A calm, compact pied-à-terre beside the Meadows, designed for balance, simplicity, and small-space living.
A calm, compact pied-à-terre beside the Meadows, designed for balance, simplicity, and small-space living.
Compact renovation · Interior design · Adaptive reuse
Edinburgh, Scotland
Spatial design · Interior architecture · Lighting design · Styling
2025
The Spark
This project began out of practicality. We needed somewhere close to schools and the city centre, but we also wanted it to feel like a retreat, a kind of boutique, home-from-home atmosphere.
The flat had good bones and brilliant proximity to the Meadows, so we aimed for something light, compact, and quietly luxurious: everything with a purpose, nothing wasted.
The Challenge
As with many ground-floor Edinburgh flats, the layout was narrow, and slightly off-balance. The oversized kitchen and dining area didn’t suit the small scale of the rest, and the secondary bedroom felt squeezed.
We wanted to re-think the space for 21st-century living, re-allocating rooms to better fit family life while keeping a feeling of openness and calm.
Our Approach
We flipped the floor plan: the former living room became a serene main bedroom, while the large kitchen–diner was transformed into a bright, multi-use living space.
Throughout, the aim was subtle renewal rather than total reinvention. We replaced linoleum with wide-plank oak flooring, refreshed all surfaces with new paint finishes, and focused on lighting; layering indirect, adaptable, and dimmable light to counteract the lower natural levels of a ground-floor flat.
The palette is soft, natural, and minimal. Oak, off-white, and warm metal accents giving the home its quiet, hotel-like rhythm.