“Cosmetic updates will have a big impact”

the kitchen

Michelle is keen to rearrange the layout, but Stuart doesn’t seem as enthusiastic. It’s not worth spending all the budget pursuing the ideal kitchen when this one is functional. I’d fix a few hinges and change the colour of the cupboards – white up top and grey below. Get a professional to repaint the cabinetry with a water-based enamel and they’ll be good as new. Choose timber or black handles, and tile over the splashback with a white subway tile. The benchtops are fine. There is room for an extra cupboard in the awkward corner by creating access from the hall or dining area.

the storage

This is a real bugbear for Michelle and Stuart. There’s nowhere to hang coats or dump bags as you enter the home, so things get left everywhere. A row of 300mmdeep low storage along the living room’s wall would be a game changer. Bespoke joinery isn’t needed – something offff the shelf will do nicely. Depending on the flooring, spruce it up with a timber or polished concrete top. Above could be the wall-mounted TV and you could hide the air-con unit with a timber pelmet for a streamlined finish. I’d consider a built-in bench seat along the wall in the dining room, too, for more storage. As the breakfast bar isn’t used, I’d also put shallow built-in cabinetry under there for homework and arts and crafts.

the lighting

This would make an enormous difference. What’s here is woefully inadequate and Michelle says it always feels dim, even in summer. I’d batten and drop the ceiling by a few centimetres so we could fit downlights. A row from the front door to the window, instead of the lone oyster light, would really brighten things up. Once the ceiling is replaced, a square-set cornice would update the look. It will need painting so do the walls as well. I’d pick a cool white like Dulux Vivid White or White On White, which has no yellow in it. That, combined with the lighting, will transform this whole space.

the flooring

Let’s get rid of the carpet. No surprises there! OK, we can keep it in the bedrooms. Michelle and Stuart want quality vinyl flooring, which is smart for an apartment as it absorbs noise better than timber so the neighbours won’t hear you walking around. It will also last forever if they move out and turn their home into a rental. A timber-look style works best if it’s laid perpendicular to the entrance and continued through the hallway and kitchen. A light oak colour would add more light, or you could try a whitewashed timber or polished concrete effect, for a minimalist look that works with the timber benchtops. Offset this with greenery on the balcony and Michelle can say goodbye to her ‘uninspired’ room forever.