Interior designer Tasha Freeman’s imaginative transformations prove that even the most compact homes can deliver impact.
Good things come in small packages, so the saying goes – and interior designer Tasha Freeman firmly agrees. “I love working with little spaces,” she says. “The restrictions make it so much more interesting.”
That mindset underpins three of her recent one-bedroom transformations at Chesterton Road, St James’s Gardens and Westbourne Park Road. Though modest in footprint, each has been thoughtfully reworked to feel generous, fluid and full of light.
For Tasha, designing small spaces is all about problem solving. Rather than fighting constraints, she leans into them, using architectural interventions to reshape how a space is experienced.
Sliding doors and glazed partitions play a central role. Bespoke glass screens allow natural light to travel freely while maintaining flexibility, so spaces can be opened up or closed off as needed – creating a sense of volume that belies each apartment’s size.
At Chesterton Road, this meant rethinking the layout entirely. A small guest bathroom that once interrupted the flow between kitchen and living space was removed, restoring symmetry and allowing light to bounce between both aspects. The result is a footprint that feels simpler, brighter and far more expansive.
That same clarity carries through into the material palette. At St James’s Gardens, muted hues form a calm backdrop for richer details – shaker cabinetry in Farrow & Ball’s Railings, marble worktops and a shimmering Zellige splashback. Layered textures and tonal finishes create depth without overwhelming the space.
The setting at Westbourne Park Road is similarly subdued – soft neutrals and natural materials anchor a layout designed with socialising in mind. Instead of full partitions, carefully positioned openings offer glimpses of the kitchen and dining space beyond the central wall, balancing openness with moments of concealment, while subtly zoning the apartment.
Within this restraint, carefully chosen pieces introduce character. Tasha is particularly drawn to materials with history. At Chesterton Road, tactile woods – sourced through Retrouvius – bring warmth and individuality. “We come back to Iriko time and time again,” she adds, referencing the timber kitchen worktops and bathtop surround. “It takes such skill to restore these surfaces, but the character they bring is incomparable.”
“I love working with little spaces. The restrictions make it so much more interesting.”
Chesterton Road
Showcasing the beauty of reclamation in contemporary design, in Tasha’s hands this duplex is a harmonious trove of vintage pieces and bespoke finishes.
St James’s Gardens
Garden views, thoughtful design and a calm colour palette come together here in leafy Holland Park surroundings.
Westbourne Park Road
Characterful but composed, open sightlines with the private garden instill the interiors with a sense of peace.
That commitment to reuse runs throughout her work. Reconditioned glass-fronted doors from the V&A introduce both architectural interest and a sense of provenance, while vintage furniture and salvaged pieces are woven in to add personality and reduce environmental impact.
“I try to be as sustainable as possible with all our builds,” she says. “It’s about choosing materials carefully and finding ways to repurpose wherever you can.”
The same thinking shapes every project, including her own home in Kensal Rise. Likewise, at Chesterton Road, salvaged pieces and green accents are layered throughout to keep things interesting. “I love the reeded kitchen cupboards paired with the cherry wood table and the vintage olive Eames chairs.”
For Tasha, the approach is as much aesthetic as it is ethical. The patina and imperfections of older pieces bring the authenticity that new items often lack. “I get immense satisfaction from seeing an antique piece in a new setting,” she smiles. “I have a storeroom full of finds, having built wonderful relationships with lots of fantastic dealers.”
A connection to the outdoors is another recurring theme. At Chesterton Road, a once modest bedroom now flows onto a terrace via a trio of double doors, dramatically increasing light and outlook. A living wall spans the exterior, creating a vivid green backdrop that blurs the boundary between inside and out.
A similar dialogue unfolds at Westbourne Park Road, where a vast skylight draws daylight into the dining area and bespoke Crittall-style doors open onto a tiered garden – a sizeable yet hidden space. At St James’s Gardens, large sash windows frame a communal garden, reinforcing that same dialogue with nature. These moments – of openness, greenery and borrowed landscape – help the compact interiors feel calmer and more expansive.
Tasha’s instinct for composition and materiality was shaped early on, from photography classes at Central Saint Martins to an internship with architecture practice Collett-Zarzycki, where she “fell in love with the career”. Since founding her studio in 2015, she has built a portfolio spanning residential and boutique commercial projects worldwide, taking on homes of varying scale – from compact, detail-driven city apartments to more extensive renovations.
“I try to be as sustainable as possible with all our builds. It’s about choosing materials carefully and finding ways to repurpose wherever you can.”
Alongside her interior work, an “obsession” with salvaging and vintage furniture is now driving another arm of the business: Studio 55, a gallery and showroom on Lonsdale Road in Queen’s Park, showcasing artisanal ceramics, art and antiques. It’s a natural extension of a practice rooted in curiosity, craft and careful sourcing.
That ethos carries through to every project. Whatever the space in question, Tasha’s approach remains: thoughtful, resourceful and quietly ambitious. In her hands, limitations aren’t obstacles – they’re the springboard for something far more imaginative.
“I love meeting people and helping them find quick ways to make their homes work better for them,” she says, whether that involves a discussion on paint colours or furniture sourcing. However small the space, one thing is clear: Tasha Freeman is thinking big.
Chesterton Road, St James’s Gardens and Westbourne Park Road are available to buy.
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