After recently acquiring this property on behalf of an overseas client, we set about drawing up plans to convert this small 650sf two bedroom garden flat, into a much larger two bed, two bath. One of the challenges for interior architects is converting small areas into workable living spaces. Flats in Fulham are flying off estate agents books at a tremendous speed, seeing increases in prices of over 15% per annum in some cases. So how can you best maximise you resale potential in such a fantastic seller’s market?

The question our client put to us is how can we give him the maximum square footage and have a floor plan that benefits from the bonus of having a good sized ‘outdoor room’. He is also keen to have 2 bathrooms, where currently there is only one, so both he and his guests can enjoy their privacy. Above all he wanted a floor plan that flowed easily where each room had good dimensions, with the living area giving a sense of space so often only found in houses. Lucky for us the next door house has already built a full side return extension, the luck being that it is the house on the side which we want to do our own side return.  A visit to the duty planning officer in LBHF confirmed that as the neighbours had been granted permission for  a full side return, we should be able to do the same and therefore we would not be restricted to having to keep a light well, which would have made it nearly impossible to fit in 2 bathrooms. This property also has a 6 metre long garden, quite long by Fulham standards, which means we can add 2 full metres to the whole width of the house, whilst still leaving us with ample space to design a beautiful patio garden similar to this one that Spiering & Co designed 2 years ago.  This will add to the sense of openness in the reception/kitchen room and with the full width glazed patio doors it should be a room full of light and space.