A home studio conversion in Southampton

James Rippon James Rippon
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We love nothing more than seeing previously unused and derelict buildings injected with new life to live on as repurposed spaces. One such building is this once decrepit swimming pool in Southampton, which has been cleverly converted into a home design studio for the owners of the property. Seeing no use for a pool, the owners of Walk Interior Design immediately saw the potential in the unused space, and used their creativity to turn a damp and dreary building into a bright workspace, perfect for the couple's interior design business.

Once a pool…

As you can see, it must have been quite a while since there was a functioning pool under this roof, with quite a lot of work needed to be done to convert the studio. Feeling inspired rather than deterred by the empty space and the task ahead, the finished result from Walk is impressive.

Now a home studio

Now, the once derelict space is light, bright, and the perfect detached home studio conducive to work. With ample space for the couple to breathe, the two desks are facing the floor-to-ceiling glass wall of the entrance. New insulated ceiling panels have been installed, replacing the old polycarbonate roof, and a new rear wall has been built. An industrial theme is clearly visible, with exposed concrete walls, exposed support beams and roof braces, quintessential industrial lamps hanging from the beams, aluminium chairs, and a tiled rear wall. Even a suspended bike storage pulley was installed, proving bikes can be not only functional, but decorative, too.

Sunken floor

The only real evidence of the existing pool was the sunken floor. Rather than trying to fill in the old pool, stairs were kept for access to the lower level, and costs were kept down by not filling in the hole that took up the majority of the existing 30 m² space.

Bright and airy

By keeping the studio's ground floor at the lower level, the ceiling height of 3 metres remains, preventing the space from feeling cramped, helped along by the generous amount of natural light that enters the studio. New support beams affix the exposed beams of the pitch of the roof, adding extra support for the new, heavier ceiling panels. With only the pair from Walk working in the studio, ample extra space for storage and a small conference table for meeting clients easily fits. What better feeling than waking up in the morning knowing your commute to work is less than a minute from home. Brilliant.

A small patio

A small patio compliments the studio, offering  a space to work and enjoy the sun, drink coffee, or enjoy lunch in the summer.

Smart & energy efficient thinking

One great feature of the new studio is the addition of solar panels to the low-lying roof. Without the need to awkwardly install the PV panels on a raised roof like that of the house itself, these panels were easily installed along the full length of the south facing side of the structure. Not only do they power the studio, but the adjacent home as well.

Don't walk/walk

Completed in just 2 months and for £25,000 pounds, the new conversion adds real value to the home, and we're sure it makes life much easier for the couple from Walk Interior Design, with the walk to work only a few steps away. They were even lucky enough to find a genuine 'walk/don't walk' traffic sign from New York, adding the final, personal touch to the already cosy and inviting workspace.

Want to see more great conversion projects? Why not take a look at these ideabooks:

Before & after: An incredible attic transformation

Before & after: An industrial Parisian loft

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