For many, a fresh home means a fresh start. From a new-build striking distance from London to a deceptively unfettered period piece in Hoxton, we’ve rounded up a selection of pared-back homes that offer a clean slate, whether you’d like to reshape them in your own image or settle straight in. These are no white cubes, though: each home here has a warmth that proves minimal doesn’t mean soulless.

The Rye Apartments, Peckham Rye, London SE15
These sustainably-built apartments by Tikari Works, opposite Peckham Rye, offer a Scandinavian take on minimal design, for those who prefer a touch of silvan warmth over white-washed walls. A dark timber shell and lighter spruce interiors form ten apartments of varying size (from one to two bedrooms), each with an outdoor area, whether garden, balcony or terrace. Besides, there is no compromise on the size of the living area – in true Scandinavian style, the emphasis is on large communal spaces; with the sunny effect of the wood and the full-height windows, these are fine homes to weather out even the most gloomy London winter.

The Suzy Hoodless Apartment, Television Centre, Wood Lane, London W12
It’s difficult to know where to look in this apartment: at the polished interiors by Suzy Hoodless or outside at the Grade-II listed modernist building in which it sits?

It’s an architecture lover’s dream. The 1960s Television Centre housed the BBC until 2012 before it underwent a careful transformation into a mixed-use apartment complex (this includes a private cinema and concierge, independent restaurants on the ground floor, and Soho House White City). 

The one-bedroom open-plan residence echoes the mid-century heritage with a soft-colour palette and sensible design touches such as handle-less Italian fittings and refurbished original wall-to-wall windows.

Lime Close, London E1
A smart layout and ample sunlight are at the heart of this redesigned two-bedroom house in a historic Wapping wharf. The long terrazzo-topped kitchen and dining area (the bench seating affords plenty of space for dinner parties, plus storage underneath) are separated from the newly-extended living room with a half-height wall that lends both intimacy and privacy. Here, glass double doors swing open into a garden that affords much peace and quiet, as Lime Close is set off the main road. 

Haddo Yard, Whitstable, Kent
This seven-apartment complex by architectural firm Denizen Works sits in the cheerful fishing town of Whitstable, Kent. The home spans three storeys with a large open-plan kitchen-living-dining area on the ground floor where bursts of colourful tiling artfully complement the clean interiors. An equally thoughtful approach went into the building itself, where dark brickwork, bespoke geometric tiling and sturdy wooden doors make for a handsome but restrained look that sits neatly with the surroundings.

You can stretch your legs in the private and communal gardens – or, even better, wander into town. Whitstable has a quaint, independent high street and a burgeoning food scene, as well as destination gastropubs nearby; The Fordwich Arms and Michelin-starred Sportsman draw Londoners in droves (St Pancras is 71 minutes away).