Small but Mighty: in praise of London’s smaller spaces

Lots of room brings lots of opportunity, but what about the places with less flexibility? The urban homes in which space is not so readily available? For the architect or designer, it has always been harder to accomplish something innovative when the floorplan is limited. Here, we’re taking a moment to praise the smaller home: the one-bedroom flat, which can hold as much appeal as one with a more generous footprint.

There are, of course, certain fundamentals that benefit any home regardless of size, such as big windows or access to an outdoor area, but in modest homes, it’s important to take other elements into consideration too. In apartment blocks and buildings built for social purposes, the homes we love are those in which a concerted effort has been made to give residents a beautiful life. Shared facilities and decorative original features are a huge draw to those living in smaller spaces. In an increasingly insular world, these things give people a sense of community worth championing.

And we’re not the only ones. Judging by some of our recent listings, buyers agree with us too. Take this flat in Waterlow Court, an Edwardian Arts and Crafts development on the edge of Hampstead Heath extension. Set around a communal courtyard surrounded by an arcaded cloister, the apartment has painted fireplace tiles, exposed brickwork and leaded casement windows, giving it a welcoming cottagey feel, while clever cabinetry hides clutter. The balance of preserved historic details and privacy of space within a community area has proven to be a winning combination – after heated interest, we put out a call for best and final offers on Waterlow Court after it had been on the market for just a few weeks.

Further west, in Brondesbury Park, Tarranbrae provides another example of good things coming in small packages. Found within a 1930s Art Deco building, the flat blends a creative use of colour and a varied mix of materials and styles, which make for a home of striking character reflective of its previous owner, the late antique dealer Peter Twining. Period details (combined with Twining’s later Ottoman-style additions) and ample storage again makes a super duo in this smaller context, but the aesthetics here are really this flat’s true advantage.

Other than in apartment blocks, most of London’s small spaces are found in houses that have been divided up into flats. These all come with their own selling points: the ground floor often has the garden, the first floor has the bay, and the top floor the view. People have different preferences, but as long as the building has character and its spaces are well considered, we are convinced that the popularity of compact homes will endure.

Amid the leafy surroundings of upper Hackney, Clapton Terrace is constructed in brick masonry, and each house features an entry with a stone coat parapet. Recently sold, this flat has been restored with explicit attention to its period features, which include dentil mouldings and an ornate marble fireplace. Set on the ground floor, it also has access to a flourishing garden. Then there’s East Dulwich Road, where this lovely first-floor flat ­– now under offer – can be found, overlooking plane trees and the lush Goose Green. With high Victorian ceilings, it also has some wonderful stained glass, an ornamental mantelpiece and crisp cornicing. Elegant and orderly, with the added attraction of a communal garden, it’s proof that good style doesn’t age.

The same maxim is in evidence in this handsome one-bed flat on Burton Street, in the heart of Bloomsbury and now on the market. With a stock-brick façade and stuccoed pilasters intersected by recessed sash windows, it has notably elegant symmetry and grand proportions – inspired by Palladio and the Classical world. Such style is typical of its architect, James Burton’s, London work and is as pleasing now as it was in the Georgian era.

To renegotiate space intelligently takes an innovative and sympathetic approach. This is a challenge to achieve in any building, but still harder in those that were never intended for residential use. This is what sets Church Rise (under offer) out as such an impressive outlier. In a converted church in Forest Hill, this one-bedroom apartment blends pared-back modernity and historic ecclesiastical grandeur beautifully. Lit by full-length windows, the church’s dramatic stone arches and pillars are enhanced by the modern neutral palette. It’s a celebration of what is possible when a space is reimagined, while remaining true to original character.

In terms of where people are looking in the city, it’s no surprise that traditional London villages such as Forest Hill are growing ever more popular. Clapton, East Dulwich and Golders Green are equally thriving, precisely because they offer people a triumvirate of heritage, green space and a sense of community. Smaller spaces and one-bed flats provide a foundation to these markets, underpinned by people looking to buy their first homes. This desire, combined with stabilising mortgage rates, has made the market for smaller flats a reliable one.

The buying process can be unnerving, but the joys of period details, an interesting historic context or a sensitively designed space can really add to the experience. It is hard to put a value on the joys of light, a view over a church spire or an interesting layout, but in the smaller places we choose to cherish, the worth inherent in such details becomes clear.

If all this talk of solo living spaces has you yearning for a one-bed all your own, a south-facing flat in Bethnal Green’s Mendip Houses has just come on the market. Sunny and sheltered, the apartment has access to the buildings’ communal courtyard – perfect for summer barbecues. Inside, plenty of shelving means storage is no issue, making other furnishing decisions all the more fun. We love the faint Frenchy air cultivated by the current owner – all cool tones, matelassé, linen and stripped pine. Parfait!