A leading Scots architect has shared how he transformed an ex-council flat into his dream family home - proving how it can be done for thousands less than the average flat.
Danny Campbell, the new Scotland’s Home of the Year judge, purchased the property in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, for £80,000 three years ago.
Now, after clever renovations to improve the layout and design, the home is now a welcoming, comfortable space for his family of five.
Focusing on adapting the layout to be more functional and family-friendly, Danny, founder of Glasgow architecture firm HOKO Design, decided to strip the property back to its bones, budgeting £30,000 to transform the cookie-cutter space into a visually exciting home filled with colour, light and unique features.
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Property expert Chris Breckenridge, a partner at Scottish residential estate agency Corum, has estimated the property could now fetch as much as £130,000.
While many homeowners believe more space means more individual rooms, Danny realised the original layout could be vastly improved by removing a bedroom, taking full advantage of the property’s square footage.
Embracing the principle of "less is more", the dad-of-three ripped down a partition between two small bedrooms, allowing for the creation of a superior and more efficient bedroom and bathroom, while also removing a dropped ceiling from the hallway to allow light to flow throughout.
The design adjustments also allowed for an en-suite to be added to the master bedroom, while strategically placing the kitchen along the back wall of the main living area meant every inch of floor space could be utilised.
To provide efficient storage, recesses and niches were retrofitted with handy alcoves, shelves and drawers, and the dining room table was also built with hidden compartments.
From start to finish, Danny carefully considered every aspect of the design, and has used his experience of the project to inform his business’ newest service, which helps homeowners upgrade their interiors without being constrained by traditional architectural approaches.
“The project was conducted as an experiment, partly to test the capabilities of our recently launched interior design service, HOKO Shop,” explained Danny, who founded HOKO Design back in 2016 at the age of 25.
“We wanted to put it to the test before we offered it to our clients, and completing our own remodel gave us the chance to experience what it would be like for our clients to use the service, including dealing with suppliers, choosing materials and maximising small, awkward or seemingly unusable spaces.”
While the renovation work itself was an important part of Danny’s research process, he was also keen to ensure any products he recommended to clients would be durable and long-lasting.
Using his home as an interior design guinea pig, he opted for everything from yellow lino flooring in the bathroom to cork tiles in the kitchen, not only creating a unique space, but testing out as many products as possible in the process.
He added: “The ultimate test was to experience living in the space while assessing the longevity and durability of the products. We went for a huge range of products within our home for this reason.
“We really wanted to push the boundaries by transforming a generic house into something special, and I think we’ve achieved that – as cost-effectively as possible.”
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