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7 hours ago
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‘Us, 15 years ago, pre-kids, is how we imagined the perfect inhabitants for this space,” says interior designer Edwina Boase. She and her interior architect husband, Marc Boase, bought the tiny, top-floor rental flat, in one of Brighton’s graceful Regency buildings, specifically to have a bit of fun with it.
With sole access to the loft, the couple embarked on an adventurous redesign, boosting the unloved and long-neglected flat’s footprint from 40 to 55 square metres, and turning it into a two-bedroom maisonette, now bursting with colour, pattern and small-space design hacks aplenty.
However, there was a fair amount of head-scratching before this spirited transformation could take place. Due to the existing roof line and the location of the stairwell to the loft, they had to carve out a new bedroom with an adjacent passageway, leaving space for the main bedroom to be fitted above.
In the living space, the existing box kitchen was opened up, the unused chimney stack was removed from the lounge, and a deep, functional, recessed storage wall was then created between the two spaces, making it semi-open plan. “I’m a big fan of open shelving. It’s a great way to dress and divide a space,” Edwina says.
Additional internal doors were created to frame designated areas and enhance available natural light: “We used glazed, sliding pocket doors throughout, which is one of the smartest tips I can offer for small space living. When you don’t have to consider door swing, you have so many more options for furniture placement.”
With the structural elements in place, Edwina could focus on the furnishings and decor: “Our design brief was to make it practical and playful, which is not the easiest balance to achieve in such a compact space. We went big on carpentry, as access to the flat was seriously limited, so larger pieces, such as the sofa, were designed to be installed in situ.” With their fantasy child-free young couple in mind, two built-in desk spaces were created to accommodate work-from-home days, a bespoke understairs bed-cum-sofa is tucked away in the second bedroom and high-level shelving has been fitted to all the rooms.
The kitchen is an Ikea hack, its American walnut detailing and custom-made door fasciae elevating inexpensive units. “It’s a cook’s kitchen with high-spec extraction ducting and hob, as well as a large fridge-freezer neatly built in just outside the kitchen itself,” Edwina says. “Marc made the modular rail storage system to reduce the number of items needed on the worktop, to help maintain a sleek, uncluttered feel.”
A limited material palette of microcement for flooring, marble for table tops and fluted glass for doors gives a luxurious feel, but Edwina loves a bargain too and scours online marketplaces for discounted goods. “It’s amazing what you can find with 70% off, especially with end-of-line stuff that tends to come in smaller quantities, which is useful for smaller spaces,” she says. “Virtual stores are great for commissioning pieces from independent sellers and makers. For example, I couldn’t find a rug for the top room, so I designed one myself and got it made in India through an Etsy craftsperson. You link directly with the maker and end up with something completely bespoke that properly fits your room.”
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Colour and pattern are brought to the space via artworks, graphics, rugs, upholstery and lighting. Blocks of bright colour are countered by stripes and checks. Frills and ruffles make fabrics fun, and a flagrant disregard for what more conservative homemakers might consider interior faux pas makes this an utterly joyful place to hang out. “I like being able to switch things up, so the bright red kitchen taps have alternative colourways you can fit, the kitchen shelving rig can be radjusted to suit, and cushions and throws are easily swapped about to create a new vibe,” explains Edwina.
As luck would have it, at the mood board phase of the project, Edwina and Marc met a young couple who fell in love with their vision for it, and who have consequently moved in. “Our dream couple! They waited patiently for the build to be completed, and their passion for our concept gave us the confidence to move forward without hesitation,” Edwina says. “It’s been the perfect job in the respect that we, as designers, were able to bring so many fresh and exciting new ideas to the space with no one to answer to but ourselves. That’s a rare treat!”
