A Teeny London Studio Apartment Makes the Best Out of an Odd Layout
Name: Mariana Guimaraese and a cat named Grandma
Location: London, UK
Type of home: Studio Apartment
Size: About 300 square feet
Years lived in: 1 month, renting
Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: This studio is located in north London; a friend of mine helped me with as I had to leave the other studio I was renting due to money issues. I was made redundant because of the COVID-19 crisis and needed something more cost effective. Fortunately, I saw potential in this flat the minute I saw it.
The colors of the wall threw me off a little but it worked really well with my IKEA pink sofa and the green in all the plants. I had a lot of time to plan the layout, which was quite a challenge because it’s such a small footprint and I had a lot of stuff, but I work in interior design so I used the tools and knowledge I have to make the best of such a small space. I’m getting good at planning small spaces (this is my second studio) and my attitude is to do the best with what we have. The landlady is a friend of my friend and they both said they had tried everything in the flat before and no one had ever come up with a solution as clever as this… and I was really proud of the result, too.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: “Do the best with what you got” — that’s seven words, sorry!
What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room is the one room! I guess everyone in studios say that but I just like that everything kind of feels separate, even though they’re definitely not. I love the window in my kitchen as well; I didn’t have one in my last flat and it makes a massive difference.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The wardrobe was not the last thing, it was THE thing that I brought in. With the exception of IKEA shelving for the bathroom that I bought, everything else was mine already. I was looking for a vintage wardrobe for the flat, because the flat didn’t have a built-in and I thought a vintage one would work great in the space. A friend of mine announced on Instagram that she was giving this beauty away, all I had to pay was the van and a coffee to a good friend that helped on the day. It was one of those magical moments of serendipity!
Any advice for creating a home you love? As I have said before, do the best with what you have. I think it’s easy to get caught up with references from amazing websites like Apartment Therapy but I truly believe the core of creativity is to think of ways to utilize what you own by adapting or repurposing. I take in A LOT of references and they inspire me to think how I can apply that idea to my problem.
This submission’s responses were edited for length and clarity.