A Victorian stable block that became a fun-filled (and award-winning) family home in one of the leafiest parts of London
This house down the road from Kew Gardens shows just what can be done with a 19th century home — and it's looking for new owners. Will Hosie steps inside.
The west London district of Kew Gardens is known, broadly, for three things: the eponymous green space that serves as a national HQ for botanical research; the site of the National Archives; and a neat little bypass for drivers looking to find a way around Hammersmith Bridge (which has been closed to vehicles for exactly seven years and five days).
Yet all this is to underplay Kew’s hidden potential as a west London property behemoth. Cast your eye around the place and you’ll find leafy, understated streets, Georgian terraces that whisper more than they shout, and none of the odd concrete moments that exist — yes, I’m sorry — in better-known, more reputed neighbourhoods such as Richmond or Wimbledon.
As the London market once more turns in favour of buyers, those looking for a family-friendly neighbourhood within easy reach of both town and country (Kew Gardens is served by the District and Mildmay lines) could hardly do better than to set down roots here.
All of which brings us to Kew House, on sale at £4 million through Story of Home, and one of the most impressive properties on the London market at the time of writing.
Sliding doors and large windows, encased in Corten steel, allow the light to flow in.
Designed in 2014 by Piercy & Co and the winner of a RIBA award the following year, the house mines inspiration from the sculptures of Lynn Chadwick and the architectural character of TW9, unfolding over 4,144 sq ft with a glazed stairwell and glass bridge, which connects one side of the property to the other.
The pièce de résistance: a glazed stairwell connects the north and south wing of the house.
This hems the new building, clad in pre-weathered Corten steel, together with the remnants of a Victorian stable block. ‘The judges were impressed with the ambition and fearlessness of the house,' the RIBA National Award judges said of the edifice, 'with a look that avoids referencing architectural convention’.
The house has been renovated since the initial 2014 design, when it was sold via The Modern House, and fitted with more understated yet still inviting interiors that are perfect for the sort of family who prefer their art collection to do the talking. A
A sunken snug, one metre below ground and featuring exposed brickwork, built-in oak-veneer cabinetry and a fireplace, creates a prime spot for entertaining.
Occupying the upper floors are two interlinked children’s bedrooms, a guest room and the principal suite.
Sadly, though, one of the more eyebrow-raising features of the original house is gone: there used to be a slide down to the basement. Owners Tim (a structural engineer) and Jo (a management consultant) had it installed when their children were younger, but it's no longer in place. We'd be strongly in favour of restoring it.
Kew House is for sale at £4 million, reduced from an initial £4.5 million — see more details.
