An Early Victorian House with a Unique Barrel-Vaulted Artist’s Studio
In the central part of Fulham Road in the Chelsea area of London lies this magnificent early Victorian townhouse with a double-height kitchen and a unique barrel-vaulted Victorian artist studio.
Old houses have a history to tell, and that’s also the case of this Italianate semi-detached house with plain stucco elevations and ornate stucco dressings. This beautiful house has been the home of Mary Pickford, one of the very first female MPs, as well as renowned sculptor Uli Nimptsch, whose sculpture of David Lloyd George was created in the studio you’re about to see.
We start the tour on the lower ground floor, where your eye is immediately drawn toward the impressive double-height roundhead Crittall-style windows offering views of the garden and the artist’s studio.
The kitchen is a simple design made from Plain English cabinets. The large kitchen island features a reclaimed mahogany laboratory worktop. The countertop and backsplash on the other cabinets are made of Calacatta Viola marble.
The area in front of the huge window is the perfect spot for the dining table, and in the corner of the room, you can also see built-in cabinets for extra kitchen storage space.
At the front of the room, there is a charming seating area designed around a brick fireplace.
At the back of the garden stands this impressive former artist’s studio with a barrel-vaulted ceiling. The room can be accessed via a passageway on the ground floor or via its separate entrance.
The room features a beautiful strapwork plaster ceiling, some 26-ft deep and over 14-ft high. A huge window set into the north wall frames views of the courtyard garden and the main house, while the other wall is fitted with custom-built walnut bookcases with cupboards.
The ground floor features a small reception room with black-painted floorboards, and the hall featuring decorative arched niches and sisal carpeting.
The entire first floor is decorated as a master suite with a sleeping area at the front and a bathroom in the back, separated by wedding doors.
The bathroom has a Cast Iron Bath Company freestanding roll-top bath, nickel-plated brassware by Arcade, and a sink set into a beautiful antique chest with a marble top. The shower beyond, with a Juliet balcony, is encased in durable pale pink micro cement.
The top floor is home to two more bedrooms, one decorated in light colors while the other is painted in a deep blue shade.
The bedroom share a bathroom with a cork floor and the second floor landing is fitted with cabinets hiding the washer/dryer, while the floorboards are painted in a classic checkerboard pattern.
There is a charming walled garden between the main house and the artist’s studio laid with York stone.
The house is listed for sale at Inigo.