Houzz Tour: A Bright Makeover for a Small, Dingy Flat
Bold colours and creative solutions bring personality and a sense of space to a couple’s compact apartment
Amanda Pollard
22 September 2019
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors... More
When first-time buyers Craig and Sian moved into their tiny one-bedroom conversion flat, the space felt cramped and dingy. So they searched on Houzz for a suitable designer where they found Omar Bhatti of Space Shack. They asked the designer to bring some life to their new home and help them make the most of the space.
Flat at a Glance
Who lives here? Newly married couple Craig and Sian
Location North London
Property A ground-floor conversion flat
Size One bedroom and one bathroom
Designer Omar Bhatti at Space Shack
Photos by Chris Snook
“People are often afraid of using strong colours in a small space, but in fact, bold shades can really help to lift a tiny room,” Omar says. “So we were really happy that Craig and Sian shared our love of bold colour.”
Walls painted in Starry Night, Valspar. Grey sofa, Camerich. Rug, West Elm.
Who lives here? Newly married couple Craig and Sian
Location North London
Property A ground-floor conversion flat
Size One bedroom and one bathroom
Designer Omar Bhatti at Space Shack
Photos by Chris Snook
“People are often afraid of using strong colours in a small space, but in fact, bold shades can really help to lift a tiny room,” Omar says. “So we were really happy that Craig and Sian shared our love of bold colour.”
Walls painted in Starry Night, Valspar. Grey sofa, Camerich. Rug, West Elm.
Omar presented Craig and Sian with a variety of colour swatches for the living room and they finally settled on a deep blue for the walls. He then added warmth by introducing orange tones in the textiles and accessories, and green in the form of houseplants.
Ceiling light, Spark & Bell. Cushions, Heal’s and Swoon Editions.
Ceiling light, Spark & Bell. Cushions, Heal’s and Swoon Editions.
A terrazzo side table brings a contemporary feel and complements the graphic artwork and geometric designs on the rug and cushions.
“The stone grey sofa helps to anchor the scheme,” Omar says.
Terrazzo side table, Article. Lamp, H&M Home.
“The stone grey sofa helps to anchor the scheme,” Omar says.
Terrazzo side table, Article. Lamp, H&M Home.
The whole space was replastered, and new radiators were fitted.
Hem Orange Hide side table, Opumo. Chunky-knit throw, Debenhams.
Hem Orange Hide side table, Opumo. Chunky-knit throw, Debenhams.
Handmade shelves were painted in the same colour as the wall, forming an uninterrupted backdrop to a bright, fun display of accessories.
Brackets, Trouva.
Brackets, Trouva.
Before Photo
The kitchen was originally a separate room, but Omar opened up the space by removing the door and side wall.
“The floor was really uneven and needed to be replaced,” Omar says. To give the space a continuous flow, herringbone vinyl tiles now feature throughout the hall, kitchen and living room.
Vinyl floor tiles, Moduleo. Hallway wall painted in Silver Thistle Down, Valspar.
Vinyl floor tiles, Moduleo. Hallway wall painted in Silver Thistle Down, Valspar.
Omar removed the original cabinets and replaced them with flat-fronted matt grey units and a white quartz worktop.
A boiling-water tap saves space on the work surfaces, as there’s no need for a kettle.
A boiling-water tap saves space on the work surfaces, as there’s no need for a kettle.
“We really wanted to give Craig and Sian their first dining area, as they’d always eaten on their laps,” Omar says. A laminated breakfast bar helps to hide the washing machine, while providing an eating zone and an extra work surface.
“We always try to make the most of dual-purpose furniture and utilise vertical areas in a small space,” Omar says.
Kitchen cabinets and breakfast bar, Kütchenhaus. Bar stools, Hay. Appliances, CDA. Boiling-water tap, Victorian Plumbing.
“We always try to make the most of dual-purpose furniture and utilise vertical areas in a small space,” Omar says.
Kitchen cabinets and breakfast bar, Kütchenhaus. Bar stools, Hay. Appliances, CDA. Boiling-water tap, Victorian Plumbing.
Matt white square tiles with light grey grouting form a simple, practical splashback. The deep green walls offset the bright white of the tiles and worktop.
Check out 7 ways simple square tiles can transform your walls.
Check out 7 ways simple square tiles can transform your walls.
Open shelves are ideal for displaying plants and books and stop the cabinets feeling too overbearing.
Omar also added a wire shelving unit for items such as jars and herbs, so Sian and Craig can access them easily.
Wire shelving unit, Cox & Cox.
Wire shelving unit, Cox & Cox.
Dark green tones give the bedroom a calm feel. “I took the opportunity to be creative with colour blocking,” Omar says. The darker green surrounds the cosy sleeping area, while the lighter hue lifts the space above.
“We also wanted to add an element of tranquility throughout the home with houseplants, but in the bedroom, the lack of light made this tricky,” Omar explains. He got around it by mixing real plants with good-quality faux foliage.
Walls painted in Nature Lover (top) and Thunderbolt, both Valspar. Faux foliage, Abigail Ahern and H&M Home.
Tell us…
What do you like about this creatively designed small flat? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
“We also wanted to add an element of tranquility throughout the home with houseplants, but in the bedroom, the lack of light made this tricky,” Omar explains. He got around it by mixing real plants with good-quality faux foliage.
Walls painted in Nature Lover (top) and Thunderbolt, both Valspar. Faux foliage, Abigail Ahern and H&M Home.
Tell us…
What do you like about this creatively designed small flat? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
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Yes, good idea that one, Little Jem, or you can buy that tiered shelving so tins/foodstuffs are visible and more accessible but a drawer... or 2 or 3(!) in fact... defo needed for cutlery, flat cooking utensils, a rolling pin, baking trays, silver foil, place mats & candles to name a few items that are in mine...
Hi everyone, this is my house and I'm so glad to see it's receiving so much praise!
To answer some of the questions being asked:
1) Access into our house is through a main front door, then into another door into our living room (not through the garden)
2) The kitchen was an amazing redesign by the Kutchenhaus team, and the washing machine location is no bother at all
3) We have a floor to ceiling fridge freezer which sits behind one of the grey cupboards, next to that is a full size pantry unit. We also have a small dishwasher - every appliance we put on our wish list they found space for!
4) We have drawers within cupboards, and many secret spaces in the kitchen for things. There's a cupboard above the oven which fits lots of spices in for example
5) Our flat is also a 2-bedroomed small flat, it's a shame the pictures of the smaller bedroom (through the green kitchen doors) aren't available. We thought about knocking it down and making the kitchen bigger, but alas we'd probably lose money on our property in doing so...
6) Our bedroom is a little darker than the other rooms, but personally we like how cosy it feels
Omar was a wonderful designer to work with, and I'd like to add that my husband and I went into this project knowing exactly what we wanted from colours, tones, the two-tone effect in our bedroom and even the items to increase space in our flat. We are a colourful, creative pair! My Pinterest board and ideas were physically brought to life in every space - so for that, thank you Omar!
The use of color in this stunning space is wonderful. Top picks:
1) The tone-on-tone green in the bedroom is so cozy
2) The bright jewel-tone blue where the accessories shelf sits is bold & ballsy!
3) That rainbow of colors in the living room feels light & fresh
Well done! Loving every little piece of this project!!