My Houzz: An Unloved London Studio Flat Gets a Dazzling Update
Architect Ben Ridley transformed a dilapidated Victorian studio flat into a beautiful, contemporary home, flooded with natural light
Chris Snook
June 21, 2014
When Ben Ridley of Ridley Buchanan Architects and his partner wanted to get a foot on the London property ladder, they decided that buying a place at auction would be the best route. That way, they could find a home with lots of potential, but within a price range that they could afford.
The studio flat the couple eventually bought was in a listed crescent, built in 1860. The first-floor apartment was completely run down, but with some clever architectural planning and the help of a tried and trusted construction team from Architecture For London, Ben transformed the dingy property into a dazzling, contemporary home.
The renovation was not without its challenges, though, not least because it is part of a listed building and therefore subject to some strict controls. ‘The project took six months, with three months of building work,’ says Ben. During the renovation, Ben and his team uncovered beautiful original features which they lovingly restored to their former glory. Now, this small-space home has bags of personality, thanks to Ben’s inspired design, and is flooded with natural light.
The studio flat the couple eventually bought was in a listed crescent, built in 1860. The first-floor apartment was completely run down, but with some clever architectural planning and the help of a tried and trusted construction team from Architecture For London, Ben transformed the dingy property into a dazzling, contemporary home.
The renovation was not without its challenges, though, not least because it is part of a listed building and therefore subject to some strict controls. ‘The project took six months, with three months of building work,’ says Ben. During the renovation, Ben and his team uncovered beautiful original features which they lovingly restored to their former glory. Now, this small-space home has bags of personality, thanks to Ben’s inspired design, and is flooded with natural light.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Ben Ridley and his partner
Location Barnsbury, London
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
The property’s only living area is small and open plan, so Ben wanted to use this space wisely. During the build, Ben discovered lots of original features which had been hidden. In a nod to the flat’s heritage, he decided to showcase these features by sticking to a simple white colour scheme and he then furnished the space with contemporary pieces with sleek, clean lines.
Who lives here Ben Ridley and his partner
Location Barnsbury, London
Size 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
The property’s only living area is small and open plan, so Ben wanted to use this space wisely. During the build, Ben discovered lots of original features which had been hidden. In a nod to the flat’s heritage, he decided to showcase these features by sticking to a simple white colour scheme and he then furnished the space with contemporary pieces with sleek, clean lines.
The elegant dining table from SCP is a real feature in the room and is one of Ben’s favourite pieces in the whole property. ‘This was a luxury item,’ he says, ‘but it was end of stock, so we got a good discount.’
The light, bright living space is in contrast to the cosy, dark bedroom, more of which shortly.
Back in the living room, the floor-to-ceiling windows are a wonderful feature and allow plenty of natural light to flood into the flat. The white walls, combined with the high ceilings, add to the bright and airy feel. Ben likes to mix old and new and has paired classic midcentury pieces with shots of eye-popping colour, to add pace and interest to the scheme.
Get designer advice for adding colour
Get designer advice for adding colour
Ben’s elegant but simple decorating scheme features a mix of midcentury and classic Scandinavian pieces, including the String System shelving in the alcoves, that fit effortlessly into the compact space and compliment its original features. The yellow coffee table is by Hay and Ben bought the grey sofa from made.com.
Ben wanted the kitchen to have a designer feel, without breaking his budget, so he used a mixture of high street and bespoke during its construction. The unit carcasses are from IKEA, but Ben spruced them up with handmade doors that he spray painted. He also splurged on a Carrara marble worktop and splashback, which cost around £2,000.
When Ben first stepped into the flat, the floorboards were black and needed a lot of attention. After sanding them down, Ben used a Swedish floor soap in white to create this pale, sophisticated finish. The fireplace was bricked over when he moved in, so he opened it up and sourced a Georgian-style surround in Carrara marble, to link it with the kitchen worktop.
‘We couldn’t see the original plasterwork cornicing when we bought this place, as it had been painted over so many times,’ says Ben. He was determined to showcase the flat’s original features, but bringing these details back to life took a lot of painstaking work. ‘It was worth doing though,’ says Ben. ‘Restoring the original elements really gives the property back its charm.’
The bathroom is designed with a darker palette than the main living area, which Ben achieved by using natural slate tiles with a glittery sheen, arranged in a herringbone pattern. ‘We wanted a roll-top bath, rather than a boxed-in design, so you could see more of the tiles,’ he says.
Tiling the walls in a herringbone design was more labour intensive than a typical brickwork pattern and, along with the beautiful roll-top bath from Albion Bath Co, added considerably to the cost. Despite this, Ben still managed to finish the bathroom within his £7,000 budget, and the space also includes underfloor heating and fog-free mirrors!
The bedroom is a peaceful haven, decorated in moody dark tones. Ben enjoys this space all the more now, because during the final week of construction there was no power in the property and he was forced to sleep at work and live off toast. ‘It was all worth it in the end, though!’ he says.
The clean lines in the bedroom echo the pared-back midcentury style in the living area. The walls have been painted with Farrow & Ball’s Off Black Estate Emulsion. ‘We used a dark coloured paint to make it feel cosy,’ says Ben. The bed is from Habitat, which Ben chose for its quality and comfort and the table, by Hay, matches the one in the living space.
See ways to get back to black
The clean lines in the bedroom echo the pared-back midcentury style in the living area. The walls have been painted with Farrow & Ball’s Off Black Estate Emulsion. ‘We used a dark coloured paint to make it feel cosy,’ says Ben. The bed is from Habitat, which Ben chose for its quality and comfort and the table, by Hay, matches the one in the living space.
See ways to get back to black
Soft lighting and simple, crisp bed linen keep the small bedroom feeling uncluttered, while mirrored doors on the built-in storage help the room feel bigger and brighter. The fireplace has been brought back to life by exposing the original brickwork.
Ben loves his finished home and adores its location, too. ‘The flat is in a very special place, especially for London,’ says Ben. ‘It’s so quiet here and feels like a village. There is a big green and also woods nearby. It makes you feel a long way away the city,’ says Ben.
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Love it! Could you please advice where the grey chair with the footstool in the living room from? Many thanks
More like this please because this project looks a possible for most people to tackle and afford. A talented young man!
Really interested in the Grey Chair and footstool can anyone shed any light on a vendor or name please.