Betty: Inspiring Monday's: Loft Living Decorating Ideas

In London it is increasingly hard to find a flat within your budget with enough space for you and the cat. More are more people are getting creative with their space, and in the second issue of Betty, we spoke to graphic designer and cake baker Leanne Franks about living in her loft apartment. With a dressing room underneath her bed, Leanne and her boyfriend have utilised their living space to make her a loft apartment the perfect retro escape. Located just off Brick Lane, it certainly charmed us. In our series of 'Inspiring Monday's' we speak to her to see how it was done:

Why did you decide to move into a space like this?

I had been looking for somewhere to live in East London for a while and someone suggested I should look at live/work spaces. These are usually affordable studio apartments converted from derelict warehouses. Looking at what was out there I loved how unique the spaces, this particular space was a blank canvas when I went to view and I thought it’d be fun to add my own touch to the space

How much work did you have to do to get it how you wanted?

Luckily I have a lovely boyfriend who’s extremely handy with a toolbox. I gave him a sketch of what I wanted, although it was his idea to add the bunk bed in the rafters to maximise the space (ever the logical thinker). We made all the kitchen fittings and the bed frame before we moved in, which took about 2 weeks. It was a case of knowing what I wanted and planning ahead before I moved in.

What are the benefits of this space?

The location is the greatest benefit of this space. The way we’ve set it out though has allowed a studio flat to be transformed into an apartment with separate living spaces within it. The actual building itself has lovely high ceilings making it feel much bigger than it actually is. The large warehouse style windows on all walls mean it is so bright all the time, which really adds to the look and feel of the place.

What’s your favourite part?

I think the bed being up in the roof is my favourite part of the apartment, it is really cosy. It’s so handy with it being high up in the roof as it allows me to have my dressing room underneath. It just makes the place much more neat looking and increases storage space.

Are there any downsides?

The windows. Whilst they allow lots of light in they also tend to heat the place during the summer. I get around this by keeping the blinds down most of the day in summer – which is a shame. Another downside is that it’s not great for entertaining. There isn’t much room for friends to stay over and it’d be an awful place to take part in ‘Come Dine With Me’...where would I disappear off to, whilst I talked about the other contestants?

What would you say your interiors taste is inspired by?

It’s definitely inspired by the 1950’s kitsch look. I’ve always loved everything about 1950’s style but I also think it’s nice to mix things up with a modern twist. The kitchen was definitely meant to look like a 50’s kitchenette but then the living room area is quite New York loft (think the ‘Friends’ apartment). When it comes down to it though the nature of the space heavily influenced how the interior was set out. With the fact I had to beg, borrow and steal (well maybe not steal) the furniture from various friends/relatives who were throwing things out, led it accidentally to be a mish-mash of vintage and modern style.

Do you have any tips for our readers who want to do something similar?

Keep your eye out for various live/work websites because there’s always places coming up, especially in East London where there seems to be converted warehouses in abundance. Also don’t be put off by somewhere if it’s totally bare, think of it as a blank piece of paper that you can stamp your style all over. Be prepared for a bit of hard work but it’ll pay off in the end when you have a fabulous unique home!