On the frontline November 27, 2014 PENNY MOSGROVE MD AT QUINTESSENTIALLY ESTATES You might not think an estate agent’s office is much altered by festivities, but we, too, get the occasional Christmas shopper through the door. Even at Quintessentially Estates, where we’re used to dealing with top-end property acquisitions for some of the world’s wealthiest individuals, we sometimes find ourselves playing [...]
78 Carlton Hill: Eric Idle’s old St John’s Wood home where Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher partied with the Rolling Stones November 27, 2014 Eric Idle used to let movie stars stay in his home in St John’s Wood while filming. Now, anyone can stay, for the right price. Tucked away in a quiet corner of north west London, a magnificent townhouse once hosted an unusual evening of frivolity between some of the biggest icons of 1980s pop [...]
On the frontline: why the internet is a hindrance when it comes to moving house November 19, 2014 It may sound counterintuitive, but when it comes to moving I’d argue the internet has become a hindrance. Everyone thinks they’re a property expert; a plethora of dubious stats, endless subjective historic – and hysteric – online data and an ever more tempting set of search filters has created the impression that your perfect property [...]
From Battersea Power Station’s roof garden to Oval Quarter’s allotments – homes with budding potential November 13, 2014 You might have a Rolex or a superyacht, but the most expensive commodity in London today is space. A square foot in the capital costs around £1,200 on average, and when land is that expensive, green space becomes a luxury. As a result, local authorities are increasingly likely to grant planning permission to [...]
Old Friars in Richmond Green: Richard Attenborough’s former home in south west London is a movie star mansion November 13, 2014 This eight bedroom historic house in south west London was home to one of Britain’s best-loved filmmakers. Sitting on top of Richmond Green, peering down over the Thames and the sprawl of Richmond Park, is a distinguished mansion that was once home to an even more distinguished owner. A lounge area in [...]
On the frontline November 13, 2014 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DOUGLAS & GORDON It may sound counterintuitive, but when it comes to moving I’d argue the internet has become a hindrance. Everyone thinks they’re a property expert; a plethora of dubious stats, endless subjective historic – and hysteric – online data and an ever more tempting set of search filters has created the [...]
Mila Podiablonska on interior design: From the Ukrainian Changing Rooms to EC1 November 13, 2014 What does a man want to come home to after a long day’s work in the City? This is the question that’s constantly plaguing the mind of interior designer Mila Podiablonska, who has found herself interpreting the will of the professional male bachelor on many occasions. “Most of the clients I work with [...]
London Barometer November 13, 2014 George Franks SALES DIRECTOR, DOUGLAS & GORDON New business was up over 100 per cent from August to October, demonstrating that politics hasn’t completely stymied the market. Applicants increased by 10 per cent while offers received increased by almost 30 per cent, indicating that buyers will commit to a purchase if they feel the price [...]
The Riverlight development in Battersea’s Nine Elms is welcoming residents November 13, 2014 Visitors to Riverlight, a new housing development on the south bank of the Thames, are confronted by a rather extraordinary, large artwork in the lobby. It layers towering elm trees, cranes from the docks, industrial waste and six, serrated glass towers lining the river bank. “History in the Making” by Royal College of Art [...]
Focus on Chiswick: Why are families flocking to west London? November 13, 2014 Many people seem to think that, between oligarchs buying up prime central London and renters occupying the trendy suburbs, the capital is becoming a place of transition. But there’s one place that’s defying that trend: Chiswick. This ancient country retreat, which was once part of Middlesex, is every inch the traditional London village. [...]