If you have a cool £10.95m to spare and want to bag yourself a bit of London history, this four-bedroom apartment in The Whiteley, once London’s first department store, has just gone on the market.
The 3,856 square foot home, which is located on Queensway, is part of a £1.2billion development that will see 139 homes and a 109-room Six Senses Hotel built at this historic address, a stone’s throw away from Hyde Park and within walking distance of both Bayswater and Queensway tube stations.
While prices for the more ‘modest’ homes start at £1,515,000, the price tag for this four-bedroom, fifth-floor abode reflects its square footage and the attention to detail that’s gone into the interiors.
“We wanted to create a portrait of London design that transcended any era or style because London is an amalgamation of styles,” says interior designer Linda Boronkay, who was previously Design Director of Soho House, overseeing its projects in Asia, Europe and the UK.
Along with her team, Boronkay showcased up-and-coming, contemporary London designers – even spotting new talent on Instagram – alongside iconic pieces from established names such as Franco Albini, Joe Armitage and Laurence Leenaert.
“The idea behind the design was that it is something that has been layered over the years rather than something thrown together,” she says. “My Soho House experience was transformative and shaped my approach to design. [Soho House founder] Nick Jones has a clear vision about the feeling he wants to convey and the atmosphere he wants to create. Any project I do, I approach it with that in mind.”
As a result, the apartment is a clever blend of the modern and historical, and features four bedrooms, an open plan living, kitchen and dining area, plus two terraces, totalling 1,308 square feet.
“One terrace looks inside onto the dome, while another looks out over the London rooftops. It’s an oasis of landscaping and outdoor dining,” says Boronkay.
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Guests enter through a sensual corridor where a gallery wall takes centre stage, artfully hung by a brass chain. “We wanted to tell the story of an imaginative, curious owner, who was interested in the arts and literature and has an eye for detail.”
Elsewhere, the Convivium kitchen features PVD bronze finishes, fossil oak wood veneer doors, and Carrara marble worktops and splashbacks, while the bedrooms have enormous amounts of storage, courtesy of the custom wardrobes from B&B Italia.
Other interior details include sage green wallpaper in the corridor, and artful mirror by Boldizar Senteski and a bright red lacquer coffee table in the living room. Boronkay admits this room is a personal favourite.
“I love the mirrored wall, Richard Zinon’s artwork and the ornate folding screen by Gergei Erdei.” Despite this, the living space has been designed to be comfortable as well as impressive, with rattan stools that have indoor and outdoor vibes and transition well from day to night.
Boronkay, who previously lived in nearby Notting Hill, says she expects The Whiteley to help transform the local area, creating new jobs, restaurants, shops and cafes and also attracting an affluent demographic. “Since I started working on this project a year ago, the area has changed so much already. This building was so unloved for so long – it deserves the love and glory it is getting now.”
