The issue with a lot of houses in London is that they can look a little boring. It is not the houses’ fault, of course. London is a big city and a lot of people need to live here. Things generally have to be quite uniform so that they can fit. There is beauty in repetition, of course, but not necessarily in individuality.
However, sometimes things get through. It should perhaps be no surprise that Vale End, the former home of the artist Arthur Croft Mitchell, should stand out on Mallord Street in Chelsea, SW3. On first glance, it seems fairly traditional and of its place. And yet it somehow stands out. It’s currently up for sale with Savills and Farrar for £9 million.
Originally built in 1914 for Croft Mitchell, the property has remained in the family until the current day. Its bespoke design remains to this day, notably the two studio spaces on the first and second floors. The property offers three bedrooms and a large garden.
Much care has been taken in the original design of Vale End. The blue walls of the first floor studio, were chosen specially to control the 'temperature' of the light within the room. The green window frames were requested by his wife, Molly, to complement the foliage.
Now it would be remiss to not point out that Vale End requires a little bit of work, but an opportunity remains an opportunity until it is acted upon. Looking at the images of the studio spaces, the mind runs with possibilities as to how to use it.
Mallord Street, so named after Joseph Mallord William Turner, has been an artist’s enclave for generations. Augustus John was a neighbour. Cecil Arthur Hunt, Graham Petrie, A. A. Milne, and John Francis Kavanagh have all lived here.
It is astoundingly rare to find a home such as this, in a place such as this, that is effectively a blank canvas. What an opportunity.
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