City living has always been a cramped affair, especially in an overcrowded metropolis such as the likes of London. As always, savvy people have come up with different ingenious ways to overcome the crowding problem through creating more (functional) living space.
One example of (questionable) ingenuity and interior layout is a studio flat in Station Parade, Ealing. Studio flats are a specific type of dwelling where a perfect arrangement of interior features is a must have since interior living space is limited, and there are no separate rooms. So far so good – nothing unusual there, unless of course the ‘bedroom’ is in the ‘kitchen’ which is the case with this place in Ealing.
Right, before going any further with the rental ad description posted by the agency which manages the property, it must be clarified that the bed is placed immediately next to the kitchen work surfaces and the dining table – talking about a tight squeeze! Ok, one can live with that as long as they know what they are getting themselves into, willingly. This is where things get quirky though – the rental agency whose website will remain nameless for the purpose of this article has come up with a rather misleading or perhaps alternative description of the property in question.
Apparently (and as per the ad description) the flat comes with its own kitchenette – ok, got that, but there is also ‘a double bed in the kitchen’ – hmm, ok got that too. The ad goes on to say that the flat has also got a decent sized living area (under the double bed may be?!). Furthermore, the flat features a furnished ‘large kitchenette’, shower room and wood floors all round. When reading the description one would think of a really small studio flat, but the ad doesn’t say the bed is right next to the kitchen sink, and that there is no living area at all, around or under the bed. In a nutshell – the bedroom is incorporated in the kitchen.
The advert focuses more on the flat’s strategic location rather than how cramped it is, which is fair enough really but the description is quite misleading, until one sees the photos and then all becomes clear. Self-contained studio flats are ok, many people live in one of those for years without having too many living space issues.
If you are interested in how much one such studio flat will cost you to rent (even for the fun of it), the figure you are looking at is two hundred and one pounds a week, or eight hundred and four pounds a month. The total surface area of the first floor studio flat is nineteen square metres which mind you is enough to make for comfortable living without having a divan bed sticking out in the middle of the kitchen. Perhaps next time interior designers will opt for a fold out bed? Something quite common in countries like Japan, where living space is limited, but nevertheless there are no beds in the kitchen!
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About the Author:
Kim Jacobs
Kim Jacobs is a removals coordinator with over 11 years of experience as part of the Get man and van team and other firms in the home and office relocation industry in London. Before joining our company, Kim has worked in various logistical and transportation companies and institutions such as Transport for London, The Removals Ombudsman, and has coordinated moving projects with some of the biggest suppliers of various goods such as IKEA, HomeBase, Amazon, Sainsbury's and others. While working as a chief removals coordinator, Kim also enjoys sharing her expertise with others through writing in our blog.
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