Renovating a Period Apartment:
5 Design Lessons from a Crouch End Project
28.08.2026
Renovating a period property involves hundreds of decisions, from whether a wall should move to the colour of a kitchen cabinet. It is easy to focus on individual choices and lose sight of a more important question: what will actually make the home work and feel better?
Before thinking about finishes, I like to understand how each room will be used, what is not working and which changes will make a genuine difference. Sometimes that means altering the space. At other times, the existing layout works perfectly well and the improvement comes from better storage, furniture planning, lighting or more considered choices of materials and colour.
Our renovation of a two-bedroom period apartment in Crouch End, North London, is a good example. We retained most of the existing layout but completely refurbished the interior, replaced the kitchen, enlarged and replanned the bathroom, introduced bespoke storage and reconsidered the lighting, furniture layouts, materials and finishes throughout.
Here are five design principles we used that are worth considering before starting a renovation of your own.
Before thinking about finishes, I like to understand how each room will be used, what is not working and which changes will make a genuine difference. Sometimes that means altering the space. At other times, the existing layout works perfectly well and the improvement comes from better storage, furniture planning, lighting or more considered choices of materials and colour.
Our renovation of a two-bedroom period apartment in Crouch End, North London, is a good example. We retained most of the existing layout but completely refurbished the interior, replaced the kitchen, enlarged and replanned the bathroom, introduced bespoke storage and reconsidered the lighting, furniture layouts, materials and finishes throughout.
Here are five design principles we used that are worth considering before starting a renovation of your own.
1. Don’t Move Walls Until You Know What You Are Trying to Fix
Changing a floor plan can be exciting, particularly at the beginning of a renovation when almost anything seems possible. But moving walls is not automatically the best way to improve a home.
Before making a structural change, ask what problem it will actually solve. Does the room genuinely need to be larger? Is circulation awkward? Is there insufficient storage? Or could the problem be resolved through a better furniture layout or a different use of the space?
In our Crouch End apartment, the existing arrangement already worked well for a two-bedroom home, so there was little reason to alter it.
The bathroom was the exception. Moving one wall slightly gave us enough additional space to improve the layout, create better circulation and introduce much-needed storage. It was a relatively small alteration, but it solved several problems at once.
Before moving a wall, ask yourself: what will the additional space actually allow me to do? If it improves the way the room functions, even a small change can be worthwhile.
Before making a structural change, ask what problem it will actually solve. Does the room genuinely need to be larger? Is circulation awkward? Is there insufficient storage? Or could the problem be resolved through a better furniture layout or a different use of the space?
In our Crouch End apartment, the existing arrangement already worked well for a two-bedroom home, so there was little reason to alter it.
The bathroom was the exception. Moving one wall slightly gave us enough additional space to improve the layout, create better circulation and introduce much-needed storage. It was a relatively small alteration, but it solved several problems at once.
Before moving a wall, ask yourself: what will the additional space actually allow me to do? If it improves the way the room functions, even a small change can be worthwhile.
A compact Crouch End kitchen redesigned with deep green cabinetry and lighter cream full-height storage.
2. In Small Rooms, Think About Visual Space as Well as Actual Space
You cannot always make a room physically larger, but you can change how large it feels.
One thing I consider in smaller rooms is the visual weight of the largest elements. Tall cupboards, large furniture and strong colours naturally attract attention. Too many visually heavy elements can make a compact room feel more enclosed.
We used this principle in the Crouch End kitchen. The existing layout worked, so rather than changing it, we replaced the kitchen completely.
The main cabinetry was finished in a deep green, while the tall storage cupboards and integrated fridge were finished in a softer cream. Using the lighter colour on the tallest elements reduced their visual weight, while the green cabinetry gave the kitchen depth and character.
The result is a kitchen that feels more spacious without gaining a single square metre.
Before assuming that a small room needs to be extended or completely replanned, consider colour, scale, height, sightlines and the visual weight of furniture and cabinetry. Sometimes it is not the amount of space that is the problem, but how that space is perceived.
One thing I consider in smaller rooms is the visual weight of the largest elements. Tall cupboards, large furniture and strong colours naturally attract attention. Too many visually heavy elements can make a compact room feel more enclosed.
We used this principle in the Crouch End kitchen. The existing layout worked, so rather than changing it, we replaced the kitchen completely.
The main cabinetry was finished in a deep green, while the tall storage cupboards and integrated fridge were finished in a softer cream. Using the lighter colour on the tallest elements reduced their visual weight, while the green cabinetry gave the kitchen depth and character.
The result is a kitchen that feels more spacious without gaining a single square metre.
Before assuming that a small room needs to be extended or completely replanned, consider colour, scale, height, sightlines and the visual weight of furniture and cabinetry. Sometimes it is not the amount of space that is the problem, but how that space is perceived.
3. Plan Storage Early
Storage is often treated as something to solve later: design the room first and then work out where everything will go.
I prefer to consider it from the beginning.
Bespoke joinery affects much more than cupboard space. It can influence furniture positions, sockets, lighting, heating, skirting and the proportions of the room itself.
The principal bedroom in our Crouch End apartment was generously sized, which gave us the opportunity to create substantial bespoke wardrobes without making the room feel crowded. Because they were planned as part of the room from the outset, we could consider them in relation to the bed, lighting and other furniture.
We took the same approach in the bathroom. Once the new layout was established, a bespoke vanity and separate storage unit were designed specifically for the available space.
Think about what you actually need to store before deciding how the room should look. A beautifully designed home is much easier to live in when everyday belongings have somewhere sensible to go.
I prefer to consider it from the beginning.
Bespoke joinery affects much more than cupboard space. It can influence furniture positions, sockets, lighting, heating, skirting and the proportions of the room itself.
The principal bedroom in our Crouch End apartment was generously sized, which gave us the opportunity to create substantial bespoke wardrobes without making the room feel crowded. Because they were planned as part of the room from the outset, we could consider them in relation to the bed, lighting and other furniture.
We took the same approach in the bathroom. Once the new layout was established, a bespoke vanity and separate storage unit were designed specifically for the available space.
Think about what you actually need to store before deciding how the room should look. A beautifully designed home is much easier to live in when everyday belongings have somewhere sensible to go.
4. Plan Lighting Around How You Will Use the Room
Lighting is one of the decisions I would never leave until the end of a renovation.
It is difficult to plan lighting properly without first understanding the furniture layout. Where will the bed sit? Where will somebody read? Is there a dressing table? Where will artwork hang? How will kitchen work surfaces be used?
Once these questions are answered, the electrical and lighting plan can respond to the room rather than dictate it.
In the Crouch End apartment, lighting was considered alongside furniture and joinery. In the bedroom, for example, wall lights with fabric shades form part of the composition around the bed rather than simply providing additional light.
During a full refurbishment, the best time to decide where you need sockets, switches and wall lights is before the walls are finished. Moving them later usually means unnecessary cost and disruption.
I would therefore recommend developing the furniture layout before finalising the electrical plan. Lighting makes much more sense when you know exactly what it is supposed to illuminate.
It is difficult to plan lighting properly without first understanding the furniture layout. Where will the bed sit? Where will somebody read? Is there a dressing table? Where will artwork hang? How will kitchen work surfaces be used?
Once these questions are answered, the electrical and lighting plan can respond to the room rather than dictate it.
In the Crouch End apartment, lighting was considered alongside furniture and joinery. In the bedroom, for example, wall lights with fabric shades form part of the composition around the bed rather than simply providing additional light.
During a full refurbishment, the best time to decide where you need sockets, switches and wall lights is before the walls are finished. Moving them later usually means unnecessary cost and disruption.
I would therefore recommend developing the furniture layout before finalising the electrical plan. Lighting makes much more sense when you know exactly what it is supposed to illuminate.
5. Decide How You Want the Interior to Relate to the Building
A period property does not have to have a traditional interior.
A completely contemporary scheme can work beautifully within historic architecture, and in some homes the contrast between old and new can become an important part of the design.
For our Crouch End apartment, we chose a different approach. We wanted the interior to have a closer relationship with the character of the property, without recreating a Victorian or Edwardian interior or following one particular style.
The kitchen has Shaker-style doors, while doors and handles elsewhere have a more traditional character. An upholstered bed, Persian rug and wall lights with fabric shades sit alongside contemporary pieces and subtle mid-century influences. Some items were sourced from antique shops, while others came from contemporary suppliers.
The aim was not to make everything match, but to create an interior that felt collected and considered.
Before choosing furniture and finishes, decide what relationship you want your new interior to have with the property. It may be contemporary and deliberately contrasting, more closely connected to the architecture, or somewhere between the two.
There is no single correct approach. What matters is having a clear direction before making hundreds of individual decisions.
A completely contemporary scheme can work beautifully within historic architecture, and in some homes the contrast between old and new can become an important part of the design.
For our Crouch End apartment, we chose a different approach. We wanted the interior to have a closer relationship with the character of the property, without recreating a Victorian or Edwardian interior or following one particular style.
The kitchen has Shaker-style doors, while doors and handles elsewhere have a more traditional character. An upholstered bed, Persian rug and wall lights with fabric shades sit alongside contemporary pieces and subtle mid-century influences. Some items were sourced from antique shops, while others came from contemporary suppliers.
The aim was not to make everything match, but to create an interior that felt collected and considered.
Before choosing furniture and finishes, decide what relationship you want your new interior to have with the property. It may be contemporary and deliberately contrasting, more closely connected to the architecture, or somewhere between the two.
There is no single correct approach. What matters is having a clear direction before making hundreds of individual decisions.
A compact kitchen combining deep green Shaker cabinetry with lighter cream full-height storage to reduce visual weight and make the space feel more open.
What to Keep in Mind Before You Renovate
If you are planning a period property renovation, a few principles are worth considering before work begins:
- Don’t change the layout without a reason. Identify what the change will genuinely improve.
- Think about visual space, not only floor area. Colour, scale and visual weight can dramatically affect how spacious a room feels.
- Plan storage early. Consider joinery alongside furniture, lighting, electrics and heating.
- Finalise furniture layouts before lighting. This will help you position sockets, switches and lighting where they are actually needed.
- Decide how the interior should relate to the property. Traditional, contemporary or a combination can all work.
- Think about the home as a whole. Different rooms can have their own character while still feeling connected.
Planning a period property Renovation in North London?
At Leyla Yahya Design, we work on period property renovations, apartment refurbishments and residential interior design projects in Crouch End and across North London.
If you are planning a renovation and would like to discuss your project, we would be delighted to hear from you. Book a discovery consultation to explore your ideas, your home, and how we can help bring your vision to life.
If you are planning a renovation and would like to discuss your project, we would be delighted to hear from you. Book a discovery consultation to explore your ideas, your home, and how we can help bring your vision to life.
If you are planning a renovation or interior project, we invite you to book a call to discuss your project in more detail. During the call, we will talk through your space, your priorities and the level of transformation you are looking to achieve.
We will outline how we approach projects, what to expect at each stage and how the process is managed, giving you a clear understanding of how your home could develop and what is involved in moving forward.
We will outline how we approach projects, what to expect at each stage and how the process is managed, giving you a clear understanding of how your home could develop and what is involved in moving forward.
Book a call to discuss your project