‘I really enjoy styling the interiors, making sure everything is done to a high standard,’ explains Lois O’Hara, the serial renovator behind this ground-floor studio apartment in the Lower Meads neighbourhood of Eastbourne in East Sussex. Housed in a handsome Victorian building dating from the 1860s, it’s her fourth renovation in two years and, filled with colour and character, arguably her most accomplished to date.
‘It’s much more than just property-flipping to me; it’s about transforming spaces into beautiful homes. As a designer and artist, I pride myself on this ethos and push the decor side of things purely for the love of it. I want to show that not all landlords are the same – some of us really do care.’
Every inch of this 40-square-metre abode proves her point. Bought as a rental and taking seven months to renovate, the flat is a far cry from how Lois found it. ‘It was really old-fashioned and bare,’ she explains. ‘The layout didn’t make sense; the kitchen was squashed into one tiny corner and the bathroom was half the size due to a giant boiler room taking up too much space.
‘Now, it looks a lot more airy and luxurious, and the curved archways, coving and lighting make it feel really soft and inviting.’ Featuring throughout the apartment, curves are something of a signature look for Lois and were also part of the design of her previous renovation in Hove. ‘They are a running theme in my interiors and art,’ she adds. ‘I don’t like straight lines.’
As soon as she got the keys, Lois wasted no time in getting started. ‘I ripped out the kitchen and extended it, as I did with the bathroom,’ she recalls. ‘I purposefully kept the whole thing open as a studio rather than squashing in a tiny bedroom. The curved privacy screen and sofa bed make the sleeping area feel private and by having this space on the opposite side of the kitchen, it doesn’t feel as though everything is on top of you.’
Then it was on to the fun part – the painting – which Lois likes to do herself. ‘I used Lick paint throughout, with Red 06 on the dining area wall to set a decadent mood; the dark tone pairs beautifully with the Pink 03 highlights used elsewhere.’ She also brought in skilled tradespeople to tile the bathroom, sand the floors and sculpt the archway through to the kitchen. ‘The kitchen has wavy, brushed-nickel handles with oyster tiles and a warmer White 03 on the walls to complement the wood of the custom, curved worktop, while the bathroom is painted in dark Blue 04 but with gold accessories to warm it up a little.’
Saving money where she can, Lois enjoys furnishing interiors with beautiful pieces that don’t cost a fortune. ‘I’m always buying then returning things and changing my mind,’ she shares. ‘For example, the orange vase on the radiator from Oliver Bonas – this was the fifth one I bought and tried…’
Still, Lois is realistic about the challenges of renovating a studio, admitting, ‘It’s sometimes hard to work with a small space, as it feels like you can’t separate the jobs, and most tradespeople like to work without others getting in their way, so timing is always tricky.’ But she managed to make it work, and with this stylish but practical home now primed for rental, the savvy, creative businesswoman has proved yet again that tiny can be mighty.
See more of Lois’s art at loisohara.co.uk
