London SW7£1,500,000 Share of Freehold

Harrington Gardens

A bay of expansive sash windows frames views of established London plane trees, magnolia and cherry trees in Wetherby Gardens opposite

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This elegant apartment sits on the first floor of a handsome row of Victorian residences in South Kensington’s Courtfield Conservation Area. Built in the late 19th century, the buildings are adorned with intricate Victorian decoration and serve as a striking counterpart to the surrounding Italianate terraces. The apartment also bears attractive period ornamentation inside, including bead moulding, plaster decoration and carved fireplace surrounds. At its rear, a bay of grand sash windows overlooks the wonderfully established Wetherby Gardens, a shared and landscaped space open to residents.

Setting the Scene

The Courtfield Conservation Area is characterised by wide avenues lined with Victorian terraces and mature garden squares. It occupies land that had once been used for farming and market gardens. In the latter part of the 19th century, ornate red brick terraces emerged (including this row) as a reaction against the preceding Italianate style that dominated the area’s streetscape.

The row of mansion blocks was designed by architect Walter Graves and built by John Robinson Roberts between 1883-1885. The buildings were conceived with a ‘back-to-front’ configuration with a formal elevation facing Wetherby Gardens to the rear, and living spaces positioned to take advantage of the leafy views. Facing the street is a striking façade of yellow and red brick arcades, pediments and porches, and terracotta ornamentation. Featured in Elle Decor magazine, this apartment sits on the building’s first floor, with wonderfully a elevated outlook.

The Grand Tour

A white-painted porch projects from the building’s brick façade on Harrington Gardens and provides access to the communal hallway and stairwell. A sweeping flight of stairs with a dark wood handrail rises to the first floor, where this apartment’s private panelled front door sits.

The door opens to a central hallway with an original 19th-century herringbone-pattern laid parquet floor and walls washed in ‘Clunch’ and ‘Slipper Satin’ by Farrow and Ball. There also are two useful storage closets accessed from here too, handy for tucking away coats, bags and umbrellas.

At the rear of the plan is an open-plan living/dining room and kitchen. The impressive volume of the room is accentuated by a bay of expansive sash windows that frame serene views of London plane trees, as well as an array of shrubs and established herbaceous borders in Wetherby Gardens. The space is embellished with architectural ornamentation; beaded moulding decorates the walls, and the panels are set with carved floral swags, bows and urns. To one side is a fireplace with a moulded shelf atop columnar jambs and corbels, a carved frieze and marble surround. An Arakawa art hanging system is installed around the room.

The kitchen sits to one side of the room, composed of white-painted cabinetry with a granite work surface, four-ring gas hob, oven and stainless steel sink. Next to the kitchen is a built-in ladder that leads to a mezzanine used by the current owners as extra accommodation, office/study, and for storage.

The bedroom, which also has soaring ceilings and moulded decoration, sits on the other side of the corridor. Light floods the room as it filters through the panes of two large sash windows. Orientated behind the building’s brick arcade, the room has a comforting sense of privacy.

The bathroom has a pared-back palette, with Carrara marble tiles running underfoot and lining the walls. There is a bathtub with a shower fitted overhead and a pedestal sink by CP Hart, and lighting by Cullens.

The Great Outdoors

Residents of Harrington Gardens have access to the beautifully planted Wetherby Gardens. The award-winning garden square is bound by Harrington, Wetherby and Gledhow Gardens, and studded with towering plane trees, magnolia and cherry trees, creating a green oasis that feels secluded from the surrounding streets.

Out and About

Harrington Gardens is a quiet garden square situated moments from Gloucester Road and within easy reach of the excellent shops, boutiques, restaurants and cafes of South Kensington, High Street Kensington and Chelsea. The open green spaces of Kensington Gardens and Holland Park are a short walk away.

This is London’s well-heeled heartland, within walking distance of the world-famous Harrods, the Serpentine Gallery dramatically positioned on a bend within Hyde Park, the National History and Victoria and Albert Museum and London’s most opulent concert venue, the Royal Albert Hall. There are many excellent restaurants in the area, including Bibendum, Daquise, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Holy Carrot. The Finborough Theatre is a short walk away, as is the much-loved Cine Lumiere.

The chance to cook in Knightsbridge’s renowned restaurants is highly sought after by international chefs; as a result, the area is home to some of London’s most coveted dinner venues. On Harrods’ rooftop, Studio Frantzen is home to six Michelin star-holding chef Bjorn Frantzen, serving Nordic-Asian fare. Opened in 2022, The Aubrey is an exclusive reimagining of a Japanese bar and its walls are lined with art inspired by the Japonisme movement. For pubs and bars, Nolita Social provides an explosive slice of New York in the UK capital, and the Alfred Tennyson pub in Belgravia is a wonderful Cubitt House venture.

The nearest underground station is Gloucester Road (Piccadilly, District and Circle lines), approximately five minutes’ walk away. The A4/M4 is close by for fast routes to the west and Heathrow Airport.

Tenure: Share of Freehold
Lease Length: Approx. 989 years remaining
Service Charge: £5,300 per annum
Council Tax Band: G

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. Inigo has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.