Divide and conquer: privacy for all in a shared home

When the owner of this home retired, he decided to rent his second bedroom to a student lodger. A stylish and well organised little house, he chose someone who shared his love of books and appreciation for privacy. Now they live together but quite separately, with well-selected storage making it all possible.

A personal library

A born collector with a penchant for organisation, his living room houses so many of his favourite things. Floor to ceiling bookcases take care of his impressive library, framed prints and paintings line the walls and delicate pieces live behind the glass doors of display cabinets – protected yet on show.

A mix and match style

The first thing new guests usually comment on is the home’s decor. Modern chairs find their home under a traditional table, with industrial-influenced lamps lighting the space. Patterns mix with plain textiles and glassware of all shapes and sizes live in harmony, creating a distinct, attractive look.

A bedroom for alone time

His bedroom is his retreat with a personal desk with shelves above keeping his notes and journals organised. However, it’s his exquisitely dressed upholstered bed that takes centre stage, framed by two glass-fronted cabinets, keeping his most valuable book collection safe from dust and damage.

The well-kept kitchen

Both keen cooks who like to keep all their kitchen things separate, shelves, cupboard space, hooks and rails have all been split between the two of them. By carefully organising the space, they still have just enough room for a 2-seat breakfast table - ideal for a quick bite over the Sunday crossword.

Divided storage in the bathroom

One bathroom? No problem. A schedule means they never get in one another’s way and by dividing all the bathroom storage, they keep all their products perfectly separated and private.

A storage-focused bedroom

In the second bedroom, furniture was chosen that offered up a lot of storage and fitted into a student budget. Here, he studies at his desk, while a cabinet with open and closed storage houses both books and clothes. As for the things he needs less often, they live neatly under his bed.