Houzz Tours
House Tours
Houzz Tour: Extending Adds Light and Space to a Midcentury Flat
An extension and practical layout give this chic, contemporary apartment a sense of flow
Extra space and more daylight are at the top of many homeowner wish lists and these were certainly priorities for the owners of this London flat. To help them create their desired home, they hired architecture and design firm Studio 212, who drew up plans to extend and reconfigure the layout, as well as guide the couple’s interior design choices.
“We always start by looking for inspiration, so we used Houzz for researching images and collaborating,” architect and interior designer Jolanta Cajzer says. The result is a beautifully designed space that functions perfectly for the family and allows them to introduce their own style and personality.
“We always start by looking for inspiration, so we used Houzz for researching images and collaborating,” architect and interior designer Jolanta Cajzer says. The result is a beautifully designed space that functions perfectly for the family and allows them to introduce their own style and personality.
Here’s the view from the living room before the renovation.
Find architects and interior designers in your area on Houzz.
Find architects and interior designers in your area on Houzz.
The team specified the layout and dimensions of the furniture for their clients, who used the information to pick out suitable items.
Jolanta explains that the living room layout was dictated by a desire to be able to have views in all directions, while still keeping the seating area separate.
The choice of low-profile chairs and sofa ensures an uninterrupted view of the terrace from the seating zone, while narrow legs bring a feeling of space into the area.
Engineered oak flooring, Barlinek. Underfloor heating, Nu-Heat. Sofa and armchairs, Sits. Pendant light, Wayfair.
Jolanta explains that the living room layout was dictated by a desire to be able to have views in all directions, while still keeping the seating area separate.
The choice of low-profile chairs and sofa ensures an uninterrupted view of the terrace from the seating zone, while narrow legs bring a feeling of space into the area.
Engineered oak flooring, Barlinek. Underfloor heating, Nu-Heat. Sofa and armchairs, Sits. Pendant light, Wayfair.
The room was extended out to the terrace by 1.5m and fitted with wide sliding doors, which help to bring the outside in.
The curtains are hung behind an MDF pelmet with LED lighting within the recess to create an ambient glow in the evenings. Lighting elsewhere in the room consists of more LED strips within a recessed ceiling and in the joinery, while spotlights create a clean diffused light when needed.
Curtains, The Curtain Factory.
The curtains are hung behind an MDF pelmet with LED lighting within the recess to create an ambient glow in the evenings. Lighting elsewhere in the room consists of more LED strips within a recessed ceiling and in the joinery, while spotlights create a clean diffused light when needed.
Curtains, The Curtain Factory.
At the same time as renovating the apartment, Jolanta’s team was hired by the residents of the apartment block to upgrade the exterior and communal stairwells of the building.
The apartment’s two terraces (this one is off the living room) were rendered and redesigned to complement the rest of the elevation.
The apartment’s two terraces (this one is off the living room) were rendered and redesigned to complement the rest of the elevation.
This ‘before’ photo of the kitchen terrace shows the extent of the transformation.
Marble-effect flooring in the hallway and kitchen contrast with the warm-toned timber flooring in the living room. The front door is to the left in this photo, while a lift is on the right.
“We used tinted dark glass to clad the elevator,” Jolanta says. “You want to check how you look before you leave the house and there were no walls for a mirror, so we decided to use that surface instead.
“It also hides a secondary door and doubles the amount of light coming into that room,” she adds.
“We used tinted dark glass to clad the elevator,” Jolanta says. “You want to check how you look before you leave the house and there were no walls for a mirror, so we decided to use that surface instead.
“It also hides a secondary door and doubles the amount of light coming into that room,” she adds.
The kitchen was extended in the same way as the living room, which allowed plenty of space for an island. White cabinets with black accents create a clean, airy feel in the room.
LED lighting beneath the cabinets provides a soft glow in the evening.
Kitchen made bespoke using 1100 cabinet carcasses, Egger; cabinets painted in RAL 9016. Marble-effect tiles, Tubądzin.
LED lighting beneath the cabinets provides a soft glow in the evening.
Kitchen made bespoke using 1100 cabinet carcasses, Egger; cabinets painted in RAL 9016. Marble-effect tiles, Tubądzin.
The kitchen is almost unrecognisable compared to its previous incarnation.
A bespoke library area was installed in the corridor that leads to the bedrooms. The shelving unit features closed storage below and a useful sliding ladder for selecting books from the top shelf.
The main bedroom is located opposite the bookshelf.
The team designed a small dressing table alongside the door to the en suite.
The team designed a small dressing table alongside the door to the en suite.
“We emphasised the height of the room with a tall upholstered headboard,” Jolanta says. “We also combined decorative pendants with more practical reading lights either side of the bed.”
Pendant and reading lights, Wayfair.
Pendant and reading lights, Wayfair.
Generous wardrobes were clad in mirrored glass with an attractive crosshatch design. The space in front of these can either be used for a seating area or a useful desk for working from home.
The en suite is calm and practical, with a large shower. “We chose gloss grey tiles to bounce the light around,” Jolanta says. “It feels seamless and calming, like a river pebble.”
Pulpis tiles, Tubądzin.
Pulpis tiles, Tubądzin.
There was the option to keep the two other rooms as two separate bedrooms, but it made more sense to create a larger space for the couple’s teenage daughter.
A pocket door divides the two spaces, and the second area is used as a study room.
When the family have guests staying, the pocket door can be closed and the sofa bed pulled out to create an extra bedroom.
When the family have guests staying, the pocket door can be closed and the sofa bed pulled out to create an extra bedroom.
The daughter’s bathroom repeats the monochrome scheme of the hall and kitchen. The same marble-effect tiles cover the walls, while black fixtures replicate the charcoal accents in those two spaces.
When asked how the family feel about their renovation now, Jolanta says, “I always go back to see clients to learn what works and what doesn’t. They’re lovely people and are very happy with their home.”
Tell us…
What do you like about the way Jolanta has renovated this midcentury apartment? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
When asked how the family feel about their renovation now, Jolanta says, “I always go back to see clients to learn what works and what doesn’t. They’re lovely people and are very happy with their home.”
Tell us…
What do you like about the way Jolanta has renovated this midcentury apartment? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? A couple and their teenage daughter
Location North London
Property A post-war apartment with two bedrooms and two bathrooms
Architect and designer Jolanta Cajzer of Studio 212
Photos by Tom Kurek
The living room and kitchen in this midcentury apartment are separated by a central hallway, but the two spaces still feel connected. Key to this are the black steel partitions either side of the living room’s wide opening, which help to divide the areas while allowing for a direct view between them.
“The black steel contrasts well with the oak flooring,” Jolanta says. “It also complements the glazed cupboards in the kitchen.”