[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-post-title” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_font=”Black Han Sans|700||on|||||” header_text_align=”center” header_font_size=”46px” header_letter_spacing=”4px” custom_margin=”25px||5px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||true|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”intro-wrap” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|600|on||||||” text_text_color=”#808080″ text_font_size=”16px” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t need to be on the property ladder to make a house a home. We meet the new breed of renters who aren\u2019t afraid to invest in their four walls\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/IMG_6766-Edit_HI_RES-scaled.jpg” title_text=”IMG_6766-Edit_HI_RES” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-gallery-caption” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Akshar|600|||||||” custom_margin=”-15px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Field Of Vision [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n NEUTRAL ZONE<\/strong> That vision was to create a serene and inspiring home. \u2018I created mood boards and featured elements I knew would either help me feel calm or inspire me daily, focusing on fabrics and pieces I knew would evoke those feelings,\u2019 she says. \u2018From my linen sofas to cashmere cushions, oak headboards and canvas-based artwork, I made sure everything felt in unison from a sensory point of view.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/IMG_6827-Edit_HI_RES-scaled.jpg” title_text=”IMG_6827-Edit_HI_RES” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-quote” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”Libre Bodoni|||on|||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#333333″ header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The apartment mixes vintage with modern pieces that are both designer and affordable. \u2018If you set a tone for your home, whenever you see cool things, you can ask yourself whether it fits how you want your space to feel,\u2019 she says. \u2018It stops you buying pieces you don\u2019t need. But don\u2019t shy away from nice pieces just because you think your home\u2019s temporary, either. You can take most things with you.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n While the kitchen is fitted, Omole has added her own touch with a kitchen island on wheels that houses her ceramics collection. In her bedroom, a bespoke wraparound oak headboard gives a cocooning effect, while two Ferm Living glass sideboards are used to store her shoe collection. \u2018My bedroom easily feels like a chic hotel room, so waking up there every day never gets old,\u2019 she says.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Perhaps the most inspiring part of her home is the Japanese-themed meditation room, formerly a bedroom, that\u2019s an oasis of calm with shoji screen walls (held in place with tracking rails attached with pins and double-sided tape), tatami mats underfoot and a beautifully sculptural faux olive tree. \u2018It\u2019s a room I never anticipated I\u2019d ever have, so it\u2019s all kinds of special,\u2019 she says. \u2018I love how I feel when I\u2019m in it.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/IMG_6798_HI_RES-scaled.jpg” title_text=”IMG_6798_HI_RES” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-gallery-caption” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Akshar|600|||||||” custom_margin=”-15px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Cool, Calm & Collected [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_divider color=”#111111″ divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”2px” module_class=”custom-divider” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/IMG_6510-Edit_HI_RES-scaled.jpg” title_text=”IMG_6510-Edit_HI_RES” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-gallery-caption” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Akshar|600|||||||” custom_margin=”-15px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Eclectic Charm [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n MODERN MIX [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n It also fits with Haskell-Thomas\u2019s way of mixing styles and eras. The stainless steel contrasts with a marble table, traditional ceramics on the wall and a mix of fabric and bamboo blinds. \u2018Layering up a house with different styles of furniture from various decades, contemporary with antique art and unexpected combinations of colour and print is what gives a rental house \u2013 or any house! \u2013 character,\u2019 she says. She and her family have lived here since last summer and more space, as well as features such as built-in dressing rooms and a big terrazzo-framed bath, made the house a must-rent. It was, though, painted a cool grey. \u2018But as the owners planned to paint it, we were able to choose the colours \u2013 Farrow & Ball School House White in the kitchen and hall and Pointing in the snug,\u2019 says Haskell-Thomas. \u2018Painting is the most transformative thing you can do to a space. Curtains and blinds are another worthwhile investment,\u2019 she continues, \u2018you can take them with you and have them re-sized if necessary, but it\u2019s an instant injection of print\/colour or personality that is entirely yours. The Colefax and Fowler curtains made for a previous house were a big investment but are now hanging in the drawing room here.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/IMG_6658_HI_RES-scaled.jpg” title_text=”IMG_6658_HI_RES” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n She also focuses on small details that elevate a space, such as changing cabinet handles and curtain poles and installing caf\u00e9 curtains with removable tension rods to hide unattractive windows or white goods. \u2018I also buy forever pieces that can be used differently another time,\u2019 she says. \u2018A sideboard from Maud Vaughan Interiors works well for our hallway, but I imagine it one day in a <\/span>coloured lacquer and in one of our children\u2019s bedrooms.\u2019<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/IMG_6685_HI_RES-scaled.jpg” title_text=”IMG_6685_HI_RES” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-gallery-caption” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Akshar|600|||||||” custom_margin=”-15px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Tales Of The Unexpected [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/IMG_6551_HI_RES-scaled.jpg” title_text=”IMG_6551_HI_RES” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-quote” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”Libre Bodoni|||on|||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#333333″ header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/IMG_6554_HI_RES-scaled.jpg” title_text=”IMG_6554_HI_RES” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/IMG_6704_HI_RES-scaled.jpg” title_text=”IMG_6704_HI_RES” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_divider color=”#111111″ divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”2px” module_class=”custom-divider” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/IMG_1445-Edit_HI_RES-scaled.jpg” title_text=”IMG_1445-Edit_HI_RES” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n PATTERN POWER One of these is the bedroom, which is just a sliver of what was once a larger front room. \u2018The only way to fit a bed in it and have any space left was to go across the room, rather than lengthways,\u2019 she says. \u2018I used nine metres of fabric to make the canopy and it makes the bed really cosy and a joy to be in.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n Deeming\u2019s clever way with fabrics can be seen throughout the apartment. \u2018I love colour and pattern and the apartment is filled with both,\u2019 she says. \u2018I have mixed new prints with faded pieces I have had for years and antique pieces that make a room feel grounded and not floaty and new. Fabric is a great way of covering things up \u2013 the wall above the sofa was a blank expanse so I covered it a vintage kantha quilt, which had been living on the back of the sofa.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-quote” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”Libre Bodoni|||on|||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_text_color=”#333333″ header_2_font_size=”40px” header_2_line_height=”1.2em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n She has lived here for 10 years and hasn\u2019t been afraid to change the apartment to suit her. \u2018I think you have to be prepared to spend money you won\u2019t get back \u2013 it\u2019s about choosing quality of life over your purse,\u2019 says Deeming, whose \u2018How to Style with Pattern and Colour\u2019 course is on Create Academy. \u2018Not that you have to spend a fortune. Much of what I have done has been on a budget. I covered the hallway walls in Japanese washi paper, which comes in sheets rather than rolls so is much more economical.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n She also painted the walls and replaced the flooring, swapping beige carpet for seagrass matting and lino for wooden floorboards and cork. The kitchen\u2019s existing faux maplewood cabinets blocked the light from the window, so she removed the upper cabinets and replaced them with shelves. The new base units and sink are from Ikea, teamed with an oak worktop. Since launching Daydress, Deeming spends six months in Britain and six months in Jaipur, where her pieces are made. \u2018I\u2019m renting in India and decorating there too!\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/IMG_1562-Edit_HI_RES-scaled.jpg” title_text=”IMG_1562-Edit_HI_RES” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text module_class=”custom-gallery-caption” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Akshar|600|||||||” custom_margin=”-15px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Conceal & Reveal [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/Create-Academy-Gabby-Deeming0442-2-scaled.jpg” title_text=”Create Academy – Gabby Deeming0442-2″ force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/flatplan-plus-content.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2024\/04\/IMG_1324_HI_RES-scaled.jpg” title_text=”IMG_1324_HI_RES” force_fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_divider color=”#111111″ divider_position=”center” divider_weight=”2px” module_class=”custom-divider” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text module_class=”credit-texts” _builder_version=”4.20.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|||on|||||” text_orientation=”center” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n WORDS<\/strong> RACHEL LOOS<\/span>\u00a0PHOTOGRAPHS <\/strong>TRENT McMINN<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" rise of the stylish renterYou don\u2019t need to be on the property ladder to make a house a home. We meet the new breed of renters who aren\u2019t afraid to invest in their four walls\u00a0Field Of VisionAbisola Omole \u2018removed everything\u2019 and created a meditation room (above), while the kitchen (below) has a movable islandNEUTRAL ZONEWhen […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2767,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-casa"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"akindell","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2758"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2758\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3049,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2758\/revisions\/3049"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2767"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flatplanplus.io\/grazia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/b><\/span>Abisola Omole \u2018removed everything\u2019 and created a meditation room (above), while the kitchen (below) has a movable island<\/span><\/p>\n
When Abisola Omole moved into her furnished apartment last October, she removed pretty much everything in it. A new-build in a block of 60, she liked its design foundations \u2013 whitewashed oak floors, warm oak cabinetry and slate in the bathrooms \u2013 but the decor \u2018was kinda boring, lacked warmth and felt like someone was following a basic blueprint rather than thinking of what residents would actually need in their spaces\u2019, says Omole, creative director and founder of lifestyle brand Studio Arva. \u2018So I removed everything, from light fixtures to furniture to the occasional wardrobe door. I wanted to make the place my own and I had a very strong vision.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n\u2018Everything feels in unison, sensory-wise\u2019<\/h2>\n
<\/b><\/span>Omole says of her Japanese-themed meditation room, \u2018it\u2019s all kinds of special\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/span>A huge stainless steel island is the focal point of Harriet <\/span><\/span>Haskell-Thomas\u2019s kitchen (above). In the lounge (below), contrasting prints and old furniture create a cosy ambience<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/span>It may have meant taking out the front door and asking friends to give up their Sunday morning to help heave the 500kg stainless-steel kitchen island over a fence, but for stylist Harriet Haskell-Thomas (@harrietstewart), it was worth the effort. \u2018The kitchen is a great size but was crying out for an island,\u2019 she says. \u2018It was being sold by a pub on eBay and it was a steal. And, because it\u2019s not permanent, we can take it with us \u2013 if we can get it out! It\u2019s home to all my ceramics, as well as being a great prep space and good for hosting a crowd.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/span>From a terrazzo-framed bath to a chequerboard coffee table and bed canopy, each room has a standout feature\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u2018Unexpected combinations give a rental character\u2019<\/h2>\n
<\/b><\/span>Gabby Deeming lives in a one-bedroom, second-floor apartment in a converted Georgian building. \u2018It has beautiful period features, such as high ceilings, huge sash windows and period details, but it has been clumsily carved up, so it has a few awkward spaces,\u2019 says the founder of fashion brand Daydress.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\u2018The apartment is filled with colour and pattern\u2019<\/h2>\n
<\/b><\/span>In the bedroom (above), gabby deeming created an elegant canopy to disguise a small, awkward space. Colour and pattern define the living room (below)<\/span><\/p>\n