London Apartment Tour • 1 Bedroom 500 sq ft (Cozy Zen & Dark Academia)

A tour of my one bedroom apartment in London. The interior decor follows a cozy style with hints of dark academia aesthetic. I'll show you my design ideas for apartment living and how to create a relaxing atmosphere at home. I've decorated the space to be beautiful and peaceful while also remaining practical for everyday living. My small home is 500 square feet, or about 50 square metres. I have a separate video about my urban "cottage garden" here:

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CHAPTERS:
00:00 Apartment Stats
00:17 The Lounge
02:42 The Entryway
03:08 The Kitchen
05:28 Laundry Room / Walk-in Closet
06:17 The Bedroom
07:22 A Zen Moment / Sunset Meditation
08:40 The Bathroom
09:32 Garden Video

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The plaster-cast heart is by London-based artist Wojtek:

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This video is about my 1 bedroom flat in London UK. I do a walk through of each room in this small apartment tour, discussing the ideas behind my interior design choices. Overall my focus has been on how to create a cozy home by layering textures for a multi-dimensional look.

My lounge has a cocktail-bar style, dark blue with lots of velvet and suede. The living room houses a separate desk or study area for working from home. There are accents of the dark academia trend in the room, with curious objects dotted about, moody lighting, lots of sumptuous textures and an overflowing bookcase. There are lots of houseplants dotted throughout the flat.

The apartment has a small, narrow hallway but I have added some personal touches to make for a welcoming space. Books, candles, faux botanicals and a large black panelled mirror which is great for a final check on the way out the front door.

The kitchen decor contrasts the living space, and is bright and airy, mostly white. I redesigned the kitchen layout to make space for a dining area by reducing the amount of cabinets. To keep a good amount of storage solutions for the small space, I had a kidney bean corner cupboard installed, to maximise every inch of storage space. I had my appliances integrated to free up the counter top space as much as possible. (The only items that have earned a permanent space on the worktops are those I need for my morning coffee routine! ☕️)

I'm lucky to have a separate laundry room / walk-in closet in the flat. This houses the utilities but also my collection of jackets and coats, sneakers and shoes and is a fantastic storage solution for small apartment living.

The bedroom is decorated in a soft grey by Farrow and Ball, layers of throws, blankets and rugs have been used to create a warm and restful space. I have lots of plants again, some minimal artwork and it's a more minimal space than the lounge to enhance the sense of calm. I like to think of it as my zen space, where I can meditate and relax.

The bathroom glow up turned the drab bathroom into a place that's more than just functional. I redecorated in a timeless black and white monochromatic scheme. Most of my toiletries are hidden away in storage baskets, with just one or two in attractive bottles left out on display. Dried grasses from the garden and some faux botanicals help to soften the space, along with a waffle shower curtain and sheepskin bathmat. Two mirrors on opposite walls reflect the light back and forth for the illusion of more space.

I hope you enjoy this dose of apartment therapy!

#apartmenttour #darkacademia #london #slowliving
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I enjoy and make videos all about slow living, present moment, personal growth and development, the power of now, daily routines and living mindfully. I am interested in mindfulness practices, yoga, pilates, meditation and general musings on the meaning of life. I am a classic introvert, and get my energy from solitude, quiet time and creating a peaceful home to be my daily sanctuary.

Similar channels I love and recommend: Fairyland Cottage, Little Boho Cottage, Isabel Paige, Eugenia Diaz, George Dunnett, Kalle Flodin, Malama Life, monalogue, Quiet Tales, Rajiv Surendra, TheCottageFairy, Verdant Vanille, Roaming Wild Rosie, Bealtaine Cottage, benjiplant, Pursuit of Wonder, Living Big in a Tiny House.

[saidaswift]

Hands down one of the best small apartment decorating I’ve seen.

[skyro]

What a beautiful, cozy apartment! Luv the use of colours and plants in the space. Truly inspiring 🤩

[deannab]

So cozy, your home is absolutely beautiful!

[unikreations]

I just love how each room has its own style and feel. I also love how you contrast the living room dark and cozy feel from your bedroom and kitchen’s light and airy feel. Simply beautiful and inspiring. Thanks for sharing your lovely home with us.

[rhondadixon]

I love how your decorated your apartment, sophisticated yet cozy with all the plants and lighting and good use of a small space❤😊

[feliciasmith]

You have a complimentary voice and tone.
Your narrative is elegant but simple. The background jazz notes accents your perfectly balanced sense of style as the video moves along.
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WE WANT MORE VIDEOS. 🙂
Respectfully, your channel is well done. Thanks for sharing.🙏

[ketobabysteps]

You've created a lovely haven. Thanks for sharing your creativity with us.

[cassieb.grful]

Love love love your apartment and your video was very calming and peaceful. I'm new to your channel here in southern Louisiana USA. Keep making more! Cas

[TheJojo]

Duncan, this is a stunning, exceptionally well-designed apartment. Beautiful. ❤️

[RMMommaEva]

Gorgeous, I love the vibe! The mixtures of patterns and textures, and the plants and dried botanicals are everything! Continue enjoying your lovely home and thanks for sharing!👍🏽🥰

[frankvolz]

New subscriber to your channel from Colorado, in the U.S. Duncan, I took the time to go through your videos over the years. Wow, what a creative talent you are sir! I’m very impressed and intrigued by your mind. So much talent and such a sensitive soul. Your love of nature and the simple things shines through. I am an introvert like you, but many years older. I understand the need to recharge and protect and prioritize your time and life. The way you look at nature and the world is beautiful. Thanks for sharing the parts of your life that you choose to with the rest of us. I will be looking forward to new uploads as you leave London and start your new life wherever you land.

[dentReviews]

finally a small apartment that is cozy and has character. not just a white box... nice job.

[NoName-ubto]

Very nice! The dining area with the colored triangles on the walls coordinated with the triangles on the chairs is my favorite part. ❤

[MyInvisibleStory]

I really enjoyed this! The decor, music and videography is all on point! I’m also in NW London👌🏾

[Dogsnark]

You’ve made the most of a small space, it appears. Very nice. I do wish you had shown the floor plan so we could better see how it all fits together.

[buenavidaestates-livingthe]

Wow! The dark, saturated colors are so good! Your use of lighting is what really sets the spaces apart and is creating a lot of drama and interest. That laundry room is also fab. I love the trick with re-doing the grout & the bit of tile paint. I think this is the classiest, smoothest, most well produced home tour I've ever seen. Well done!

[patriciapoole]

Honestly, what a beautiful and cozy apartment I like the whole overall vibe beautiful

[jayt]

I loved the space. I actually “rewound it” multiple times to get a better look at what I was seeing. Absolutely beautiful.

[michellepereira]

Great apartment. Really sensual and purposeful. I thought the corner color blocking in the kitchen was a nice effect.

[z.alvarez]

Just a beautiful apartment. You’ll never want to leave a beautiful space such as this. Brilliant design!