Let’s dive into this case study which will highlight the design process and how to apply it to different scenarios.

The background

Located in a leafy suburban area of London, this 31 m2 studio was purchased in 2022 by a multi landlord as another investment. 

The area itself is going through a regenerative program and period of transformation. Amongst other initiatives, its transport links and connections will be greatly increased and improved over the next five to ten years, making it a desirable neighbourhood.  

The new owner wanted to initially live in the studio for a year or so, giving him a base in London. By that time, the neighbourhood regeneration would be well underway, the demand, desirability and prices up and he would then move out and put the studio on the rental market. 

Since the space had not been refurbished for years, I was given a fine balancing act of creating a home whilst making sure it would still be attractive to renters and make sense financially for its owner. 

The process

Once the preliminary consultations and agreements were completed, the project started with what is called “the concept”.
During this stage, I looked at optimising the layout and flow as well as the general direction we would take in terms of aesthetics.

The layout:

If it had been a long term home for its owner, the layout changes could have been substantial. However, the decision was made to keep the existing layout to meet the budget and stay in line with the long term purpose of the property which remained a rental investment.

The proposition included instead:

• Redoing the whole aesthetics of the studio with new flooring and finishes

• Making the space highly functional

• Creating different zones for the different functions, with the space feeling bigger

• Fitting a new kitchen

• Fitting a new bathroom

The aesthetics:

The colour palette had to be pleasing for the owner and remain neutral enough for future renters. 

Attention was turned to: 

• create colourful statements

• have some visual separation and zoning

• include functional, slimline elements and storage

• for both the kitchen and bathroom, spaces were to be bright, compact and functional 

The result

Whilst the owner loved the concept, his personal circumstances changed shortly after acquiring this studio. He decided not to live in this apartment and instead rent it as soon as practically possible.

As a consequence, both the budget and lead time were considerably reduced and most of the suggestions proposed at the concept stage couldn’t be done.

• New flooring was laid throughout. These were not the initial approved finishes, it instead had to be from a limited range of options available with a very short lead time due to the urgency of the situation

• The plan to fit a new kitchen and bathroom was changed to renovate the existing ones. In the bathroom, loose fittings were addressed, some sanitaryware replaced and a fresh coat of paint was applied. In the kitchen, all the units were repainted, new handles were fitted and the walls painted.

• The whole space was painted in a bright white finish rather than creating colour statements

• New light fittings were installed

• New window treatments in the form of sturdy venetian blinds were fitted

• The specification of furniture that would have created different zones was put on hold, as the owner wanted to market an unfurnished property instead.

Whilst this project didn’t go as planned, being reactive and adapting to the new situation meant that having an interior designer on board was still highly beneficial for this client.

Not only did he manage to renovate this space in a very short time, keeping his costs down but he also had a myriad of interested renters who financially competed with each other to secure this property, creating a higher than expected rental yield for him and overall a very advantageous investment.

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to leave a comment and I’ll get back to you. You can also contact me directly for any help with your projects.

Julie