Before & After: A tired rental flat revived with black paint
When Cathy Dean, interior designer and founder of Studio Dean, first saw her clients' new flat in Edinburgh, it was filled with potential but lived up to very little of it. Seduced by the elegant Georgian proportions, floods of natural light and magnificent cornicing, Cathy's clients envisaged its future as a sumptuous city hideaway. But the starting point was a tired rental property, all grey carpets and cane furniture.
Some bold decisions were to be made, the boldest of which was to drench many of its surfaces and ceiling in Benjamin Moore's Black Tar. For Cathy, the richness of black paint was more sympathetic to the flat's original features and an ode to a city, 'sometimes dark and gloomy, but at the same time exciting, cosy and warm.'
Below, Cathy takes us through the renovation process and explains how she managed to fit three bedrooms and two bathrooms into its modest 78 square metres.
Tell us about the flat and why your clients chose to renovate
CD: Our clients are a couple who own a Northumberland country home. They love the countryside but also love to get their 'city fix' every now and then – go to a new restaurant, the latest theatre show or a music event. This apartment, located in one of the most picturesque areas in Edinburgh, provided them with the opportunity to fulfil all those needs.
Tell us a little bit about the brief
CD: As well as serving as their base in Edinburgh, our clients intended to use this apartment as a short-let holiday home, which was something we took into account when planning the layout and the sleeping capacity. We wanted to make sure that we could also accommodate their extended family while not compromising on the functionality or style of the apartment. While our clients love their Northumbrian home, they wanted something quite different in terms of style, something that felt like a boutique hotel and a true city escape.
Did you update the layout or flow of the space?
CD: One of the main things we did for this home was to convert it from a two to a three bedroom, to provide more room for overnight stays and to maximise the potential of the holiday let market. To do this, we converted the existing kitchen into an extra bedroom and moved the kitchen to the living room. The open-plan room is compact but perfectly functional, featuring a fully-equipped kitchen, dining and lounge zones. All of this, as well as three bedrooms and two bathrooms, were fit into 78 square metres!
Did you face any challenges in the process?
CD: As with any project, this one also came with its own challenges. Managing a renovation in an apartment building with a shared entrance almost always results in some friction with the neighbours. Luckily, we had informed them in advance about the work that was going to take place and the deadlines we were working to.
One of the other main challenges was to do with wheelchair accessibility regulations from Edinburgh Council, which is something we had to take into account during the spatial planning process.
What’s your favourite part of the transformation?
CD: It has to be the colour and finishes. They go so well with the period features of this Georgian property and really elevate the look and feel of the space.
You’ve used really dark colours throughout...
CD: As our clients wanted a boutique hotel feel for this property, our minds went straight to using brass as the main metal finish. After all, what says boutique hotel more than lots of gold tones? Brass pairs perfectly with dark tones as it pops so well against them, creating a beautiful contrast. We also wanted to represent the feel of Edinburgh as a city through the colour palette – sometimes a bit dark and gloomy, but at the same time exciting, cosy and warm.
What are your favourite pieces in the home?
CD: The bespoke fitted dining bench must be one of our favourites. It provides comfortable seating and hidden storage, topped off with gorgeous views over the Georgian street below.
What were the main paint colours used?
Panelling and ceiling: Black Tar by Benjamin Moore
Living room wall: Buckhorn by Benjamin Moore.
Tour the rest of the home...
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