When Jon and Cassandra bought their one-bed flat in south London, they knew turning a rundown Victorian conversion into an oasis of calm would be a challenge. But they ended up with a fluid space where simple whites and splashes of colour create the illusion of open-plan living…

Sun roof
The potential of the kitchen was obvious from the first viewing. A rotten wooden lean-to already had a roof of safety glass (complete with wire mesh) while patio doors led out to the garden. By extending the kitchen by just a metre, a kitchen/diner and office were cleverly incorporated into the same space. The new glass roof and bi-fold doors – that stretch across the full width of the room – has meant this dining area can be extended into the garden, creating one huge inside/outside space.

Jobs completed:

• New aluminium lean-to with clear glass roof and bi-fold doors.
• White, high-gloss kitchen with worktops in solid black and appliances built-in or hidden.
• Concrete floor dug out and a new wooden floor laid at same height as garden decking.
• All new wiring with additional sockets for office and switches for garden lighting.

The high life
The lounge was a very large space with huge windows and a high, moulded ceiling. Under the threadbare carpet were some amazing old floorboards, which were lime waxed to give them an aged, white finish. Once three layers of wallpaper were removed (yellow, pink and orange!) the walls needed some repair work and a fresh skim with plaster to achieve a smooth finish.

Victorian radiators were found in a reclamation yard, sandblasted and powder coated with a gunmetal grey paint to match the feature wall. White colonial-style shutters, floating shelves and a modern chandelier are the only other additions to the room, while furniture in grey, white and black continue the theme. With such a monochromatic approach to colour, the room needed a lift – cue magenta accessories including pouffes picked up in Marrakech, and bespoke graffiti art opposite (Graffiti4Hire.com).

Jobs completed:

• Wallpaper stripped and walls repaired and skimmed.
• Windows stripped and repainted, shutters installed.
• Old fireplace removed and chimney cleaned and swept.
• Carpets taken up, floor sanded and lime waxed.
• Floating shelves added.

Dream room
When the house was converted to flats 25 years ago this was an extension, so has lower ceilings, a concrete floor and small, modern windows. The result was a dark room that felt small and cold. To make it a more welcoming place to spend lazy Sunday mornings, the windows were replaced with larger double-glazed sashes. Liberal use of white is lifted with green accents, while a built-in wardrobe with sliding doors maximises the space.

Jobs completed:

• Larger windows fitted.
• All wallpaper stripped and walls and ceiling skimmed.
• Carpet removed and laminate laid over the concrete floor.
• Built-in wardrobe with sliding doors takes up one wall.

Spa treatment
Making a tiny, windowless bathroom look and feel like a spa in a boutique hotel was tough. But with some clever use of space, the bath was moved to sit across the width of the room, rather than running along its length as it had been, and relentless searching for a bath small enough to fit but wide enough to still be luxurious, it eventually worked. Lots of lights, large mirrors, polished chrome and black mosaic tiles complete the look.

Jobs completed:

• Layout of bathroom changed.
• False ceiling installed to house fan and six spotlights.
• Long mirrored cupboard fitted along one wall for storage.
• Mirrored cupboard with tabletop basin built for more storage and illusion of space.

A natural conclusion
To create a low-maintenance but natural-looking garden, the entire space was decked. A long bench was built into the back wall, while a hidden shed blends in with the fencing for unobtrusive storage. Designed as the perfect place for summer barbecues, bamboo grows from a raised bed alongside a mature oak tree, lit by outdoor spotlights.

Jobs completed:

• Old wall rebuilt and fencing put up around garden boundary.
• Decking raised to the same level of kitchen floorboards for a seamless inside/outside space.
• Bench and planters added.
• Garden shed built from fence panels into one corner.