Cornwall Gardens VIII, Kensington

Description

The beautiful south

Rise early to the smell of fresh coffee and throw open the curtains: you’ll be half-expecting to see the ocean. In fact, this warmly elegant home is in the heart of the city. If the atmosphere is European – stucco walls, venerable antique furniture and abundant greenery – then the location’s London through and through. The museums are around the corner and you’re close to the shops of bustling Kensington High Street. Knightsbridge, Kensington Gardens and Sloane Square are all within an easy stroll but we strongly encourage you to break your journey for an al fresco brunch in one of the gorgeous pavement cafés.
Been around the world
Your hostess is a consultant who’s circled the globe, picking up fascinating art and furniture along the way. She renovated her apartment herself and cherishes the high ceilings and its south-facing disposition.

See the light
Look first to the textured walls finished by an artist who usually paints cathedrals. Then to the enormous fireplace in which nestles a traditional South American coffee grinder. Beautiful pieces of furniture are everywhere, from a grandfather clock and a chandelier to a hand-carved chair, and so too are books, photos and luscious plants.

The rustic kitchen is a cook’s paradise, the balcony ideal for breakfast with the birds. And there’s a holiday atmosphere in the enormous master bedroom, with its daybed, seaside oil painting and a wooden floor the exact hue of golden sand.

Features