Property of the Week: Live on top of this art deco block in Kensington
Choosing between period and new-build is one of the biggest decisions you have to make when buying a home.
While older properties have heaps of character, quirky features and kerb appeal, the pristine, fresh-out-the-box feeling you get with a new build is hard to beat.
There are die-hard fans in both camps. But for those who can’t make up their minds, this penthouse that has just come to market in West Kensington could offer something close to the best of both worlds.
The split-level, two-bedroom apartment comes with all the modern accoutrements you would expect from a high-end new development: floor-to-ceiling windows, ensuites in both bedrooms and air conditioning to name but a few.
However, its location is somewhat unusual: the penthouse has been built on top of the art deco Barons Keep mansion block, which has plenty of history attached to it.
The U-shaped Barons Keep was built in 1937, and is an example of the ‘cruise liner’ style of apartment buildings popular in that era. Meanwhile, the land it sits on was previously part of the Gunter Estate: a swathe of land in West London which was bought up by James Gunter in the early 19th century and developed by his descendants.
Gunter was known in his time as the owner Gunter’s Tea Shop in Berkeley Square; a popular meeting place for Mayfair society figures.
London-wide views
At around 1,200 sq ft, the apartment is the largest of two penthouses which have been developed on top of Barons Keep, with more set to be built in future. It sits at the end of the block, meaning that its windows curve around the building.
This provides an open, light-filled entertaining space which opens out on to a roof terrace. The upstairs space is configured as a shower room and study, but could also be used as a third bedroom.
The property is being sold by Knight Frank with a guide price of £1.5m. Nicola Federico, partner in Knight Frank’s Fulham office, says the views are one of the property’s biggest selling points.
“The amazing roof terrace offers views into London and also out to the west, and you also have the wraparound window,” she says. “It’s really not your standard boxy new-build flat: it has a unique feel.”