This handsome Victorian townhouse is on Albert Bridge Road, occupying an enviable position directly opposite Battersea Park within its conservation area. Built in 1876 in the Dutch revival style, the house is laid out over five levels, with internal accommodation extending to almost 3,500 sq ft. Wonderfully preserved and restored, an exceptional level of finish has been achieved throughout. Contemporary interventions echo elements of the past and blend beautifully with the original plan. There is also a captivating and private west-facing terraced garden positioned to the rear of the house. Both the King's Road and Chelsea are close. More locally, the amenities of Battersea Park Road and the newly opened Battersea Power Station, home to countless fashionable shops, restaurants and entertainment, is a short walk away on foot.

Setting the Scene

This house and the 13-house terrace it sits within have been wonderfully preserved as part of the protected conservation area. The façades have been kept completely intact as a fine example of relatively restrained mid-Victorian domestic architecture. However, recent exhaustive renovations have wholly reimagined the spaces within this grand Victorian residence using the finest materials and architectural elements while retaining the integrity of the original building's conception.

The finish and attention to detail are exquisite, with a bold sense of texture, materiality and colour. The kitchen and service areas have been retained at the lower-ground level, with the addition of spacious open-plan family quarters. The ground floor contains beautiful reception spaces, while the first floor comprises the principal bedroom suite, with further bedrooms set above.

The Grand Tour

Set behind a low brick wall, the electric remote-operated entrance gate opens to a private courtyard garden, laid with antique stone setts in a circular pattern, surrounded by mature shrubs. The house is made of red brick laid in Flemish bond, with a Dutch gable roof; the façade is punctuated with original box sash windows, and a decorative cast-iron Juliet balcony spans the width of the piano nobile. Bike storage is contained at the side of the front garden, and a separate service entrance leads to the lower-ground floor. Newly reinstated Portland stone steps lead up to the main entrance, and a canopied porch is inset with the original design six-panel pillar-box red front door.

The entrance hall hints at the richness that defines the decoration of this home. Walls are papered in Arte’s Belgian linen design in burnt orange with fielded wainscotting set below. The wide set staircase lies directly ahead and is carpeted in hand-woven 'Peacock' coir matting by Sinclair Till. Architectural hardware throughout the house, including all door furniture and electric plates, is finished in antique brass, and all the fixed joinery in the home is bespoke.

Oak parquet flooring leads to a large double-width architrave and the bipartite living and dining room. Here, the seating area is set to the front of the plan with brilliant views over the park through the canted bay window. Beautiful cornicing has been reintroduced, and there are two specially commissioned stone chimneypieces in a contemporary pronounced bolection design, each fitted for gas fires. A wall of bespoke bookshelves separates the living space from the dining area at the back, where glass cabinets and shelving are set into the alcoves.

From here, glass wedding doors open to the spacious study area. Contemporary interventions in this room include a glass aperture on the floor looking down to the snug below, a glass mono-pitch roof, and a full-height roundhead sectional window looking out to the garden. A wall of intricately framed mirrored cupboards is set along one wall; there is a guest WC to the very rear.

The lower-ground floor is a brilliantly conceived part of the house. Comprising three distinct main spaces, it totals some 45 feet in length. There is also a separate utility area, entrance hall, cloakroom and a WC. This floor is resolutely the heart of the home, with a dining area at the front of the plan and a window seat set into the bay window. An exquisite monolithic honed Paonazza marble chimneypiece creates a focal point in the room, balanced by glass dressers set into the alcoves.

The kitchen is positioned in the centre of the plan, designed around a central island unit inset with a sink and Quooker mixer tap. Generously thick-cut slabs of Silestone in a textured volcano finish rest atop custom built oak veneer cabinetry. Appliances, including a fridge-freezer and dishwasher, are concealed behind the cupboards, and a Rangemaster stove is set along one wall. The wide oak floorboards were specially chosen in a warm grey tone to complement the tonality of the cabinetry and stone worktops, creating a harmonious and tactile effect. At the rear is the informal snug area, with a full-height glass aperture and separate folding glass doors that open to the garden and flood the space with light.

The first floor is home to the principal bedroom suite, painted plaster pink. Here, two sets of French windows open to the Juliet balcony with vistas of the trees and parkland. A wall of lattice-framed mirrored wardrobing is painted a deep blue, and there is an original chimneypiece with a cast-iron grate set into the hearth. Discretely positioned behind is the spacious closet and en suite bathroom. Here, double sinks are set into a beautiful vanity unit; there is an infrared sauna, a shower area and a large freestanding bateau slipper bath beside the window. Brassware is nickel plated.

There is an additional bedroom and en suite shower room at the rear of this floor and four further bedrooms with brilliant, colourful, contemporary bathrooms on the upper floors.

The Great Outdoors

The rear garden is west-facing and enjoys sunlight during the best part of the day. The terracotta brick-laid terrace has a beautiful patina, with the stones especially imported from Italy. In conjunction with the Victorian wall-mounted fountain, both lend a sense of antiquity to this exterior space. The seating area comprises built-in benches, which can accommodate a large outdoor dining table. The southern elevation here is fully mirrored, allowing for an increased sense of space and depth.

A set of steps ascend to a separate upper terrace, shaded by a wonderfully mature tree; each garden on the terrace has a unique tree in the same spot, which was planted by the developer when the houses were first built. Currently utilised as a children’s play area, this terrace could also be used as an additional seating area if required. There is also exterior storage set under the steps.

Out and About

This house is within easy reach of the shops, restaurants and general amenities of the King's Road and Chelsea, as well as, more locally, the countless provisors and cafes of Battersea Park Road and Battersea Square. The Prince Albert on Albert Bridge Road is an excellent local pub, offering a comfortingly familiar menu. The gourmet grocer Bayley and Sage is located on Parkgate Street, close to acclaimed restaurant Nutbourne at Ransome’s Dock; both are just a two-minute walk away. The development of Nine Elms is nearby, as well as the incredible Battersea Power Station reached on foot through the park, and now home to an excellent array of high-end shops, restaurants and a cinema.

Battersea Park is directly across from Albert Bridge Road and spans 200 acres. Laid out between 1854 and 1870 and Grade II*-listed, the park has an extensive frontage and riverside promenade to the Thames. Wide, tree-lined avenues meander around a large boating lake and through open lawned areas, with notable trees, children’s play areas, a children’s zoo, the Pump House gallery and sports facilities. The Pear Tree Cafe is set beside the lake and offers vibrant evenings of live music, with food by ex-Petersham Nurseries alumni Annabel Partridge and Will Burrett.

There are plenty of schools locally for all ages, including the excellent Newton Prep School and Thomas’s School, while excellent independent day schools are located nearby Chelsea.

The closest train stations are Battersea Park and Queenstown Road, just over 15 minutes by foot, and there is a new extension to the Northern Line at Battersea Power Station, five minutes’ walk through the park. Buses run regularly to Victoria station from Cadogan Pier, just across Albert Bridge, while also from the pier is the Thames Clipper Uber boat, offering connecting river services to the City and Canary Wharf to the East.

Council Tax Band: G