Design for Mansion Block Flats Archives

Part of the charm of buying a Victorian Maida Vale mansion block flat is that they usually come with a host of original features, which for many people can add a lot to making them an attractive choice. However, since they were first built in the early 1900’s, the way that people live has evolved to the point where the original layouts of these flats may no longer completely suit their needs. So looking for some design inspiration for mansion block flats can be a good place to start if you’re thinking of updating your space.

For example, kitchen areas have become far more important, with many people now treating them as the heart of the home and the place where they tend to spend most time, an abundance of natural light is now widely thought to have positive effects on our overall wellbeing and many flat owners are now working from home, re-purposing extra bedrooms as ad-hoc office space.

It’s important to remember that work of any kind, even on a maintenance level, needs to be undertaken by tradesmen who are properly qualified to do the job. It’s also worth bearing in mind that no structural changes are permitted in Morshead Mansions and any alterations that involve major works or changes to the layout of your flat will need to be agreed by the building management before they take place.

That being said, there are many examples in Morshead of flats that have been refurbished to an exceptional standard and achieving this, along with the general upturn of demand for people looking to buy flats in the street, will significantly add to the overall value of your property. So, when considering materials, layout, furnishings and decoration style, it’s worth taking time to think it through carefully.

If you’re buying a flat that’s in need of renovation, or simply thinking of freshening up your existing living environment, there’s a lot to consider when making decisions on design choices. Ultimately, what you do will depend on your personal tastes but if you’re looking for some inspiration, it’s worth bearing in mind that there are far more resources available nowadays to help you conjure up some fresh ideas and it’s well-worth investigating some of them to get some perspective.

The first place that that’s worth spending some time viewing are the myriad of home style programmes available on TV, many of which will have some design inspiration for mansion block flats. From the days in years gone by when the only show on TV was changing Rooms, with Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and Handy Andy, nowadays it seems as though there are home renovation programmes on every channel, such as Grand Designs with Kevin McCloud, Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr and a whole host of programmes featuring George Clarke.

Recently re-aired on Channel 4 was an episode of ‘George Clarke’s Old House New Home’, which features the full renovation of a flat in neighbouring Southwold Mansions. Throughout the episode, the kitchen was re-worked and replaced, along with the bathroom. All other areas were redecorated while restoring original features where possible.

If you’d like to see the full renovation, it’s available at Channel 4 Online, Season 6, Episode 4 and on demand through the usual TV services. It gives a good idea of what renovating a Maida Vale mansion block flat is like and some of the hazards that you might encounter along the way. It also includes some great ideas and tips for good use of space.

Another great resource is the wealth of information that’s available online, with a wide selection of interior design websites, blogs and online magazines. Below are a selection of sites that are full of interesting ideas, complete with links that will take you to the features. Just click on the links below the images to see more…

This House & Garden article titled ’27 Ways to Decorate a Small Flat’ is full of great ideas and showcases different ways that you can use colour to enhance your spaces

Ideal Home has a feature specifically on Victorian living rooms, which again highlights colour along with some interesting furnishing ideas

This Houzz Tour features a single mansion block flat, showcasing how the whole space was brought together in unity by Jess Lavers Design

Apartment Therapy has ‘40 Big Ideas for Small Living Rooms’ that help to maximise the spaces in the most practical ways and also gives tips on styling

HomeDSGN features a complete flat renovation in Biddulph Mansions, finished in calm and serene tones with interesting pops of colour

The Spruce has an article on ’27 Modern Victorian Decorating Ideas That Aren’t Stuffy’, that eloquently demonstrates how Victorian flats can be brought into modern life

This is a note of explanation of the landlord company’s policy regarding the sale of Morshead Mansions roof voids, i.e., the empty spaces above the top-floor flats. Morshead Mansions is comprised of 13 contiguous blocks each of which is in turn comprised of 8 flats arranged in pairs, two on each floor with a basement storey situated below the raised ground floor flats and a pitched roof above the third floor flats.

In 2015, the company was approached by Ms. Adamson, then the new owner of flat 40 Morshead Mansions, a top-floor flat. Ms. Adamson wanted to buy the roof void above her new flat and to develop a duplex apartment. Despite the doubts we had about the project’s viability, both physical and financial, Ms. Adamson was determined to achieve her goal and she overcame our doubts and the company made its first roof void for the price of £75,000.

Since 2015, down to the end of 2023, the company had agreed and completed the sale of a further 12 roof voids, all of which were sold at the same price of £75,000. Towards the end of 2023, we agreed the sale of the 14th roof void and a S5 LTA 1987 Notice was duly given to all of the leaseholders to that effect on 19 October.

Though it was agreed in 2023, the sale of the roof void above flat 23 Morshead Mansions was completed on 20 January 2024 and proceeds of sale duly received by the company. So, down to January 2024, the company has sold 14 roof voids realising £75,000 on each sale, making a total revenue realised during the past 8 years of £1,050,000. All of that money has been applied to the objects of the landlord company and has thereby reduced by a like total the amounts that would otherwise be sought from shareholders in the annual precepts authorised by resolutions passed under Article 16.

We have 12 roof voids left which presently remain unsold and which are available for sale. As the development of a duplex apartment has been demonstrated to be viable we expect to see the sale of Morshead Mansions roof voids taking place for most of the remaining flats.

Having dipped recently, but now boosted by the impact of the common parts stairwell refurbishment, values of Morshead Mansions flats are recovering and are apparently finding a new level at somewhere above £1.15 million. This might justify an increase in the asking price for the remaining, as yet, unsold roof voids to perhaps, £100,000.

If you’d like to read about the recent upturn of sale prices in Morshead Mansions, click here.