Don’t get blue – get into The Grays: New homes in the legal heart of London July 23, 2015 What do you call the area between St Paul’s and Oxford Street? Holborn? An extension of Clerkenwell? Or simply the legal heart of London? Well, estate agents and developers have other ideas that involve turning this Zone One no man’s land into a residential hotspot. The name they’ve chosen for the area is “Midtown”, which [...]
High rise flats by Donatella at Aykon Nine Elms: First homes designed by Versace in the UK July 23, 2015 Battersea Power Station has long cast an imposing shadow on London’s landscape. As one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, in one of its most desirable areas, the regeneration of Battersea has sent developers into a frenzy. Now from the runways of Milan to the walkways of the Thames, one of the world’s most iconic [...]
On the frontline: It’s time for an open debate on housebuilding, not draconian costs July 23, 2015 Ever since Mark Carney took over at the Bank of England, a culture seems to be in play where inference seeks to influence reporting and statistics. And the Chancellor seems to have joined in – sometimes not so subtly. The mission? To maintain some sort of control over the housing market. Political promises and economic [...]
Israel’s property is going sky high: Tel Aviv’s Meier-on-Rothschild tower is a symbol of the city’s rapidly-growing residential market July 23, 2015 The ancient 3,000-year old city of Tel Aviv, which was built during the Ottoman Empire, with its stone houses and narrow streets, is transforming rapidly into one of the most progressive and international destinations on the planet. With an international, young, and stylish crowd, Israel’s largest metropolitan city has a record-breaking number of tech [...]
The death of the commute? Buyers queue round the block for first-ever Canary Wharf flats July 10, 2015 It seems the workers of Canary Wharf can't wait to do away with their daily commute, after more than 100 queued up overnight to get their hands on some of the first apartments to go on sale in the district. Read more: As first homes go on sale at Canary Wharf, is this the death of [...]
Mansion blocks are real British antiques that can command impressive prices July 9, 2015 Most people think of estate agent hyperbole as a modern affliction. After all, what’s a contemporary house viewing if it isn’t peppered with “generous” reception rooms stocked with “state-of-the-art” smart systems in “vibrant” neighbourhoods? In fact, we may have the Victorians to blame for this, starting with the “mansion flat”. The term was coined in [...]
Lighting designer Paul Nulty on how to make the most of a garden terrace July 9, 2015 DECIDE WHAT MOOD YOU’RE GOING FOR While daylight offers balanced illumination and “makes sense”, night time illumination evokes a series of subconscious responses from intimacy to fear. The first question you should be asking is, “how do I want myself/my guests to feel?” Illumination of all corner spaces creates a sense of opening up and [...]
Chelsea’s house of Cold War secrets at 19 Upper Cheyne Row: Former spy’s home includes a bar that was funded by MI5 July 9, 2015 This semi-detached family house in a quiet corner of Chelsea seems inconspicuous enough, if a little dated on the inside. But it’s actually the scene of an impressive feat of British espionage that may have averted World War III. Nineteen Upper Cheyne Row has starred in numerous Cold War TV dramas over the years, [...]
Focus on St James’s: The home of the English gentleman July 9, 2015 In many ways, St James’s resembles the City. Sure, there aren’t any skyscrapers and it’s not half as old, but it’s SW1’s commercial hub and barely anyone lives there. As proud purveyors of men’s garments since the Victorian age, it boasts such prestigious names along Jermyn Street as Turnbull & Asser, Alfred Dunhill, while St [...]
Private view: On the market in St James’s this week July 9, 2015 BEAU HOUSE, SW1Y Prices start at £2m A collection of seven apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms fashionably located above Daks in Jermyn Street. Developers Dukelease and Oliver Burns say the design takes inspiration from Beau Brummell, a Regency style icon, whose statue still resides on the same street. Due for completion in 2016. [...]