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The Househunter: Room by Room

Right we’re going to focus on the small flats this week as someone asked me a few months ago to try and include something that was, in theory, at least, more affordable.

So first up is this one bedroom flat in Milner Square, Islington which is on for £575,000 via The Modern House. It was extensively renovated in 2013 and all the boring bits – plumbing and electrics and new wooden floors were taken care of.

It has exceptionally high ceilings and bespoke double height doors – which is a really good idea, by the way. If you live in a house with high ceilings and you’re doing a remodel then do consider making the doors taller. A couple of friends of mine have done it – one going into a small bathroom and one on double doors going into the dining room and it makes the whole space feel larger and grander at a stroke.

The flat also has a good size open plan living space as you can seem from the pictures. The windows have the original shutters and overlook the communal garden which recently received a grant of £280,000 from the council for a complete overhaul and refurbishment.

Fancy another? This is just up the road in Camden and is on for £355,000 with share of freehold, which is always a good thing if you can get it.

First point to note – the pendant light – and this is perhaps a trick you can do if you’re renting too and don’t want, or aren’t allowed, to move the electrics. Add a long cable and a cup hook where you want the light to be and simply drape it across the room like so. Yes you will have to rewire the light but it’s a lot cheaper than moving the ceiling rose and chasing it all into the plaster. Plus, once you have done this you are only ever a cup hook away from having the light where you want it.

This one also has a communal garden and the outside of the building was fully refurbished by the owner, which is another bonus. Speaking of the owner/vendor, he is an architect and one of the features of this flat is the huge amount of storage – both hidden and visible including spaces under the raised platform bed and all the cupboards you see in the pictures.

And just for a little topical news, as today is the day that the Churchill film-  The Darkest Hour – starring Gary Oldman who won a Golden Globe last week,  is released, I thought you might like to see a one bedroom flat in Ecclestone Square, where Churchill lived between 1909 and 1913 and where two of his children, Diana and Randolph were born in 1909 and 1911 respectively.

It’s on the market with Savills for £895,000 and yes it’s a tenuous link but hey, it’s January. During the four years the family lived there, Churchill was promoted in and out of several Cabinet and senior backbench positions. His house has a blue plaque. This flat does not. But hey – maybe if you bought it you might achieve something amazing while living there and be a blue plaque of the future.

So there you go. One bedroom flats. Done! Which one will you buy? I’m having the top one with the communal garden and lovely big living space.

Kate Watson-Smyth

The author Kate Watson-Smyth

I’m a journalist who writes about interiors mainly for The Financial Times but I have also written regularly for The Independent and The Daily Mail. My house has been in Living Etc, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Street Journal & Corriere della Sera. I also run an interior styling consultancy Mad About Your House. Welcome to my Mad House.

6 Comments

  1. My vote is for the Milner Square Flat (first one) — those windows! I can imagine the change in mood depending on weather/light pouring through those floor-to-ceiling windows. Sign me up!

  2. The first one — those windows! I can only imagine how the mood changes depending on the weather/light pouring through them. Sign me up!

  3. That first one with high ceilings and windows is definitely the most inviting.
    The first thing I’d change, though, is the pendant in the kitchen. Too big for being that close to the wall.

  4. Can I have the third one?

    I also like the second one ( and storage always gets my vote) but I think I’m beyond crawling in and out of bed from one end now so that might be a deal breaker.

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