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Houzz Tour: Boosting Light and Space in a Lower Ground Floor Flat
Before and after shots show how clever structural changes have opened up this flat while new glazing pulls in more light
Lower ground floor flats can suffer from a lack of light, and this one in west London was no exception. When Amit Malhotra of Aflux Designs was asked to redesign and renovate it, the brief was to bring in more light and improve the size of the kitchen.
The owner found Amit on Houzz and was intrigued to see a similar project he’d worked on in her street in Notting Hill. “She was keen to find out what tricks we had for boosting light and maximising storage,” he says. “Obviously, lower ground floor flats can be tricky and the idea was to make it feel more spacious and homely.”
To see more great projects where the homeowner found their professional via Houzz, take a look at our Born on Houzz series.
The owner found Amit on Houzz and was intrigued to see a similar project he’d worked on in her street in Notting Hill. “She was keen to find out what tricks we had for boosting light and maximising storage,” he says. “Obviously, lower ground floor flats can be tricky and the idea was to make it feel more spacious and homely.”
To see more great projects where the homeowner found their professional via Houzz, take a look at our Born on Houzz series.
This floorplan shows the old layout of the flat on the left, and the new plan on the right.
The kitchen originally had two doorways into it. “It was in the corner looking quite dismal, with a bit of unusable space in between it and the living room, and the light was pretty bad,” Amit says. “When the door was closed, the living room looked a lot smaller, too.”
Now the rooms are open plan, and losing one of the kitchen doorways gave Amit the opportunity to create a second bathroom.
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The kitchen originally had two doorways into it. “It was in the corner looking quite dismal, with a bit of unusable space in between it and the living room, and the light was pretty bad,” Amit says. “When the door was closed, the living room looked a lot smaller, too.”
Now the rooms are open plan, and losing one of the kitchen doorways gave Amit the opportunity to create a second bathroom.
Find reviewed architects and interior designers in your area on Houzz.
This shot of the previous kitchen shows how the door from the hallway (just glimpsed on the right) took up valuable space.
“The kitchen was dated when we began work,” Amit says. “The flat was liveable but plain, with dark floors, white ceilings and standard-height doors.”
“The kitchen was dated when we began work,” Amit says. “The flat was liveable but plain, with dark floors, white ceilings and standard-height doors.”
In the new kitchen layout, the hob, which contains an integrated extractor, the fridge, and most of the storage is on the left of the space.
“We debated whether to have the hob on the breakfast bar, but the idea was that, as there isn’t a separate dining area, it would be a completely clean surface where the owner could hold the majority of her get-togethers with friends,” Amit says.
Hob with extractor, Bora.
“We debated whether to have the hob on the breakfast bar, but the idea was that, as there isn’t a separate dining area, it would be a completely clean surface where the owner could hold the majority of her get-togethers with friends,” Amit says.
Hob with extractor, Bora.
The flat has high ceilings, but Amit chose not to fit cupboards all the way to the top. “We didn’t want to overly clutter the space with cabinets,” he says, “so we fitted shelves on this side of the kitchen.”
The oven is also a microwave, installed at head height for ease of use. There’s a boiling-water tap, too, helping to free up space on the work surface.
Kitchen, Kitchen Architecture.
The oven is also a microwave, installed at head height for ease of use. There’s a boiling-water tap, too, helping to free up space on the work surface.
Kitchen, Kitchen Architecture.
Between the kitchen and living area, a bar was installed to fit neatly between the wall nibs, with a mirror behind to help reflect light around the room.
Bar, Kitchen Architecture.
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Bar, Kitchen Architecture.
Discover why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software.
This area now functions as one cooking, dining and entertaining space. “We were maybe going to build banquette seating and have a dining table here, but as the space was quite tight, we decided that wouldn’t be flexible enough,” Amit says.
“This niche was always here, so we turned it into an art wall instead, with lighting to make a feature of it,” he adds. “The image is of the owner and her father.”
The owner sourced the furniture in the flat, including the bar stools.
“This niche was always here, so we turned it into an art wall instead, with lighting to make a feature of it,” he adds. “The image is of the owner and her father.”
The owner sourced the furniture in the flat, including the bar stools.
The owner wanted a clean, modern look throughout, which included dark tones on the floor and furniture. “We have some period elements, too,” Amit says. “We didn’t change the sash windows and we added some panelling via the joinery and in the hallway, but with a modern touch. We didn’t put in any cornicing, though. Everything is quite straight and simple.”
Walls painted in Ammonite; skirting boards and ceiling painted in Strong White, all Farrow & Ball. Engineered wood flooring, Havwoods.
Walls painted in Ammonite; skirting boards and ceiling painted in Strong White, all Farrow & Ball. Engineered wood flooring, Havwoods.
The living room before.
Amit had the joinery made bespoke for the alcoves, and it extends right up to the ceiling. It’s painted with a dark backdrop to tie in with the other dark elements in the flat, including the kitchen, sofa and Crittall doors.
“The owner wasn’t scared to go darker,” he says. “Just because it’s a lower ground floor flat doesn’t mean you have to make everything light. I like the moodiness of it.”
The fire is a bioethanol model. “We get more and more people wanting biofuel,” Amit says. “They don’t want the hassle of sticking a flue through the building.”
Fire, Chesneys. Joinery painted in Ammonite, Farrow & Ball. Cupboard handles, Etsy.
More: What is a Bioethanol Fire and Should I Get One?
“The owner wasn’t scared to go darker,” he says. “Just because it’s a lower ground floor flat doesn’t mean you have to make everything light. I like the moodiness of it.”
The fire is a bioethanol model. “We get more and more people wanting biofuel,” Amit says. “They don’t want the hassle of sticking a flue through the building.”
Fire, Chesneys. Joinery painted in Ammonite, Farrow & Ball. Cupboard handles, Etsy.
More: What is a Bioethanol Fire and Should I Get One?
Originally, double wooden doors led from the hallway into the living room.
Amit designed in glass doors to ceiling height to replace the original wooden doors, allowing the light to flow much more freely between the spaces.
Steel and glass doors, Crittall.
Steel and glass doors, Crittall.
At the end of the entrance hall, a mirrored door leads to a utility and storage room containing a washing machine, dryer and clothes-drying area.
“We tiled the floor in that area to make it feel separate,” Amit says. “The frameless mirror door leads into the utility, but guests don’t realise that’s a door, they just see it as a mirror. The only person who knows it’s a utility room where you put all your junk is the owner!” Using a mirror helps the space feel roomier and lighter, too.
“We tiled the floor in that area to make it feel separate,” Amit says. “The frameless mirror door leads into the utility, but guests don’t realise that’s a door, they just see it as a mirror. The only person who knows it’s a utility room where you put all your junk is the owner!” Using a mirror helps the space feel roomier and lighter, too.
The hallway now has a delicate panelled effect. “It’s simple beading to stay with the clean feel of the flat,” Amit says.
Walls painted in Strong White, Farrow & Ball.
Walls painted in Strong White, Farrow & Ball.
The master bedroom was completely refurbished and Amit fitted French doors onto an outdoor area at the back of the flat (you can just glimpse the curtain) to pull in more light. He designed full-height storage that was made bespoke for the space, complete with a built-in dressing table.
“We fitted a fan with a light, too, as the lower ground floor can be stuffy,” he says. “It was an easy and affordable win to create more air circulation.”
Wardrobes painted in Purbeck Stone, Farrow & Ball.
More: 19 Built-in Wardrobes to Inspire Your Bedroom Makeover
“We fitted a fan with a light, too, as the lower ground floor can be stuffy,” he says. “It was an easy and affordable win to create more air circulation.”
Wardrobes painted in Purbeck Stone, Farrow & Ball.
More: 19 Built-in Wardrobes to Inspire Your Bedroom Makeover
The existing shower room was refurbished to become a bathroom with a tub.
Tiles, Claybrook.
Tiles, Claybrook.
There had been a larger window in the bathroom overlooking the courtyard, but the lower pane has been covered with a mirror.
Sanitaryware, Crosswater.
Sanitaryware, Crosswater.
Having blocked up one of the original doors into the kitchen, Amit could create a small shower room in its place. “It was quite a tight squeeze, but with the tall ceiling, it doesn’t feel claustrophobic in here,” he says. “An additional bath or shower room always adds value, too.”
Sanitaryware, Crosswater. Vanity unit, Lusso Stone.
Sanitaryware, Crosswater. Vanity unit, Lusso Stone.
The shower area in the new space is lined with square zellige tiles.
The refurbishment work took about four months, and included new wiring and plumbing and a new boiler. “It all went smoothly,” Amit says. “We enjoyed it. The owner was lovely. It was a fun project.”
The owner agrees, and loves the final result. “Amit listened, debated, put forward good ideas and kept us in the loop during the entire process,” she says. “I would definitely work with him again.”
Tiles, Claybrook.
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What do you like best about this city flat? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
The refurbishment work took about four months, and included new wiring and plumbing and a new boiler. “It all went smoothly,” Amit says. “We enjoyed it. The owner was lovely. It was a fun project.”
The owner agrees, and loves the final result. “Amit listened, debated, put forward good ideas and kept us in the loop during the entire process,” she says. “I would definitely work with him again.”
Tiles, Claybrook.
Tell us…
What do you like best about this city flat? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A young professional
Location Notting Hill, London
Property A lower ground floor flat in a building that’s around 100 years old
Size Two bedrooms and two bathrooms
Designer Amit Malhotra of Aflux Designs
Photos by Vigo Jansons
One of the main aims for the renovation was to improve the size of the kitchen. “The owner is young and likes to host, so having an open-plan kitchen and living area suited her,” Amit says.
Structural work to remove the wall between the two areas involved installing a single horizontal steel beam. “We didn’t need any pillars, as we didn’t go further into the party wall to minimise disruption and delays,” Amit says.
He then created a door from the kitchen into the courtyard, where previously there had only been a window. “It brings so much more light into the kitchen and living room,” he says. “Knocking that wall out and fitting a full-height glass door was a bit of a game-changer.”
Aluminium-framed door, Fabco Sanctuary. Walls painted in Ammonite, Farrow & Ball.