A Stylist’s Small Space in Southeast London

A Stylist’s Small Space in Southeast London

My lease doesn’t allow me to repaint. I knew when I signed it that I’d have to live with the dark, yellowish-green walls, hoping that there’d be a way around it later. After living in the building for two months, keeping a clean, decorated space, my landlord let me know that painting my apartment would be okay with her. It was the best news. My rooms are now intentionally light or dark, but not dingy yellow. It just makes things easier (and potentially prettier) when landlords can trust that their buildings will be left in better condition than when first leased.

When stylist and photographer Carole Poirot, her boyfriend Bill and her son Dylan started looking in their current neighborhood, they were only finding rough, expensive places. Their 900-square-foot flat wasn’t much different, but the natural light and location gave it an edge and they have embraced the apartment and what it could be. “Knowing the limitations of a rental property, my main goal was to make it feel like home,” Carole says. She brought the flat to life with space dividers, plants and details that fit within the restrictions of her lease. “Renting in the UK can be difficult as landlords will often not allow you to change anything or even let you hang up pictures that might require nails,” Carole says. “However, after a few months we started to gain our landlord’s trust and were allowed to repaint, which was great as the whole place was painted in horrid magnolia with the exception of the kitchen, which was terracotta!” Carole’s home is a reflection of her and the people she loves, as much as a rental can be. The family has created a lovely, airy place, partially with the earned trust of their landlord. —Lauren

1/16 Carole's living area doubles as the guest room whenever needed. She has created extra storage, functionality and cohesion throughout the home to get the most out of it.

2/16 Carole used a credenza to divide the living room area from the dining room.

3/16 While Carole, Bill and Dylan are all thankful to be without magenta walls, Carole's ability to make the flat feel comfortable and cared for would show through no matter what colors the walls are. The plants, objects and artwork that layer together make it beautiful and homey.

4/16 "From seashells and plants to teapots and tiny vintage bottles, my 'cabinet of curiosities theme' continues on top of the large cabinet," says Carole.

5/16 "My 'office,' so basically my desk, sits in the large room which is the entrance, dining area and living area," says Carole. "Whilst I do sometimes whish I had a separate room with more space, I don’t think I’d actually really like to shut myself away completely."

6/16 The entryway to the flat is styled with simple pieces that set the tone of the rest of the apartment.

7/16 The simplest objects are some of the most beautiful in this space. "I have stones and bits of nature, books and trays all over the place," says Carole.

8/16 "Our dining table sits right in the corner with the largest windows and gets the best of the morning sunshine and a view straight into the trees outside," says Carole.

9/16 "Despite having trees right outside our window, I still like to add more plants on the inside," says Carole.

10/16 "Our kitchen is narrow with pretty hideous wood effect built-in units and tiny round mosaic tiles. If I owned this place, the kitchen would be the first thing to go," says Carole. "Since storage is a real issue here, I painted a piece of garden trellis to lean against the back wall and hang up some of my pots, pans and utensils."

11/16 Carole's styling and innovation are both used in her kitchen. She used stacked wine crates to make a pantry for her most frequently used ingredients.

12/16 Carole's flat was built in 1980 and doesn't have much architectural interest. She brought it in with vintage pieces and greenery.

13/16 "Our bedside tables are two stools which were a lucky eBay bargain, as it’s rare to find a matching pair. I keep small treasures there like the blue vintage bottle found in a small antiques shop in Provence and which Bill bought for me to remind me of our holiday," says Carole. "I love pure linen bedding as it just gets softer with age and has a beautiful, natural look to it."

14/16 "A few years ago one of Bill’s friends bought a house which used to belong to an old lady and hadn’t seen any updates in several decades," says Carole. "He found the mirror when he moved in and declared it 'ghastly' and gave it to me. I love it and it now hangs on Bill’s side of the bed."

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16/16 From left to right: Dylan, Carole and Bill

Original article and pictures take www.designsponge.com site