kitchen.

47:28For the countertop, we chose copper for its warm stones.

47:32The copper patinas over time will use, which is something the client loves.

47:39The kitchen has fluted windows facing the external courtyard.

47:43It lets in a lot of light during the day, but maintains privacy without requiring curtains or blinds.

47:51There are two large structural columns that split the kitchen into two parts.

47:55We left space behind one of the beams, to be used to put items behind.

48:00The front, with the stove and fridge, and the back, with the sink, washing machine and boiler.

48:08Under the upper storage cabinets, we added LED lights to illuminate the counter and act as accent lighting in the

48:15evenings.

48:16For the floors, we decided on black and white floor tiles by Mattonelle Margarita.

48:22They introduced a playful fabric-like pattern.

48:28The living room was designed to serve as a comfortable sitting room, an office and a guest bedroom.

48:35We wanted to keep a chest of drawers which were cherry in colour, so we chose red in the living

48:41room to match these drawers.

48:43We added fiberboard shelves just below the ceiling and painted them in the same red as the ceiling and trim.

48:51They give a perception of height and seem to dissolve when viewed from certain angles.

48:57The custom sofa is red to match the walls.

49:00It's a generous size sofa that doubles as a guest bed.

49:05While the white provides a neutral setting for the art that they've collected during the travels.

49:11We decided to keep the original fireplace in the corner of the living room and painted it in red to

49:17blend in with the rest of the apartment.

49:21The main light in the room is one from La Redoute.

49:25It has these rattan pieces that create a mobile and looks like an art piece.

49:31The idea of having wall lights is to have secondary lighting that is more cosy than the ceiling light.

49:38They are plugged into a socket, no need for an electrician.

49:44The owners were using the camping table as their coffee table.

49:48When it came time to choose a new table, they wanted something that could still retain the flexibility.

49:56The new table can be opened and made bigger, turning into a dining table that can seat up to 6

50:03people.

50:04The height adjustment is great for having dinner in front of the TV.

50:08We all do it, so it might as well be comfortable.

50:14An L-shaped bench creates seating for visitors while providing storage for the record collections below.

50:21It also conceals the room's radiator.

50:26When using the extendable coffee table, the bench area transforms into a dining nook in the evenings.

50:36We custom-built shelving on the corner of the living room for drinks and glasses.

50:41There is a drink card that can easily be moved around the room.

50:46Next to the door of the living room, we added a desk.

50:50Fixing the desk to the wall means it didn't take up valuable floor space,

50:55so items can be stored underneath and a comfortable desk chair can be used.

50:59The top of the desk was also tapered inward to allow for easier movement around the space.

51:09The bedroom was the last place we worked on.

51:13Our aim was to create as much storage as we could.

51:18Everything had to be functional and help with the storage problem we had.

51:23It originally had some wall shelves and wardrobe by the door, which we extended all the way up to the

51:30ceiling.

51:31And added another wardrobe on the adjacent wall.

51:35We added paneling with wallpaper from ROMO to the wardrobes, walls and ceiling,

51:41to give the impression of having windows with the nature behind them.

51:49The new queen-size bed from Picolin also has storage space underneath for seasonal items.

51:56Just like in the living room, we added a high shelf around the room for extra storage.

52:02The custom bedside tables are attached to the walls.

52:06They are curved and angled around the corners of the room to maximize the available space.

52:13We used the same method to create a new dressing table by the entrance.

52:18It was something we added later on in the design process,

52:21but turned out to be handy space to get ready in the mornings or as a temporary desk when both

52:27are working from home.

52:32In the bathroom, the focus was on maximizing light and storage.

52:37We changed the layout to make more space around the toilet and sink.

52:41This gave us room to add a larger storage unit on the three walls,

52:45which provides a lot of storage while reflecting the space to make the room feel bigger.

52:50There was an old fireplace in the bathroom, which now serves as extra storage.

52:56A bathtub was one of the non-negotiables the owners had in the brief.

53:01We found a narrow model that doesn't block the entrance.

53:06The yellow tiles are handmade in Morocco and the glossy texture serves as a reflection.

53:13Grey concrete tiles were chosen for the rest of the walls.

53:16The owners installed a translucent yellow curtain.

53:20Being able to see through the curtain helps to keep the space feeling open.

53:25Above the sink, we added a wire shelf for extra linen.

53:34When I work on a project, I believe every part of the house and every object that is there, it

53:40has to meet a function.

53:42We usually design a large part of the pieces in our interior design project to measure.

53:49My approach begins with planning the layout before focusing on the style or decoration.

53:55This ensures the room flows well, makes the most storage and creates distinct zones for different experiences.

54:11The house is located in East London.

54:14This building was a carpenter workshop and as we have our house down the road, I knew the carpenter very

54:21well.

54:22And when he retired, I got the opportunity to buy the workshop.

54:34The townhouse here is 40 square meters. It has a footprint of 20 square meters.

54:42It was always two floors, but we lifted the roof half a meter so we could get a mezzanine in.

54:52One of the things when you have a very small space is height.

54:56If you can create some height, it doesn't feel small.

55:00So you have that much more generous feel of space because you have a good height up here.

55:08Instead of making a bedroom with walls and doors, I make this built-in bed pot.

55:16When you go to bed, you are kind of enclosed, so it feels like a tree house or another little

55:23house inside the house.

55:28It's not really designed with the amount of people in mind.

55:32I think two people would live here comfortably, maybe with a kid.

55:36It could be. It's small, but definitely two people could comfortably be here.

55:43I like to use colours, but in kind of more interventions like colourful chairs.

55:50We have Joe Niemeyer's pictures on the wall here and downstairs.

55:55Very graphical, but also quite primary colours.

56:01The bathroom is bright yellow.

56:04Yellow is kind of, I find, a very happy colour.

56:06Like the sunflower and, you know, it's the sunshine.

56:11And I like that kind of, it's a bit of a surprise when you walk in.

56:15That is that very strong one colour.

56:18At the same time, the house is quite calm with its white walls and wood,

56:23but still some playfulness with some different accents of colours.

56:28I furnished the house with chairs and also tables that is upcycled from old chairs and tables that I picked

56:37up in the street or in junk shops.

56:40This is frames that I have stripped.

56:43I made up the seats and the backs and do the upholsteries.

56:46And similar with the table, the kitchen table is an old school table that I just put a marble top

56:52on and had, you know, powder coated in white.

56:55They're quite cartoonish and fun, you know, in their shapes and a bit exaggerated shapes.

56:59It gives the space more personality.

57:03I generally always have very narrow tables.

57:06And most of my interior design tend to get quite narrow tables.

57:10I kind of like that idea.

57:12When you sit at the table, you're quite close together.

57:16And I tend to have then more space at the end of the tables for dishes and things you would

57:21leave on the table.

57:24The lamps are designed for this house here.

57:27It's designed in a square wooden section in oak.

57:33To maximise the light in the space, we have put in a big skylight, which is south-facing.

57:41Which we then also transfer down to the lower ground floor with a big glass panel in the floor.

57:51It's something that I'm always very keen on to get a maximum amount of daylight or create the illusion of

57:59daylight.

58:00Because that is a very, I mean, essential thing in any space, but particularly in a small space.

58:07I often use one material.

58:10So I have these kind of like continuous surfaces when it's possible, like downstairs where you see the floor goes

58:17into the kitchen as one surface.

58:19Yeah, one material to avoid sharp corners.

58:23Like in any small spaces, you have to find places where you can put your storage, kind of hide it

58:28away.

58:29So here we have storage under the bed.

58:32We've got storage under the stairs.

58:35In the kitchen, we have obviously like a dishwasher and a washing machine and appliances that are needed.

58:44We've got a hot boiling tap, so we don't need to have a kettle there.

58:50In small spaces, every little square inch matters.

58:55So it's more like designing a boat or a caravan.

58:58How do you create comfortable bedding?

59:01How do you create enough storage and comfortable seating that doesn't take up space you haven't got?

59:07And I think the compromise is that if it's well designed, it doesn't feel smaller.

Category

Transcript

Comments

Recommended