Apartment is masterpiece in small space living

Working on projects in London, where studio apartments are commonplace, provided Catherine Senior with all the experience she needed to redesign a micro flat in Menston.

Catherine, director and designer at bespoke furniture makers Daedalian, is an expert in space planning, so when she spotted a dark and dated studio for sale she couldn’t resist buying it. Although it needed work to bring in more light and space, along with mod cons, it is part of a beautiful old building with sash windows and fantastic views.

“It hadn’t been touched for 35 years and it was begging to be restored. I could see the potential immediately. I’ve done a few studio flats in London for clients and space planning is part of my job,” says Catherine.

First, she removed the suspended ceiling, which had also cut across the sash window blocking out natural light. The extra height and light gave the room a feeling of space and allowed Catherine to put the next part of her plan into action.

She designed a mezzanine sleeping level with an alcove for storage, leaving the rest of the room free to be used solely as a living area. The shower, which was in a corner where all the light came in, was moved and the large kitchen made much more compact and contemporary.

“I ripped everything out and started again and each area I have created is based on a cube. The mezzanine is great as it is now a separate bedroom and there’s integrated lighting up there, along with sockets for charging phones and iPads,” says Catherine. “The kitchen is smaller but more usable and creates more space in the living room. The bathroom is another cube that doesn’t reach ceiling height so there is room on top of it for storage.”

Outside, there are well-maintained communal gardens and off-street parking. The property is in easy walking distance of the train station.

Lester Hurst of Hunters estate agents, which is marketing the property, adds: “This is a contemporary and thoughtfully planned bijou studio apartment, offering low maintenance and stylish living in the heart of Menston village.”

*For more details contact Hunters, Ilkley, tel: 01943 660 500, www.hunters.com. Daedalian Furniture, Daedalianfurniture.co.uk.

*Menston village has shops, a post office, pubs and a park. The train station offers rail links to Leeds and Bradford.