Houzz Tour: Smart Design Boosts Space in a Small Upstairs Flat
Combining clever storage, luxe materials and a few design surprises, this apartment packs huge personality and style into a small space
Jo Simmons
29 September 2015
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several... More
With its airy feel, vintage furniture, smart storage and rich materials, this compact west London flat is a lesson in how to make a small space deliver on every front: aesthetics, practicality and even the ‘wow’ factor.
‘The brief was to make it feel bigger while also fitting everything in!’ says Ebba Thott of Sigmar, who redesigned this top-floor flat in a Victorian house. Working with a modest budget, Thott was careful about where she spent and saved, fitting inexpensive kitchen cabinets, for example, but adding a beautiful granite worktop and designer handles. She also wove in plenty of appealing texture, from the wraparound tiling in the bathroom to the high-gloss walls in the bedrooms. ‘Texture is so important in a small space,’ she says, ‘because everything is close to you!’
‘The brief was to make it feel bigger while also fitting everything in!’ says Ebba Thott of Sigmar, who redesigned this top-floor flat in a Victorian house. Working with a modest budget, Thott was careful about where she spent and saved, fitting inexpensive kitchen cabinets, for example, but adding a beautiful granite worktop and designer handles. She also wove in plenty of appealing texture, from the wraparound tiling in the bathroom to the high-gloss walls in the bedrooms. ‘Texture is so important in a small space,’ she says, ‘because everything is close to you!’
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here A single professional woman
Property A flat on the top floor of a Victorian house
Location West London
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom; approx 70 sq m
Designer Ebba Thott of Sigmar
To increase the feeling of airiness in the flat, part of the ceiling over the living room was removed to expose the roof beams. ‘We painted the ceiling white to contrast against the grey walls,’ says Thott. ‘It lifts the space in here.’
The living room is furnished with vintage pieces that suit its scale. ‘You should spend on things that fit the space and that you can take with you for your whole life,’ says Thott. ‘So nothing large and bulky.’
Walls painted in Sure Grey, The Damo Paint Collection, Sigmar. Metal pendant light by Henning Larsen, vintage. 1950s suede Swedish sofa and armchair, Sigmar. 1930s Italian floor lamp, Sigmar. Cushion, Holland & Sherry. P40 lounge chair by Osvaldo Borsani, vintage.
Who lives here A single professional woman
Property A flat on the top floor of a Victorian house
Location West London
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom; approx 70 sq m
Designer Ebba Thott of Sigmar
To increase the feeling of airiness in the flat, part of the ceiling over the living room was removed to expose the roof beams. ‘We painted the ceiling white to contrast against the grey walls,’ says Thott. ‘It lifts the space in here.’
The living room is furnished with vintage pieces that suit its scale. ‘You should spend on things that fit the space and that you can take with you for your whole life,’ says Thott. ‘So nothing large and bulky.’
Walls painted in Sure Grey, The Damo Paint Collection, Sigmar. Metal pendant light by Henning Larsen, vintage. 1950s suede Swedish sofa and armchair, Sigmar. 1930s Italian floor lamp, Sigmar. Cushion, Holland & Sherry. P40 lounge chair by Osvaldo Borsani, vintage.
The stairs leading from the entrance up to the flat turn at a small landing. ‘It has a massive window,’ says Thott, who decided to paint the frame and staircase a dark grey. ‘The colour emphasises the size of the window,’ she says. ‘Now when you look up from the entrance and see this little space with the chairs and the huge window, it has a certain wow factor, but also looks welcoming.’ The little vintage wall-mounted desk was a clerk’s desk in the Houses of Parliament.
Chair by Otto Wagner, vintage.
Chair by Otto Wagner, vintage.
Well-designed storage was a priority for this flat to help it function and feel ordered. ‘The only way to make a small flat look tidy is for everything to have a place,’ says Thott. At the top of the stairs, she designed generous, built-in cupboards that contain everything from golf clubs to coats and the vacuum cleaner.
‘We played with the perception of depth here,’ she says. ‘The cupboards are only 37cm deep. They look bigger than that, but you don’t need a 60cm-deep cabinet for efficient storage, you just have to be clever with the hanging systems you add.’
‘We played with the perception of depth here,’ she says. ‘The cupboards are only 37cm deep. They look bigger than that, but you don’t need a 60cm-deep cabinet for efficient storage, you just have to be clever with the hanging systems you add.’
The cupboard fronts are, in fact, vintage lead windows with cloudy, thick glass. ‘I like to be able to see what’s stored; I like a home to look real and lived in,’ says Thott. ‘If everything is really sleek and organised, it can feel a bit sterile. It’s nice to have discreet organised mess behind those doors!’
Clever storage built into a chimney breast alcove houses the TV discreetly. ‘It’s also on an arm and can be pulled out,’ says Thott. ‘This means you can watch it from anywhere in the space, which allows you freedom.’
A textural fabric wallpaper sits inside the painted wooden frames of the doors. ‘Everything should be touchable in a small flat, when it’s all so close,’ says Thott. ‘There’s shape and texture here, which prevents the storage looking too sleek and minimal.’
Panels covered in Tweed 5453 wallpaper in Edinburgh Grey, Phillip Jeffries.
A textural fabric wallpaper sits inside the painted wooden frames of the doors. ‘Everything should be touchable in a small flat, when it’s all so close,’ says Thott. ‘There’s shape and texture here, which prevents the storage looking too sleek and minimal.’
Panels covered in Tweed 5453 wallpaper in Edinburgh Grey, Phillip Jeffries.
Inside, there’s lots of handy storage space. ‘We all have stuff!’ says Thott. ‘Here, there is room for pens, files, folders, DVDs – stuff!’
Thott chose a beautiful herringbone floor for the main living area in the flat. It’s engineered wood, which is less expensive than solid, but has been carefully treated. ‘We bought the flooring untreated,’ says Thott, ‘then added an active stain. Over two or three days this gets darker and you can stop the process when you get the tone you want.’
This complex process has produced a floor with subtle variety in colour, adding detail and interest underfoot. ‘It’s not an even colour,’ says Thott. ‘Each piece of wood varies slightly.’ The floor was then sealed with a white diamond oil, which hardens the surface. ‘It’s to make it as hard as possible,’ says Thott. Engineered boards are not as hard-wearing as solid wood, but properly sealing them helps them sound and look good and become more durable.’
Thott chose a beautiful herringbone floor for the main living area in the flat. It’s engineered wood, which is less expensive than solid, but has been carefully treated. ‘We bought the flooring untreated,’ says Thott, ‘then added an active stain. Over two or three days this gets darker and you can stop the process when you get the tone you want.’
This complex process has produced a floor with subtle variety in colour, adding detail and interest underfoot. ‘It’s not an even colour,’ says Thott. ‘Each piece of wood varies slightly.’ The floor was then sealed with a white diamond oil, which hardens the surface. ‘It’s to make it as hard as possible,’ says Thott. Engineered boards are not as hard-wearing as solid wood, but properly sealing them helps them sound and look good and become more durable.’
‘We bought these cupboards from a high street supplier,’ says Thott, ‘and then we played around with them!’ Her team painted and fitted them with beautiful handles. The granite worktop and splashback are another luxe touch. ‘It’s all about how much you can get away with spending or not spending,’ says Thott. ‘If you buy a cheap kitchen and add a little bit of premium with good worktops, for example, it’s still much cheaper than a bespoke kitchen but looks beautiful. You do need to add those nice touches in a small flat. A space like this needs a little bit extra.’
Thott went for thin granite worktops and matching splashbacks. ‘It’s a small kitchen and it needed to look light, slim and sleek,’ she says. The bronze cooker hood, custom-made for the extractor fan, is another luxe detail. ‘A splash of money like this is worth it for that feeling of a worked-through design,’ says Thott.
Cabinets, B&Q. Horn handles, Ochre. Danish dining chairs by Hovmand-Olsen, vintage.
Thott went for thin granite worktops and matching splashbacks. ‘It’s a small kitchen and it needed to look light, slim and sleek,’ she says. The bronze cooker hood, custom-made for the extractor fan, is another luxe detail. ‘A splash of money like this is worth it for that feeling of a worked-through design,’ says Thott.
Cabinets, B&Q. Horn handles, Ochre. Danish dining chairs by Hovmand-Olsen, vintage.
A vintage cabinet solved the issue of how to store the owner’s huge collection of glasses. ‘They need to be in a cupboard so they don’t get dusty, but we don’t have that many kitchen cupboards in here,’ says Thott. ‘This vintage cabinet was the answer and it adds a quirky element and personality to the space.’
Open glass shelves alongside offer more practical storage, holding items the owner uses on a daily basis. ‘They tie in nicely with the cabinet, too,’ says Thott.
Browse more ideas on how to get the eclectic look minus the chaos
Open glass shelves alongside offer more practical storage, holding items the owner uses on a daily basis. ‘They tie in nicely with the cabinet, too,’ says Thott.
Browse more ideas on how to get the eclectic look minus the chaos
The flat originally had two bedrooms, but they were tiny. By slightly reconfiguring the space, Thott created a bedroom big enough to contain a king-size bed. ‘It was a controversial decision, to go from a two-bed flat to a one-bed,’ she says.
The walls in the bedroom have been treated with nine coats of lacquer for a glossy, luxurious look. ‘The walls are extremely shiny,’ says Thott. ‘You have to first banish all thoughts of Italian kitchens of the 1990s, and then just see how well this works. It bounces light off the floor and looks like water. It’s not easy or inexpensive to achieve this effect, but this is a really small room and in a little space you can do this kind of thing. It adds the wow factor.’
Walls painted in Dove, The Damo Paint Collection, Sigmar.
Walls painted in Dove, The Damo Paint Collection, Sigmar.
Thott then linked the bedroom to the space next door by taking out a wall and fitting French doors instead. This is now a walk-in wardrobe. ‘It could change its role, though, working as an office, a baby’s room or somewhere for guests,’ says Thott. ‘That’s the way London living is going to go, I think. You may not be able to get the two-bed flat you want, so it’s about making space flexible and making it work for you.’
The doors are 18th-century vintage French designs. ‘They give this top floor Victorian flat the feel of a loft,’ says Thott.
Walk-in wardrobe fittings, Tisettanta.
The doors are 18th-century vintage French designs. ‘They give this top floor Victorian flat the feel of a loft,’ says Thott.
Walk-in wardrobe fittings, Tisettanta.
The washing machine and an airing cupboard have also been incorporated into the walk-in dressing room. ‘It was just the best space for them,’ says Thott. A luxurious carpet brings lots of texture at floor level.
Montrachet woven jute carpet in Azure Blue, Tim Page Carpets.
Planning kitchen storage? Get some expert tips on making more of your space
Montrachet woven jute carpet in Azure Blue, Tim Page Carpets.
Planning kitchen storage? Get some expert tips on making more of your space
Despite its small size, the bathroom contains a shower and a bath. ‘We used the same small stone tiles in a brick shape on the floor and walls for a wraparound effect,’ says Thott. ‘It’s a good way to make a space look refined.’ There are cupboards behind all the mirrors. ‘There’s a ton of storage in here!’ she says.
Plans of the flat show how Thott has designed in plenty of storage so the small footprint is open, airy and tidy. In the kitchen, Thott blocked off a window – it’s where the glasses cabinet now hangs. ‘It had a view of a wall that was less than a metre away. It looked rather depressing and let no light in at all,’ says Thott. ‘This allowed us to create a bigger, L-shaped kitchen.’
TELL US…
What do you think of this compact flat? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What do you think of this compact flat? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Related Stories
House Tours
Houzz Tour: Warm Tones and Luxurious Surfaces in a City Townhouse
An earthy colour palette, hidden storage and well-placed texture add character and practicality to this London home
Full Story
Room Tours
Kitchen Tour: A Gorgeous Extension With a Leafy Glasshouse Feel
By Kate Burt
When the owners of this terraced house extended, they were keen to retain its period feel and highlight the garden
Full Story
Gardens
Garden Tour: A Bare Roof Terrace Becomes a Pretty, Sociable Space
By Kate Burt
A retired couple got help transforming their large rooftop into a gorgeous, welcoming, multi-functional retreat
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Smart Layout and Genius Storage in a Victorian Home
Flipping the standard layout and carving out excellent storage have turned this tired house into a brilliant family home
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Victorian House Brought Impressively Up to Date
By Jo Simmons
A cohesive layout and warm colours combined with energy-efficiency measures thoroughly modernise this terraced home
Full Story
Kitchen Tours
Kitchen Tour: An Open, Airy Space Made for Entertaining
Combining two separate rooms has improved flow and created a sociable open-plan kitchen, dining and seating space
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A Family Home Inspired by its Seaside Location
Coastal colours and practical design combine to create a house that will adapt as the family grows
Full Story
Kitchens
5 Inspiring Before and After Kitchen Transformations
Whether you want to boost storage, incorporate original features or maximise your space, take ideas from these designs
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: An Airy, Scandi Finish for a Tall Victorian House
By Kate Burt
From a tricky inherited bath to a sticky-out staircase, on-site problem-solving led to a seamless update for an old home
Full Story
House Tours
Houzz Tour: A 17th Century Cottage Gains Warmth and Character
The clever use of colour and pattern has revived this old building while creating a 21st century family home
Full Story
Once again - SO pleased to see a floor plan ! It really does help to be able to see how the rooms fit together. And what a charming flat this is now ! I'd be very happy to live here, if I was on my own. The size and scale of the rest of the flat doesn't warrant it being a 2-bedroom property, so I don't think it loses out at all. It's gone from being a poky 2-bed flat to being a luxury one-bed place !
Love the storage options. Beautiful design. Really like the use of different materials in the kitchen and vintage cupboard. The floor plan allows the true visualisation of the photos. Very useful. Small is relative to what someone is used to, but so many wonderful ideas for storage and layout. I am sure the owner is loving living there.