Compact living with a spacious feel
Keltie has a passion for Japanese culture and some experience of small-space living, and had just purchased a studio flat in the iconic Grade II listed 1930s Pullman Court on Streatham Hill in south London.
She was determined that this would not be a pied-à-terre for her, but her real fully functioning home – somewhere she could relax, sleep, work from home and entertain guests. She didn't want to compromise on the practical things you'd expect from a larger home, like having a washing machine, and needed the place to feel calm, spacious and relaxing.
However, with only 20 square metres to play with, Keltie needed to fit a lot of functionality into every scrap of space, without overwhelming the flat with storage or obstructing the beautiful light that spills in from just one end of the long room; she was looking for small-space living that didn't feel small.
She came to Lozi with these challenges and brought lots of references from Japanese interior design, and we worked together carefully on a layout that would give a feeling of spaciousness while ticking all of her functional boxes.
Front elevation: kitchen, sleeping and storage pod
We used the height of the space to create an elevated sleeping platform and storage pod, tucked storage discreetly into every corner possible without dominating the space, and installed a fluted glass partition to draw light through to the back of the flat. Finally, we filled the kitchen with lots of clever space-saving details.
Keltie can now live as if she's occupying a much larger home, getting the maximum function out of her compact space in a calm and serene environment that never feels restricting.
Elevated sleeping and storage pod
Keltie wanted to have a tranquil sleeping area and enough storage for all her clothes, without dominating her tiny studio flat with wardrobes or blocking light from the end window. This part of her home also needed to act as the living area.
Sleeping and storage pod: kitchen side
Sleeping and storage pod: foot of bed
Sleeping and storage pod: window side
The tall ceiling height of the long thin flat made it possible to elevate the bed, creating a bespoke sleeping platform and storage pod. A fluted glass partition screens the bed from the kitchen and dining area, while still allowing plenty of light to flow deep into the space and keeping everything tranquil and light.
Each of the steps that lead up one side of the platform contains a small drawer, and there's space at the top for a book and bedside light, with power discretely fed through via cable management from underneath.
A bookcase is tucked underneath the same steps, next to a bright seating area by the large window. Further under-bed storage for larger items like suitcases is accessed via a secret panel behind this chair.
Roomy drawers and sliding doors under the foot of the bed provide storage for clothes and other everyday items. Hanging clothes storage, space to keep an airer and the all-important washing machine are tucked under the kitchen side of the bed platform.
This end of the flat now gives Keltie room to tuck everything away out of sight and space to relax where she can’t see the rest of the flat, without compromising the flow of daylight into the space or the tranquil feeling she was after.
Space-saving kitchen details
Keltie wanted her studio flat to have a proper kitchen and dining area that she could use for entertaining, despite the small area available, so we worked together to make the most of every corner with space-saving details borrowed from Japan.
We individually measured items like Keltie's cookbooks and crockery, and designed the kitchen area around them to make sure that everything would have a bespoke home, keeping the space calm and clutter-free even in use.
The pull-out larder has a hidden Fenix worktop on top of the lower drawer, so Keltie can pull it out to create an extra surface for food preparation and get the sense of having more room without taking up any floor area when it's not needed.
A special shelf concealed in the extractor gives Keltie somewhere to store the jars of pickles she likes to make, and the 100mm space that had to be added between the hob and bedroom partition afforded perfect storage for oils and spices.
Worktops made from recycled ocean plastic by Smile Plastics offer a splash of colour and maintain the tranquil feeling, while sliding doors swish calmly aside without taking up extra space when she opens them. The birch plywood used throughout the apartment keeps the atmosphere cohesive, warm and natural.
Open storage above the dining table gives an extra place to put things above eye-level without crowding the space, and custom hooks and storage for her folding bike keep things neat on arrival.
Floor plan: Keltie’s 20 metre square apartment
Overall, the result is a multifunctional home that incorporates lots of clever space-saving details beneath a peaceful and simple surface, allowing Keltie to work, cook, entertain, rest and sleep in the space she has, comfortably living the generous life she wanted in her tiny but perfectly formed space.
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Please find our guided pricing here
Each project varies depending on the size of your home, the complexity of the design and your choice of materials and finishes.
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Bespoke floating alcove storage for the living area
Kitchen cabinetry, bathroom wall cladding and secret door
Fitted custom wardrobes in the bedroom
Mobile pull-out drawers under wardrobes
Custom media unit for projector and sound bar
Design and development with our in-house designer-makers
Making, by our own team of makers, on Hackney Road
Delivery and installation by the same team of makers
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Worktops | sink | appliances | electrics | plumbing | removal of existing units | any other home accessories shown
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After submitting your enquiry and confirming a quote that suits your budget, you'll be allocated one of our highly skilled designer-makers and they will schedule a site visit, where relevant. Based on your requirements and personal style, we'll provide a digital 2-D design to visualise the project outcome. Your designer-maker will ensure the experience is stress-free, supporting important design decisions and providing tailored, design-led solutions. All Lozi furniture is then made in-house and if appropriate, carefully installed by the designer-maker and workshop team.
Click here for a full breakdown of each stage.