Were watching a fascinating documentary series on BBC Four this week called ‘All Mod Cons.’ It’s being shown as part of ‘1997 week’.

The programme makers describe the series best:

“All Mod Cons illuminates our changing attitudes to domesticity, home ownership, gender roles and children by looking at the ways in which we have chosen to decorate and redecorate our homes over the past fifty years. Interviews and the witty use of archive combine for an intimate and affectionate social history of British homes.”

Bubb and I are hooked and have been sighing wistfully over the gorgeous open plan homes with their sleek G-Plan sideboards. We have also had quite as few laughs at the RP accents at the BBC in the 1950s, and how it was absolutely de rigueur to wear a tie whilst cracking on with the DIY. I am also surprised the anyone visiting a 1950s home escaped without being slathered in contact adhesive and having a piece of Formica attached to their person - it was everywhere!

The show references the themes of Britain’s recovery from post-war austerity and the major impact made on our homes by the 1951 ‘The Festival of Britain‘. Digging around this morning I’ve found some great sites on the subject, particularly the Mullen Archive. It features scans of all the major newspaper and magazine articles at the time of the exhibition. The Museum of London also has a great mini-site on the festival featuring stories from people who actually attended.

Although the post-war modernising of London’s Victorian terraces was not always a success (those hideous 1960s gas fires for example. One of which I am looking at right now in our lounge), you can see why it was done - the spirit of contemporary living had arrived!

Image: Architonic Source Library

We’re a thirtysomething couple, Bobble and Bubb*, living in London and we’ve just bought out first flat. The idea for this blog was born from our frustration at not being able to find stylish, ‘green’, and affordable things for our home - that fit.

London is currently the fifth most expensive city to live in worldwide (third if accommodation costs are taken into account), and affordability is a major issue for first time buyers. Something, of course, has got to give and that something is either location or square meters.

The first House Price Per Square Metre Survey of London conducted last year showed that prices per meter squared varied between £2,013 to £6,033 across the city. Apparently, the average size of a London abode is 93.3 square meters (really?) which in Kensington & Chelsea would cost a tidy £562,998. Not surprising then that trying to buy an ‘averaged sized’ house in one of the ten most popular boroughs of London is beyond most first time buyers. Where did we put that £300,000 again, Bubb?

Anyway, what do most London buyers do? They look at their bank balance, their commute time, the walking distance to the nearest tube and then lastly consider how many square meters they might get - just like we did. Talking a quick straw poll of friends, our two bedroom flat of 60 square meters is the real average. On the plus side if we ever move to Manhattan or Tokyo we’d feel right at home…

As we said at the start our major problem is finding affordable stuff we like at a size to fit our living space. Oh, and not hurting the planet would be good too.

If you look at most design magazines or interior design shows and you’ll see marvellous stuff in inspirational homes that make you want to run to Habitat and grab the latest must have lamp. But wait, that kitchen island or that modernist sofa you’ve fallen in love with… it’s designed for a much bigger house…

We both love the midcentury modern aesthetic - originally made for larger post-war homes. After a succession of rented flats comprising wall to wall IKEA veneer and dodgy landlord carpets we long for some nice pieces in our home which really reflect our tastes and our individuality.

Using our own flat as a ‘test-lab’ we want to explore clever ways to create a dream living space. Ours may not be a grand design (we love you Kevin) but it’s a great little one. Fancy coming along for the ride?

(*Yeah, we like computer games too.)