Cute and rustic London studio apartment wrings out every inch of space

This ‘secret’ London home might be small, but it’s packed to the rafters with character.

Located through a private gate tucked along a terrace of shops and houses, the entrance leads into a peaceful courtyard garden where metal stairs ascend to the flat’s front door, surrounded by jasmine and climbing roses.

The Harringay building was formerly an old bakery, and the 419 sq ft studio flat is located at the top of the space, with its open-plan living spaces set beneath the exposed rafters. Windows run along three sides, and everything has been white-washed to amplify the feeling of light and volume.

In the corner, a wood-burning stove heightens the supremely cosy vibe inside the dwelling, as do rustic beams overhead. According to listing agent Inigo, which is selling the flat for £325,000, the current owner loves French antiques, and a gilded wall mirror tricks the eye into thinking the space is longer.

Books also inject colour into the minimalist space and are stacked on shelves and along the top of the window beams.

There’s a separate bathroom with a rolltop bathtub, but the bedroom is a sleeping area located beneath the apex of the roof. Above the kitchen, it’s accessed via a pulley-operated ladder that can be pulled up when not in use, leaving the living room floor to walk around.

The kitchen is custom, with all-white cabinetry, Carrara marble worktops and open-faced shelving brimming with crockery and glassware.