This small apartment in Brighton has bags of big ideas
Small apartment success - a once sorry looking bedsit is now a cool and compact abode
Location, location, location: it's an important factor and it's why many people prefer a small apartment somewhere central, to a larger place further out when looking for their new modern home.
Nothing demonstrates this more than the apartment that's narrower than a London bus.
The design project ahead is not as extreme an example, but maximising space was the priority for the clients that came to Marc and Edwina Boase, a husband and wife interior architect and interior design team.
THE PROPERTY
A one-bedroom apartment in Brighton, with views across the South Downs.
See Also: Inside an architect's tiny Brooklyn loft apartment – it's full of space-saving ideas
The couple had wanted a 'doer upper' and had purchased a sorry looking bedsit at an affordable price. Centrally located in Brighton, with easy access to the buzzy bars and cool shops in the North Lanes, as well as the beach and countryside, they knew it had bags of potential but were stumped with what to do with the property, so they approached Marc and Edwina, who they'd met through friends.
LIVING SPACE
Marc and Edwina's challenge was to maximise every inch of space, adding a much-needed bedroom whilst not compromising on the flow of space, light and air.
Be The First To Know
The Livingetc newsletter is your shortcut to the now and the next in home design. Subscribe today to receive a stunning free 200-page book of the best homes from around the world.
The concept of the partition wall was that it offered seating, storage, interactive art display and a small dining area, enabling their creative clients an ongoing opportunity to update and style the compact living room with ease, whilst adding the required bedroom.
Their approach to the project was to create a stylish, calm and coherent aesthetic that flowed throughout; incorporating natural materials such as olive ash wood, cork with a pared-back earthy colour palette that wouldn’t date, bringing a sense of warmth and calm to the space.
The pendant over the table is the Filagrane by Established & Sons.
They've even managed to squeeze in a stylish home office into what was once a boiler storage area. The desk chair is from &Tradition.
Marc and Edwina looked to Japanese architecture and design to draw inspiration, specifying sliding pocket doors throughout and sliding reeded glass windows into the newly added bedroom and shower-room ensuring natural light and air flow through every room regardless of whether there was an external window.
See Also: A Serene Covent Garden Apartment With Japandi Style
Clever details like this recessed shelving area and the wall light from Astro Lighting save space and provide bedside storage.
The previously shabby bathroom is now a slick shower room kitted out with an Aquadec wet room system and clad in beautiful zellige tiles from Marazzi Tile.
The layout re-configuration included additional structural openings. Installing pocket sliding doors and underfloor heating throughout freed up crucial space, making the studio redesign as versatile as possible.
Wall shelving up to the ceiling makes the most of unused space. Japanese Raku Kyoto tiles from Claybrook complement the zen aesthetic while adding a splash of colour. The chunky worktop surface by Neolith works well with the porcelain floor tiles.
See Also: Modern wood kitchen ideas
See more modern homes
Jacky Parker is a London-based freelance journalist and content creator, specialising in interiors, travel and food. From buying guides and real home case studies to shopping and news pages, she produces a wide range of features for national magazines and SEO content for websites
A long-time contributor to Livingetc, as a member of the team, she regularly reports on the latest trends, speaking to experts and discovering the latest tips. Jacky has also written for other publications such as Homes and Gardens, Ideal Home, Red, Grand Designs, Sunday Times Style and AD, Country Homes and Interiors and ELLE Decoration.
-
What We’re Coveting From Habitat This Entertaining Season
Find the pieces on our nice list this year at this exclusive pop-up...
By Sponsored Published
-
Cups, But Sexy — The Only 6 Sipping Essentials You Need This Hosting Season
Pour into cups for every holiday occasion and get ready to charm, surprise, and delight your guests
By Julia Demer Published
-
Tour a mid-century house in Philadelphia with a modern take on Mad Men style
This mid-century house in Philadelphia is a modern take on mid-century design and the perfect backdrop for this enviable collection of art and objects
By Livingetc Last updated
-
This modern Edwardian house in Melbourne is small but mighty
It may be small, but thanks to its ingenious design, this Edwardian house in Melbourne makes family living a breeze
By Livingetc Last updated
-
Old meets new in this apartment in New York's East Village - a former community centre built in 1860
The owner of this loft-style apartment in New York's East Village mixes ancient and modern with timeworn pieces, design classics and his own abstract art...
By Livingetc Last updated
-
Explore this super-contemporary coastal house in Cornwall
This coastal house in Cornwall is all about drinking in the uninterrupted views of nature at its most raw, most pure…
By Livingetc Last updated
-
Explore this spacious detached 1900s house in southeast London with stylish modern interiors
Edgy textures, luxe materials and a mix of vintage and bargain buys transformed a blank detached 1900s house in southeast London into a home full of personality.
By Livingetc Last updated
-
This large house in west London is minimal yet playful
A firefighter’s pole in the kitchen and a slide down the stairs? This house in west London proves minimalism can also be fun.
By Livingetc Last updated
-
Inside A Clever Garden Room That Doubles As A Chic Guest House
This striking garden room design incorporates a sleeping area, kitchenette, loo and shower, as well as plenty of storage space, making it ideal as both a self-contained guest house or a restful retreat to escape to.
By Lotte Brouwer Published
-
This light and bright Victorian terrace in west London is relaxed yet stylish
This chic Victorian terrace in west London is full of clever ideas that allow it to evolve.
By Livingetc Last updated