Inspiration of the Week: spectacular vernacular in south-east London

In the mid-19^th century, East Dulwich was just a hamlet. Only 30 years later, at the end of Queen Victoria’s reign, it was a teeming and charming south London suburb, filled with well-heeled city workers and their families who had moved to the tennis-courted townhouses that had begun to be built there. Not long after, the scene was different again: by the 1930s, the architecture of the area was somewhat more diverse – a result of the increased socioeconomic diversity of London after World War I. Enter gems such as Hazel Court, a red-brick apartment block on the western flank of Rye Common, where this apartment ­­– currently for sale – can be found.

The first thing that stands out about the building are the bays that jut proudly from the red-brick façade, each with 12-pane white-framed sash windows. While this building may not have the Tudorbethan timbered gable or stained glass of other 1930s structures, it feels rooted in the architecture of the time. In its striking horizontal rhythm and flat roof, one can hear the echoes of Deco and see signs of the country’s nascent modernist movement too.

Inside, the current owners have taken great pains to respect its original fabric, preserving as many of the original features as possible. We’re particularly taken by the Arts & Crafts tiles that surround the fireplace. The wall’s moulded picture rail is not only (thankfully) intact, it’s been miraculously transformed into storage in places – note the shelf balanced upon it above the sitting-room sofa, a deft (and practical) twist on form and function. Shutters cover only the lower half of the windows, leaving the original panes in plain sight, while the pantry kitchen has been kept (albeit with cabinets and tiles more in keeping with the fashions of today). Proof that size really isn’t everything – and that sometimes, the oldies are the goodies. Looking around, it feels like nothing in Hazel Court been changed for the sake of it – an approach to decorating that, in the 21^st century, we can get behind.