A London flat that became fit for a queen

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Poor London! Home to the Royal family, marmite on toast and stiff upper lips, but also, on occasion, homes that need dramatic makeovers to be lived in! When we saw this initially sad project, we were overwhelmed with how beautifully it has been brought back to life, with a stylish touch and a gentle guiding hand, but when you find out how much the value increased, we think you'll agree that even the interior designer in charge of the project must have been shocked! First bought for £320,000, ($408,000) in a shabby state, post renovation, this flat sold for an enormous £675,000 ($860,000) a short six months later. Let's take a look around and see if it was worth the price tag!

Before: Oh dear, that will never do!

Imagine excitedly going to a flat viewing and coming face to face with this disaster! What a disappointment that would be! Dirty, full of clutter and really dark, this is not what we'd call a dream home in one of the most cultured cities in the world!

After: That's what we're talking about!

Wow! OK, so we can already see exactly why this flat commanded such an inflated price, post-renovation! The brighter color scheme has lifted the vibe easily and with natural wood flooring and elegant furniture in place too, this looks every inch a modern, stylish pad for any discerning London-ite!

Before: No thanks, we'll get a take away

Well, you wouldn't want to risk trying to cook something edible and nutritious in here, would you? We think we'd simply shut the door and forget that this spot even existed! Aside from the fact that the space feels cramped and awkward, the cabinet colour and awful tiles really aren't helping the cause either! Awful.

After: Get your gourmet on!

Oooh! We wouldn't have a problem using this stunning kitchen and think it might even make us experiment a bit more and hone our cooking craft! What a dramatic difference some white finishes, gloss surfaces and better lighting makes. Is it just us, or does it look much bigger now too? Clever stuff!

Before: Move along

We hate dirty, nasty looking bathrooms, so we are not going to dwell on this one. We'd rather get out of here and away from the lack of tiles, mildew, outdated suite items and grime!

After: Easy relaxation

This is the most dramatic turnaround yet! While the décor is simple, the effect is dazzling and really supports the modern chic aesthetic throughout. It's also a far better use of the space, so use this as inspiration for a layout switch up if you have some awkward spaces!

Before: The bed bugs WOULD bite

We don't think all the rhymes in the world would stop the bed bugs biting here! What a sad room that looks like a crime scene! There is just no attempt to make this cozy or comfortable at all!

After: Dreamy decor

This is a master bedroom worthy of a premium postcode in London and we love it! More natural wood flooring and white walls have made easy work of totally lifting the room and adding a natural elegance and style and the baby blue furniture is such a sweet, heritage touch too! We actually can't believe how different this flat is now, but with that in mind, we CAN believe the new price!

For more apartment renovation inspiration, take a look at this Ideabook: An outdated apartment turned simple and stylish.

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