A Lovely Apartment in George Orwell’s Former Home
In the latter half of the Victorian era, more romantic and creative architecture became popular, and this apartment building, called Mall Chambers, is a perfect example of that architectural style.
Mall Chambers became a popular building for artisans and clerks, and during the first decades of the 20th century, writer George Orwell was one of the most prominent residents in this complex.
The 509-square-foot apartment, designed by Nigel Hunt, features southeast and west-facing windows, which distribute light nicely into the small home. The apartment also features a nice color palette paired with tactile, thoughtfully employed materials, including marble countertops, tongue-and-groove paneling, and handprinted wallpapers.
The front door opens immediately into the sitting room. During a recent renovation, a new oak herringbone parquet was laid throughout the apartment. While it’s a nice addition, the material choice is sympathetic to the ones used during the Victorian period.
The beautiful fireplace works as a natural focal point in the living room. The contemporary decor of the sitting room works beautifully paired with the historic character.
Despite its small size, the living room features plenty of storage space thanks to the built-in shelves next to the fireplace and built-in cabinets flanking the window.
The kitchen is my favorite room in the house. Despite the modest size of the apartment, it has a spacious kitchen with dark cabinets and paneling paired with Zoffany’s ‘Tuscan Pink’ on the walls.
The integrated banquette in front of the window offers plenty of seating space.
The kitchen is designed by Neptune and features dark cabinets and a mottled Greek marble countertop.
This apartment features several clever small space hacks, including the built-in shelves above the bed to add storage in this tiny bedroom. The black and white lampshades are from Pooky.
The Edwardian-style bathroom features Zoffany’s Royal Exchange wallpaper, fixtures and fittings by Lefroy Brooks, and marble floor tiles.
The apartment is listed for £695,000 at Inigo.