Houzz Tour: A Compact New-build Flat Gets a Colourful Update
Building layers of texture and colour through furniture and soft furnishings creates a bright, homely feel in this one-bedroom new build
For a newly purchased home-for-one in a new-build development in London, interior designer Bhavin Taylor wanted to bring colour and character to the space through carefully chosen artwork and furniture. One of the benefits of the property being a new build was that no heavy work needed to be done, the kitchen, bathroom and flooring were all in place, and the walls had been painted. This kept costs down considerably for the project, and allowed Bhavin to focus on bringing out the owner’s taste and character in the furnishings.
Bhavin used the owner’s existing art collection as the starting point for much of his design, bringing out the colours in the furniture and accessories. He wanted to create an eclectic feel that melded artwork from India with contemporary pieces, bright colours and even a few antiques. The apartment didn’t have any furniture in it when it was bought, and almost all of the pieces were purchased specifically for the space – no mean feat on a tight budget of just £4,500. ‘You don’t have to break the bank to have something that looks great,’ Bhavin says, and his careful selection of high street pieces paired with second-hand finds proves just that.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A young professional
Location London
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Designer Bhavin Taylor of Bhavin Taylor Design
Bhavin used the owner’s existing art collection as the starting point for much of his design, bringing out the colours in the furniture and accessories. He wanted to create an eclectic feel that melded artwork from India with contemporary pieces, bright colours and even a few antiques. The apartment didn’t have any furniture in it when it was bought, and almost all of the pieces were purchased specifically for the space – no mean feat on a tight budget of just £4,500. ‘You don’t have to break the bank to have something that looks great,’ Bhavin says, and his careful selection of high street pieces paired with second-hand finds proves just that.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A young professional
Location London
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Designer Bhavin Taylor of Bhavin Taylor Design
Bhavin picked the colours for the chairs using the clients’ existing artworks as a basis. ‘The client had two pieces of art that are now side by side in the living room. The first thing I did was lay out the pictures and use colours from them as my starting point,’ he explains. Doing so means that, while the dining and living areas feel quite separate, the layers of colour all tie into one another to give a cohesive feel.
Discover more contemporary white kitchen schemes
Discover more contemporary white kitchen schemes
As the main living area is open-plan, Bhavin wanted to create a different feel in each section. ‘I wanted to separate the living area from the rest of the space,’ he says, ‘so I introduced lots of layers and built up colour and pattern.’
The charcoal sofa was chosen first, then other furniture and accessories based on the colours in the artworks were added. Bhavin found the sideboard at a charity shop, bringing in a retro touch. The wooden side table was also a charity shop find.
Bhavin advises patience when hunting for charity and junk shop bargains. ‘One time you’ll go in and they’ll have loads of stuff, and the next time nothing. You have to have the patience to keep going, and also make sure you buy in the moment,’ he says.
Sofa and coffee table, Habitat.
The charcoal sofa was chosen first, then other furniture and accessories based on the colours in the artworks were added. Bhavin found the sideboard at a charity shop, bringing in a retro touch. The wooden side table was also a charity shop find.
Bhavin advises patience when hunting for charity and junk shop bargains. ‘One time you’ll go in and they’ll have loads of stuff, and the next time nothing. You have to have the patience to keep going, and also make sure you buy in the moment,’ he says.
Sofa and coffee table, Habitat.
One of the only items the owner brought with him along with the artworks was this armchair. It’s an antique piece, and Bhavin decided to give it a modern update with a punchy orange throw.
The rug was a key find. ‘That rug is the perfect fit,’ Bhavin says. ‘It repeats all of the colours, separates the area from the rest of the space and ties it together.’ The floor lamp has a similar effect, and incorporates many of the colours used in the scheme. ‘There was a big, empty space there, and the lamp adds a pop of colour and moves the eye up and down,’ he explains.
Rug, Habitat. Floor lamp base, Ikea. Lampshade, Humblesticks.
The rug was a key find. ‘That rug is the perfect fit,’ Bhavin says. ‘It repeats all of the colours, separates the area from the rest of the space and ties it together.’ The floor lamp has a similar effect, and incorporates many of the colours used in the scheme. ‘There was a big, empty space there, and the lamp adds a pop of colour and moves the eye up and down,’ he explains.
Rug, Habitat. Floor lamp base, Ikea. Lampshade, Humblesticks.
The cushions were finishing touches brought in towards the end. ‘With this project, a lot of it evolved over time,’ the designer says. ‘It was a process of bringing things in gradually to spread the cost, so it built up in layers.’
A desk area was a must -have for the client, but, given the space restrictions, Bhavin didn’t want it to be visually obvious all the time. ‘Using a bureau means you can hide the desk away, and you have the flexibility of pulling a dining chair over as and when you need it,’ he says.
Cushions, John Lewis, HomeSense and Pattern Lounge. Yellow lamp, Fenwick.
A desk area was a must -have for the client, but, given the space restrictions, Bhavin didn’t want it to be visually obvious all the time. ‘Using a bureau means you can hide the desk away, and you have the flexibility of pulling a dining chair over as and when you need it,’ he says.
Cushions, John Lewis, HomeSense and Pattern Lounge. Yellow lamp, Fenwick.
In the bedroom, Bhavin decided to go for something different to the living space. ‘I wanted to make it feel more masculine by using darker wood,’ he says. ‘The client already had the map, and this became the basis for this room’s blue, yellow and grey colour scheme, which works so nicely with the dark wood.’
Chest of drawers and mirror, Ikea.
Check out 8 ways to add character to a new build
Chest of drawers and mirror, Ikea.
Check out 8 ways to add character to a new build
‘There was absolutely nothing to start with in here, so the priority was the bed and storage,’ says Bhavin. The wardrobe, although it looks built-in, is actually a freestanding piece. ‘The extra height makes it feel as if it’s meant to be there,’ he says, ‘and the glass adds a bit of reflection and bounces natural light around the room.’
Bhavin felt that two bedside tables would be too much for the space and opted instead for a light, white side table.
Wardrobe, Ikea. Bed, Warren Evans. Bed linen, West Elm. Throw, John Lewis. Bedside table, Habitat.
Bhavin felt that two bedside tables would be too much for the space and opted instead for a light, white side table.
Wardrobe, Ikea. Bed, Warren Evans. Bed linen, West Elm. Throw, John Lewis. Bedside table, Habitat.
The brand new bathroom was already fitted and the client was happy with the clean and bright scheme, so this room didn’t require any design work.
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Dining table, Ikea.