Mary Leslie - Squeezing It In: Designing for compact spaces

DESIGNING FOR COMPACT SPACES

MARYLESLIE

RIBA Publishing, 2022

Published by RIBA Publishing, 66 Portland Place, London, W1B 1AD

ISBN 9781859469132

The right of Mary Leslie to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 sections 77 and 78.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the copyright owner.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Commissioning Editor: Elizabeth Webster

Assistant Editor: Clare Holloway

Production: Jane Rogers

Designed and typeset by Mercer Design, London

Printed and bound by L.E.G.O S.p.A Italy

Cover image: Amy (AJ) Adams

While every effort has been made to check the accuracy and quality of the information given in this publication, neither the Author nor the Publisher accept any responsibility for the subsequent use of this information, for any errors or omissions that it may contain, or for any misunderstandings arising from it.

www.ribapublishing.com

DOI: 10.1201/9781003231318

When Susannah Lear, acting commissioning editor at RIBA Publishing, first approached me about this book in 2018 I little realised what it would involve. The RIBA team, particularly Elizabeth Webster, Clare Holloway and Richard Blackburn, were infinitely patient in steering me through the process. I would also thank my research assistants, Kate Anderson and Annie Reddaway, the former on the technical side and the latter on the administration.

Space precludes me from mentioning all the amazing interior designers, architects and photographers who helped me write this book. You know who you are, however, a particular thank you goes to Dean Keyworth, Philippa Thorp, Matthew Wood, Darren Oldfield, Mary Arnold-Forster and Benjamin Tindall who inspired me as I disappeared down the rabbit hole of online research. Eva Byrne, Pauline Lorenzi-Boisrand, Bertrand Fompeyrine and Kumiko Ishiguro amongst others were wonderfully obliging as I widened my search to Europe and Japan.

A special mention goes to Nina Campbell who taught me so much about bespoke design and decoration which runs through every aspect of this book.

Finally, my infinitely patient husband, Geoffrey, who supported me in so many ways, and would probably hope I am never tempted to write another one.

Mary Leslie is an interior designer with over 40 years of experience working primarily on residential projects in the UK and overseas. She founded her own practice in 1996 after many years running the Interior Design Department for internationally-renowned designer Nina Campbell. She is a former Vice Chairman of the BIDA (now BIID) and a former Chairman of the BIDA Charitable Foundation.

Cover design and illustrations by Amy (AJ) Adams. AJ is an artist, illustrator and author whose work is all about architecture. She lives and works in London and is a graduate of Camberwell College of Arts and the London College of Fashion.

In the words of Elsie de Wolfe, suitability, practicality and proportion are the cornerstones of good design, and this is all the more important when space is restricted. Nothing is more irritating than a beautiful house that simply doesn't work and isn't fit for purpose.

Space, certainly in cities, is expensive, and all the square footage needs to earn its keep. It's crucial to have a place for all the necessities of a home in a way that makes living seamless and easy. Storage is vital, as a small space must be kept tidier than one where there is the luxury of extra closets. In the future it is likely that our homes will also be our offices, certainly for a few days a week, so this must be included too. Added to all of the above is the need for the interiors to be attractive, exciting and comfortable, as well as being what the client wants! When you have the luxury of space all this becomes easier, but properties are getting smaller and having to work harder than ever.

Like all good ideas, when you see one you wonder why it hasn't been done before: SQUEEZING IT IN is packed with inspiring and well-conceived answers to these dilemmas, and will be immensely useful to the professional designer as well as the amateur. It is rich with plans, sketches and elevations to explain fully the process to the reader, as well as photographs of the final result.

The elephant in the room is usually the budget, and this is so important to address and understand from the beginning, and to stick to. The notion, discussed in this book, that thinking time should be factored into the design time is so wise; after all, it will eliminate many expensive mistakes later in the project. Gimmicks are not an option in a compact space. Lighting, which can make or break a design, is covered, as are laundry and kitchen needs, and all the mechanics of a home. All in all, this book will be invaluable as a checklist for anyone approaching a design project.

I commend this useful book to design students, clients, and professionals alike; bravo Mary Leslie for tackling this subject so concisely.

NINA CAMPBELL

Design is not just what it looks and feels like.

Design is how it works.

STEVE JOBS

DOI: 10.1201/9781003231318-1

One of the best things about being an interior designer is that you never know what your next clients will ask of you. In your working day you might be designing a six bedroom luxury villa by the sea for an international business executive, followed by trying to accommodate a busy family in a small cottage in Chelsea. Standing in the mud looking at a problem while your builder is excavating a basement could be followed by choosing colour schemes for a time-poor client who lives 5,000 miles away. The budgets will range from generous (which you will need when designing bespoke joinery and complicated engineering), to extremely tight for turnkey rental properties or those for first-time buyers. Whatever the client's brief or budget, it is important that you treat each commission with the same attention to detail and sympathetic outlook. This will help manage the client's expectations and ensure that you do the very best for their project.

Nowadays, space is a luxury. Most of us want enough space to spread ourselves and our possessions around comfortably, to entertain bountifully, to work constructively and sleep peacefully. For many, that luxury will not exist and when we as designers are asked to consider compact spaces, we have to use all our skills to create something new which is clever, aesthetically pleasing and practical, or to improve what is there for the benefit of our clients.