Apartment 57

The Mailbox, Birmingham.

Client: AAC
Completion: project unrealised

The client asked us to look at his newly bought, Crosby Homes apartment with a view to altering it to make it more specific to his needs and lifestyle.

Somewhat controversially we suggested knocking down a partition wall between the living room and the second bedroom to create a large open plan space but consequently reducing the apartment from a two bedroom to a one bedroom.

The client, not swayed by the traditional means of assessing property by the number of bedrooms, agreed with us that as the second bedroom was rarely used, incorporating it into the living area was a more productive use of the space.

Permission for this change was given by Crosby Homes.

The new 'L' shaped living area meant that far more daylight was brought into the living area, and that the extensive balcony area became far more useful as it was more easily accessible from the new space than before.

...featured in both Birmingham's "Property News", and "City Living" magazine...

In addition to this simple, yet immensely successful move, the kitchen area was defined more by the inclusion of a breakfast bar which helped to emphasise the living space in the opposite direction to its original position. The remaining space was then used as a formal dining area.

On the rear wall of the former second bedroom, a bespoke fold down bed was incorporated into a beech and etched glass storage unit to still allow occasional visitors to stay the night.

A similar bespoke storage unit was located in the living room to help organise the general clutter that had existed before.

The transformation of this apartment was featured in both Birmingham's "Property News", and "City Living" magazine.