If I was to tell you the name of my favourite architect/house-builder, and I will, because it’s my website and I can do what I want, I would say that it’s Frank Lloyd-Wright.
There’s something about his use of light and space that I think elevates his buildings above all others; his ideas of what rooms in a house are important, how we should live, and how things should be laid out and lit are quite remarkable (in my opinion).
Now, there aren’t any Lloyd-Wright designed buildings in the UK, but there are some that are certainly inspired by him and built in a similar style. One such example is this absolute beauty near Richmond Park in London. Named Miramonte, it’s for sale with Strutt & Parker for £6.25 million, and I like it. I like it very much.
For sale for the first time since 2001, the property was designed by Maxwell Fry and built in 1936. It has seven bedrooms in total (six in the main house and one in a detached lodge) and indoor swimming pool, a tennis court and 1.24 acres of gardens. I think it looks amazing and I would very much like to live there.
The interiors sing. Look at the wonderful use of space in the reception rooms and kitchen, flowing from one to the other, while keeping effortless functionality throughout. Observe the office/library, with its sweeping curved wooden bookcase and skylight. The cinema room with its recessed ceiling and wooden speaker cabinets.
So many large windows to sit in front of and enjoy the gardens. Even the indoor swimming pool area (which I usually find a bit over the top in most properties) looks effortlessly stylish.
The location is just as enviable too, situated on the Coombe House Estate, equidistant between Kingston and Wimbledon town centres. The A3 is nearby, providing fast access either to the centre of London or the countryside, and Richmond Park is on the doorstep. Perfection.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Credit: Getty Images
Is now a good time to buy a house? What do you need to ask before making an offer? And where are the best places to look? Annabel Dixon on the Country Life podcast
Property writer Annabel Dixon joins the Country Life Podcast to take a look at the state of play in the
Credit: Inigo
A 300-year-old Jacobean mansion that comes with woodland, orchard and its own mini-village
Frome is where the heart is, so they say. It's easy to see why you might fall in love with
Credit: Hamptons
A 400-year-old house that’s as romantic a country cottage as you could hope to find
How many kinds of sweet flowers grow in an English country garden? Well, head to these magical gardens in Kent
-
Graham Norton's elegant East London home hits the market, and it's just as wonderful as you would expectThe four-bedroom home in Wapping should be studied for how well it uses two separate spaces to create a home of immense character and utility.
-
Sign of the times: In the age of the selfie, what’s happening to the humble autograph?When Ringo Starr announced that he was no longer going to sign anything, he kickstarted a celebrity movement that coincided with the advent of the camera phone and selfie. Rob Crossan asks whether, in today’s world, the selfie holds more clout than an autograph?
-
Graham Norton's elegant East London home hits the market, and it's just as wonderful as you would expect
The four-bedroom home in Wapping should be studied for how well it uses two separate spaces to create a home of immense character and utility.
-
About time: The fastest and slowest moving housing markets revealedNew research by Zoopla has shown where it's easy to sell and where it will take quite a while to find a buyer.
-
A wisteria clad hall built by one of the founders of the Bank of EnglandCome for the history of Old Hall. Stay for the interesting interiors.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River TayCarnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
