White Space and Pared-Back Designs

Modernist, minimalist and Scandi style homes

History and modernity are natural bedfellows from a design perspective, and we’ve seen many incredible interiors where the past and the present combine to deliver truly remarkable homes.

While contemporary living comes in all shapes, sizes and colours, our article this week is all about the dazzling brilliance of white space and pared-back design that form the backbone of modernist, minimalist and Scandi-style.

Celebrating an historic building’s original fabric, then blending it with elegant modern materials and sympathetic design, is a formula behind many of the most inspiring homes where people invite us. So, let’s take a tour of some of the most recent examples we’ve seen.

Double-height loft in Battersea
A former Victorian library close to Battersea Village is now home to a collection of wonderful loft apartments where you’ll find soaring ceiling heights, mezzanine floors, tall sash windows and all the good stuff that goes into archetypal loft living.

The building is fittingly named The Old Library, and this particular apartment has been recently and lovingly renovated with sleek and stylish contemporary materials and a sharp eye for detail. A centrepiece elevates every interior, and here it’s the striking staircase linking the living space to the mezzanine. It’s a big structure, but the shallow rise, open treads and balustrade make it remarkably unintrusive.

The apartment is for sale at £1,300,000, and you can read all about it by clicking here.

Renovated 1970s apartment in Battersea
Staying in Battersea and up on the fifth (top) floor of a purpose-built block from the 1970s, this 600 sq ft one-bedroom apartment pairs lush reclaimed teak floors with deep greys and crisp whites for a fine slice of Japanese-influenced Scandi-style.

As a lesson in uncluttered, orderly living, the experience of light-infused spaces paired with the rich warmth of natural timber reflects the singular vision of the owner in his meticulously realised refurbishment.

Outside, the views from the private 80 sq ft balcony of the ever-evolving skyline lift the eye above the adjacent rooftops, conveying a real sense of openness both outwards and overhead.

The apartment is for sale at £510,000, and you can read more about it right here.

Brutalist School Conversion in Kennington
Lilian Bayliss School is a Grade 2 listed landmark in Kennington close to Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery and less than 10 minutes walk from the River Thames. Built between 1962-64 school was given listed status in 2000 and is a fascinating example of mid-century civic architecture. In 2014, the building was renamed Cabanel Place and converted into a series of contemporary apartments that brilliantly fuse municipal and residential modernity in a series of almost dreamy spaces.

This one-bedroom apartment on the first floor flows across 605 sq ft and has wonderful floor-to-ceiling windows with narrow vertical panes that further accentuate the tall ceiling heights. You can hear the soft patter of water from the fountains in the grounds, which only adds to the calming nature of the interior.

The apartment is for sale at £625,000, and you can read all about it by clicking here.

Whitechapel Warehouse Apartment
About 5 minutes’ walk from Aldgate, this renovated loft on the top floor of a converted Victorian warehouse on Boyd Street fuses clean minimal lines with exposed industrial character to create a heady mix of the raw and the refined.

Cool, cosy and calm sum up the character with grit-blasted brickwork alongside smooth matt surfaces. The interior unfolds across 1100 sq ft with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open plan living space & kitchen, a second living space that’s perfect for an office at home, a third bedroom or indeed a glamorous dining room.

The apartment is for rent at £625 per week with full details here.

Glass cube in Whitechapel
Staying in Whitechapel, this glass cube on the top of a pair of Georgian houses offers cinematic minimalism above income-producing lower floors.

It’s an extraordinary experience standing in the transparent living space on the top floor, where a 360-degree panorama of London’s skyline is your living artwork day and night. You really do feel as though you are floating in the sky, and the west-facing terrace is the perfect spot for watching the sun as it sets behind the skyscrapers of the City.

The property is for sale at £2,500,000 and you can read all about it here.

Sea-front Regency conversion in Hastings
It doesn’t get more restful than looking at the ocean, and the views from this 2/3 bedroom apartment on the first floor of a converted Regency house in Hastings are as captivating as they are calming.

Inside, ornate cornices, timber sash windows, and panelled interior doors are characterful reminders of the building’s original design. Contrasting pairings include contemporary industrial-style radiators in white and ultra-thin worktops that bring a streamlined quality to the open-plan living space and kitchen.

We’ve agreed on a sale on this apartment, but you can still get some inspiration on transforming a period space into a modern interior by clicking here.

Have you enjoyed this collection of modernist, minimalist and Scandi-style interiors? If you’re looking for a unique place to live, you can book an appointment to view by clicking here.

And if you have an unusual property that you’re looking to sell or let, why not book a time to see how we can put you in front of the right audience without getting lost in the mainstream?

Find unusual properties for sale!