Date Published 17 April 2023
From a grand London flat that links old and new to a village where modernism sits within Victorian walls.
Whitechapel, east London Crouched on the corner of Prescot Street and Leman Street, close to the Jack the Ripper museum, is an imposing Grade II-listed art deco structure described by Historic England as an example of German expressionism. Built in 1932 as the headquarters of the Co-operative Wholesale Society, with Egyptian motifs carved above the door frames. A two-bedroom apartment on the fifth floor, has been decked out in Moroccan style. The rooms are separated by Islamic-inspired arches and the kitchen painted a deep red with an orange splashback. £595,000.
Covent Garden, London
Great Queen Street runs from Holborn to Covent Garden and, in 1646, 14 large houses, each with matching ionic pilasters, were built. Over the centuries imposing properties have followed. The Masons constructed their third lodge here, along with townhouses. On the first floor of one grand building (presumed to be accommodation for the lodge) is an apartment with decadent interiors. The reception room and kitchen sit in the original part, with a feature bridge connecting it to a newer part, housing three bedrooms with access to a private balcony garden. £4.85m. Rokstone, 020 7580 2030.
Lambourn, Berkshire
In the heart of the village is a renovated house that smacks of mid-century modernism sitting comfortably within Victorian walls. The ground floor is predominantly open-plan with a thick, wooden, open-tread staircase at the centre. Storage has been cleverly created on either side. Burnt orange cabinetry highlights the alcove kitchen, while a wall of glass, interrupted only by its timber frames, looks out over the garden. These sliding screens open on to a large veranda with patio underfoot and long slats of matt grey metal overhead. £750,000.
North Wingfield, Derbyshire
Just south of Chesterfield is a new home concealed within a Grade 11-listed Georgian shell. The three-storey property has a majestic facade typical of that era but a decade ago was fully restored. The original features have been celebrated (sash windows, shutters and a grand staircase) but bespoke panelling in the living room hides new additions, such as a drinks cabinet, and the modern kitchen has an island with a breakfast bar. On the second floor deliberately chintzy bedrooms have been built into the original A-frame king trusses. £595,000.
