How to Get Your Dream Home in the Big City
Be inspired by four ingenious solutions in London that prove you can save money and live well in a small urban space
Victoria Harrison
8 August 2016
Editor, Houzz UK and Ireland
Living in a city can be a fun, creative and rewarding experience. But finding affordable and appropriate housing can be a struggle when space is limited and costs are high. With the world’s population soaring (expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, according to the latest available figures from the UN Population Division), it’s clear we need to find ways to make the most of every centimetre of space in our cities and towns.
So how crowded are we? Well, as a quick comparison, Sydney has a population of almost 5 million, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Tokyo had 9.273 million residents at the time of its 2015 census, and Moscow had more than 12 million, according to its Federal State Statistics Service.
In comparison, the population of London is expected to hit 9.7 million people within a decade, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). And, of course, as demand for homes increases, so do prices. In March 2016, the UK Land Registry placed the average London house price at GB£580,000 (AU$1,011,200).
Fortunately, necessity is the mother of invention and in response to the population squeeze, designers have come up with plenty of clever and creative solutions to maximise space. Using London as an example, let’s discover four creative and exciting examples of how to find your personal housing way and live creatively and happily in a big city.
So how crowded are we? Well, as a quick comparison, Sydney has a population of almost 5 million, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Tokyo had 9.273 million residents at the time of its 2015 census, and Moscow had more than 12 million, according to its Federal State Statistics Service.
In comparison, the population of London is expected to hit 9.7 million people within a decade, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). And, of course, as demand for homes increases, so do prices. In March 2016, the UK Land Registry placed the average London house price at GB£580,000 (AU$1,011,200).
Fortunately, necessity is the mother of invention and in response to the population squeeze, designers have come up with plenty of clever and creative solutions to maximise space. Using London as an example, let’s discover four creative and exciting examples of how to find your personal housing way and live creatively and happily in a big city.
Case study 1: The slim house
Squeezed into a small gap between existing buildings, and just 2.3 metres wide, this ‘slim home’ designed by Tristan Wigfall, a director at Alma-nac architects, is a masterclass in maximising the smallest of urban spaces to create a home.
Originally a two bedroom, one bathroom house with no dining area, the architects transformed the space by “cranking the floor plates” to create “an increased sense of space” by increasing the angle of the ceiling relative to the floor, according to Wigfall. The home is now a four bedroom, two bathroom house with a dining space opening on to the rear garden.
It’s an idea that has ignited the imagination of others since its build. “We’ve been approached by various housing associations and developers to look at how the principles of the Slim House could be adopted in different situations,” Wigfall says.
Squeezed into a small gap between existing buildings, and just 2.3 metres wide, this ‘slim home’ designed by Tristan Wigfall, a director at Alma-nac architects, is a masterclass in maximising the smallest of urban spaces to create a home.
Originally a two bedroom, one bathroom house with no dining area, the architects transformed the space by “cranking the floor plates” to create “an increased sense of space” by increasing the angle of the ceiling relative to the floor, according to Wigfall. The home is now a four bedroom, two bathroom house with a dining space opening on to the rear garden.
It’s an idea that has ignited the imagination of others since its build. “We’ve been approached by various housing associations and developers to look at how the principles of the Slim House could be adopted in different situations,” Wigfall says.
Expert tip: Use the restrictions to inspire the design
“Through clever design and careful consideration, you can make the most of sites and spaces that appear otherwise unviable,” Wigfall adds. In this example, “rather than compromising the finished result, the challenge of designing within such a narrow plot informed the design process and drove us to come up with a particularly innovative response.”
“Through clever design and careful consideration, you can make the most of sites and spaces that appear otherwise unviable,” Wigfall adds. In this example, “rather than compromising the finished result, the challenge of designing within such a narrow plot informed the design process and drove us to come up with a particularly innovative response.”
Expert tip: In a narrow build, maximise ceiling heights
“Cranking the floor plates to create the enlarged floor-to-ceiling heights was a key element of the design,” Wigfall says, “as was a central light well that brought natural light deep into the home, again enhancing the sense of space.”
“Cranking the floor plates to create the enlarged floor-to-ceiling heights was a key element of the design,” Wigfall says, “as was a central light well that brought natural light deep into the home, again enhancing the sense of space.”
Case study 2: The clever studio flat
Studio living is largely an urban experience and residing in essentially one large room throws up some interesting challenges. This studio apartment was redesigned by Olga Alexeeva, of interior design firm Black & Milk Residential, and is a brilliant example of making the best of a small footprint.
“It’s a tiny studio and I wanted to create maximum space and functionality in it,” Alexeeva says. “I was literally counting every centimetre.”
Studio living is largely an urban experience and residing in essentially one large room throws up some interesting challenges. This studio apartment was redesigned by Olga Alexeeva, of interior design firm Black & Milk Residential, and is a brilliant example of making the best of a small footprint.
“It’s a tiny studio and I wanted to create maximum space and functionality in it,” Alexeeva says. “I was literally counting every centimetre.”
Expert tip: Simplify the space
“The starting point for redesigning the apartment was to take out as many partitions as I could, to get it back to its rectangular shape,” Alexeeva explains. “I’ll quite often remove all internal walls if possible. Here, I put the furniture and kitchen in first, so it accommodated all I needed (washing machine, dishwasher, fridge etc.) and only then did I build the walls around it.”
The main room in this flat can now serve as a living space, dining room, home office and bedroom with just a few adjustments.
“The starting point for redesigning the apartment was to take out as many partitions as I could, to get it back to its rectangular shape,” Alexeeva explains. “I’ll quite often remove all internal walls if possible. Here, I put the furniture and kitchen in first, so it accommodated all I needed (washing machine, dishwasher, fridge etc.) and only then did I build the walls around it.”
The main room in this flat can now serve as a living space, dining room, home office and bedroom with just a few adjustments.
Expert tip: Don’t choose small furniture
“Never go small in small spaces,” advises Alexeeva. “I always try to accommodate generous and functional furniture. Rugs in particular should be large to make the space look bigger.”
This studio shows “you don’t have to compromise on the quality of life in 25 square metres. You can have up to six friends over for dinner, plus you have a luxury bed, a functional and beautiful kitchen and a bathroom,” Alexeeva says. “You can lead a comfortable life in the centre of the city, with a five-minute commute to work!”
See the rest of this studio flat
“Never go small in small spaces,” advises Alexeeva. “I always try to accommodate generous and functional furniture. Rugs in particular should be large to make the space look bigger.”
This studio shows “you don’t have to compromise on the quality of life in 25 square metres. You can have up to six friends over for dinner, plus you have a luxury bed, a functional and beautiful kitchen and a bathroom,” Alexeeva says. “You can lead a comfortable life in the centre of the city, with a five-minute commute to work!”
See the rest of this studio flat
Case study 3: The converted workshop
Most people would walk past this rundown workshop and see just that – a neglected commercial premises. But when Fiona Kirkwood of Kirkwood McCarthy spotted this space in east London, she saw an amazing opportunity to convert the derelict building into a home.
“Everyone laughed,” says the architect of the moment she revealed her plans for the tiny ruin, “but I had conviction and got stubborn about it.”
Most people would walk past this rundown workshop and see just that – a neglected commercial premises. But when Fiona Kirkwood of Kirkwood McCarthy spotted this space in east London, she saw an amazing opportunity to convert the derelict building into a home.
“Everyone laughed,” says the architect of the moment she revealed her plans for the tiny ruin, “but I had conviction and got stubborn about it.”
The workshop is now a deceptively spacious home, thanks to a clever redesign and extension.
“We are seeing a growing interest in self-build projects,” says Kirkwood, “and I really back this option as a means for people to create well-considered, well-executed homes that suit their budget and needs. It’s not just more housing we need, but more variety in the types of homes available.”
“We are seeing a growing interest in self-build projects,” says Kirkwood, “and I really back this option as a means for people to create well-considered, well-executed homes that suit their budget and needs. It’s not just more housing we need, but more variety in the types of homes available.”
Expert tip: Create sightlines to trick the eye
“It feels much larger than its built volume because of the view lines we established within the design. From any vantage point in the house, you can look beyond to another room or outdoors,” Kirkwood explains.
“Achieving this entailed setting back the middle mezzanine 1.2 metres from the external wall. While forgoing this amount of footprint in a small house might seem illogical, it allowed us to create a double-height space with huge windows that gives the property an exaggerated sense of scale, daylight and views.”
“It feels much larger than its built volume because of the view lines we established within the design. From any vantage point in the house, you can look beyond to another room or outdoors,” Kirkwood explains.
“Achieving this entailed setting back the middle mezzanine 1.2 metres from the external wall. While forgoing this amount of footprint in a small house might seem illogical, it allowed us to create a double-height space with huge windows that gives the property an exaggerated sense of scale, daylight and views.”
Expert tip: Don’t forget about outdoor space
“The whole house is about pushing what can be achieved on a really small site,” Kirkwood says. The steps in the courtyard, for instance, are all carefully designed to be at seating height. “The courtyard is furniture – it’s like an amphitheatre. We’ve had 20 people sitting out there. It becomes a great social hub for the house and is a big part of the integrated indoor-outdoor sense we wanted to create,” she explains.
Take the full tour of this converted workshop
“The whole house is about pushing what can be achieved on a really small site,” Kirkwood says. The steps in the courtyard, for instance, are all carefully designed to be at seating height. “The courtyard is furniture – it’s like an amphitheatre. We’ve had 20 people sitting out there. It becomes a great social hub for the house and is a big part of the integrated indoor-outdoor sense we wanted to create,” she explains.
Take the full tour of this converted workshop
Case study 4: The floating home
“To combat the overcrowding in London, we seem to have seen a move towards making the most of the river and canals that run through London,” says houseboat owner Gary Marshall.
In a bid to find an attractive and affordable home in the heart of the city, he transformed this houseboat to create a chic and welcoming home for a fraction of the cost of a house in the area.
Marshall points to “the regeneration of warehouses along the canals and new developments along the entire length of the Thames” as evidence of a shift towards living on the water.
“Even though permanent moorings for boats are scarce, it allows an apartment (albeit a floating one) at a fraction of the cost of a land one,” he says. “If I were to look at purchasing an apartment in the heart of nearby Canary Wharf at just over 1,000 square feet, I shudder to think what the price would be.”
“To combat the overcrowding in London, we seem to have seen a move towards making the most of the river and canals that run through London,” says houseboat owner Gary Marshall.
In a bid to find an attractive and affordable home in the heart of the city, he transformed this houseboat to create a chic and welcoming home for a fraction of the cost of a house in the area.
Marshall points to “the regeneration of warehouses along the canals and new developments along the entire length of the Thames” as evidence of a shift towards living on the water.
“Even though permanent moorings for boats are scarce, it allows an apartment (albeit a floating one) at a fraction of the cost of a land one,” he says. “If I were to look at purchasing an apartment in the heart of nearby Canary Wharf at just over 1,000 square feet, I shudder to think what the price would be.”
Expert tip: Open up the living space
As Olga Alexeeva mentioned earlier, getting rid of dividing walls and a warren of small spaces can help a compact home feel larger, and it’s a principle Marshall has followed, too. “Allowing the central part of the boat to be completely opened up to create a living/dining/kitchen/hallway, and using similar materials and colours throughout, has created the feeling of a much larger space,” he says.
As Olga Alexeeva mentioned earlier, getting rid of dividing walls and a warren of small spaces can help a compact home feel larger, and it’s a principle Marshall has followed, too. “Allowing the central part of the boat to be completely opened up to create a living/dining/kitchen/hallway, and using similar materials and colours throughout, has created the feeling of a much larger space,” he says.
Expert tip: Maximise the light
All the three designers previously mentioned stressed the importance of maximising the amount of light in their urban builds, and it’s something Marshall also used as a guiding principle in his houseboat conversion. “Allowing as much light as possible into the environment” was key, he says, to making this compact boat feel like a spacious home.
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All the three designers previously mentioned stressed the importance of maximising the amount of light in their urban builds, and it’s something Marshall also used as a guiding principle in his houseboat conversion. “Allowing as much light as possible into the environment” was key, he says, to making this compact boat feel like a spacious home.
TELL US
What do you think of these urban homes? Do let us know in the Comments below
MORE
Browse more creative yet compact homes
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Just love these - the epitome of creative use of existing spaces.
Houseboat images are fabulous, please show more 'makeover' photo's and smaller spaces.
Las macetas en vertical van genial para una casa pequeña, y más si tienen autirriego!
Vertical planters are great for small houses, even more when they're self-watering planters!