Brixton Flat Refurbishment

BRIXTON, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM

Residential Interior Design

Photos by: Fiona Kelly & Speaking of Interiors

PROJECT - Brixton Flat Refurbishment Speaking of Interiors

This two-bedroom Brixton flat sits within a converted school building, and its two-floor layout is anything but ordinary. A double-height ceiling at the heart of the space and an open mezzanine — used as the second bedroom — give it a truly distinctive character.

The clients wanted to rethink the space around their way of living: more storage, a comfortable work-from-home setup, and a greater sense of warmth and personality throughout. They were working to a strict budget, and with a future move in mind, any investment needed to add real value when it came time to sell.

The first priority was storage. By simply repositioning the bed in the master bedroom, we were able to introduce bespoke fitted wardrobes and make far better use of the narrow room. The centrepiece of the scheme was a floor-to-ceiling solid wood beam wall, designed to enhance the drama of the double-height space while adding warmth and texture — no structural work required. As well as creating a greater sense of enclosure for the mezzanine bedroom above, it provided the anchor for a desk and shelving area below — addressing the work-from-home brief in a considered, integrated way. We also opened up the understairs area, transforming a previously walled-off storage space into a decorative bar and bookcase that now makes a real statement in the entrance.

For the final scheme, a warm, layered palette ties everything together. The key moments in the shared spaces are a long chandelier, generous floor-length curtains, and an olive green sofa. On the double-height wall, a growing gallery gives the couple a living project — adding artwork collected on their travels over time, and bringing a joyful, personal energy into the room.