Is 40m2 too small for a one bed in London?

[Sssloou]

The layout is good - high ceilings, lots of light with huge sash windows on top floor of period conversion.

I don't think so. I had one in fact. It had a large living room (17') and a small separate kitchen, plus a bathroom and a decent size double bedroom. It even had a small storage room.

It was however well laid out. My friend had the same size flat but everything came off a corridor so her rooms were tiny in contrast.

I know a very nice 2 bed flat in London @ 44sqm. Only one person lived there but it was fine.

That’s good to know. This is the current floor plan and how I would rework it.

You seem to be moving all the kitchen plumbing to the other side of the room. How will the waste water work?

Should be fine with high ceilings and light. It makes such a difference.

Can you have a mezzanine in the bedroom or lounge to create an office space or storage - just thinking outside the box if it's got high ceilings

www.decoist.com/mezzanine-apartment-ideas-plans/?andro=1&ios=1&safari=1

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Def big enough if you're happy to compromise on owning stuff. We live in a 60sqm flat with 2 DCs under 4 and 2 adults.

I wouldn't bother with your reno plan. If it's a victorian Conversion then anything to do with re routing plumbing will be an expensive nightmare (talking from experience, I've done this twice!!). Everything will cost twice as much and be triple the headache than in a newer property. Plus it could cause ceiling movemebt issues for your neighbours below (again, bitter experience)
The layout is fine imo and your drawing is unrealistic. That tiny slither of an en suite wouldn't work in reality and the kitchen is better tucker behind the wall I think. Gives more of a separation to the living space. It'd be a waste of money.

Here's what I'd do.

Even if the plumbing wasn't an obstacle, I can't see how you could work such a long, thin bathroom. Our smaller bathroom is exactly 4' wide and that's about as narrow as you can get for fitting in a loo, basin and shower, unless the door is in the middle. Keeping the bathroom where it is also keeps the bedroom private from visitors.

It isn't too small -if you have decent shape rooms which you do. Also you say high ceilings (so you can get really tall wardrobes and kitchen cupboard to maximise storage) and nice light with big windows. Consider an ottoman bed - they take soooo much stuff.

TBH I think your proposed layout is worse than the current layout though!

Do you really want any visitors having to go into your bedroom to use the bathroom? What if you have a friend to stay over - they have to come into your bedroom for a night-time wee?! What if you get with a partner and you go to bed at different times?

Also your living room will feel like a kitchen with a sofa in, plus be crazily expensive to move all the pipework and it isn't easy in a flat.

Thanks for all of the feedback. I hadn’t considered that reconfiguring the bathroom and kitchen would be so problematic as it looked like the water and wastes would not be moved too far.

I was more concerned about structurally moving walls!

It would be a compromise to have the loo accessible only via the bedroom for guests and the door was going to be in the middle. Would it work to have the loo from the hall and the en-suite to only be a shower and sink from the bedroom.

There isn’t enough space I don’t think for a mezzanine.

It’s honestly not worth the cost/hassle to rejig such a small place like that. Unless the kitchen and bathroom need total replacing? I actually prefer the current layout anyway, most people would prefer the kitchen to be a little tucked away I think.

@JustKeep yes the kitchen and bathroom need replacing.

Are the ceilings high enough to put in a mezzanine floor?

My first flat was about that size, maybe a bit smaller it was fine.

I wouldn’t buy it if your living in it depended on a re-model, unless you get advice about load bearing walls etc, how moving services could affect and neighbours, and whether the freeholder would permit.

All fine if it can be done and is worth it. But the current layout gives more separation for the kitchen area. Do you want to watch TV cosily in front of the oven?

I don't think it's worth changing the layout either tbh. Plus you'd have to get permission from the freeholder.

Why are you fixed on having some sort of en-suite for a 1 bed flat? Doesn't make sense!

Looks great OP!
I'm all for small spaces so its big enough to me.
I prefer the original layout, I love how the kitchen is tucked away, what makes you wanna change?

No way would I want to sign up for a remodel like that in a one bed - have you got any quotes? The costs could be 2-3x what you think it might be

The space is fine for 1 person. I prefer the existing layout too. Maximise your storage with fitted wardrobes in the bedroom. Buy a divan base with drawers. Have wall lights fitted either side of the bed to save on lamps (small bedside tables). There will be so many good design idea on Instagram etc

Ours is a 2 bed and is 500sq feet. No garden. We (DH, DS and I) have lived here happily for 5 years now, since DS was a baby.

I think the layout works well as it is. I don't like feeling the livingroom is in the kitchen, and the current layout has it neatly tucked away. Changing the bathroom would just be compromise after compromise.

I personally couldn't do it. My sole criteria was the flat couldn't be smaller than 50sqm

50m2 is the London Plan standard for new one bed flats. A studio is 37.5m2. Housing associations need to comply with this but private developers don’t necessarily. I would say 40m2 for a one bed is too small.

Another one saying its big enough. We were in a 2 bed 55 square metres for 10 years, were very happy there.