Commuting through Balham Station can make the day feel nicely efficient on paper, but the reality is a bit messier: muddy shoes after rain, grit on hallway carpets, coffee drips on the way out the door, and not much time to deal with it.

If you live in a Balham flat, you already know the drill: stairs that are a bit tight, rooms that do double duty, and a rug that seems to catch every bit of city life.

If you live near Balham High Road, you already know carpets take a bit of a beating.