Architecture Wednesday: Historic Covent Garden Townhouse

Built around 1700, just 34 years after the Great Fire of London, Number 1 Goodwin’s Court celebrates well over 300 years of existence with the completion of its painstaking ten-year renovation. As part of a row of Grade II Listed buildings this home is a rare survivor of a building type reflecting the conditions of London’s Georgian working-classes; it’s also a piece of London’s rich history as well as more recent fame as the inspiration for Ollivanders Wand Shop in the Harry Potter films.

To start with, slowly and carefully, 325 years of architectural history were peeled back, revealing an astonishing level of originality still intact. Four time-worn stone steps sit just below the exquisite front door.

Once inside the upper ground floor you can walk down a preserved staircase into a beautifully appointed kitchen with cool York stone floors and period fireplace. Hidden away, to preserve that history, are fridge, freezer, microwave and dishwasher while an induction hob sits atop a solid oak countertop. Overhead, exposed, original time aged beams have been exposed and re-installed complete with state-of-the-art fire prevention misting system. The room also has space for a kitchen table and chairs for dining while, a Accessed through a reclaimed door, is a Georgian inspired tiled shower room with antique water closet and wash basin.

Back on the upper ground floor is the reception room and its original intricate bow window from the 1700s; the room is anchored by a central fireplace, flanked with recessed shelving and original Wainscot paneling. As a nod to its history as a former shop, two softly worn patches in the floorboards mark the spot where a shopkeeper stood for generations.

That history extends to the original staircase carrying you up to the first floor; its distempered walls and original plaster work take center stage, its light blue patina resembles an impressionist painting. On the first floor is a double with forward-facing windows overlooking the historic alleyway. Original plaster work sits between the windows and above the wainscot with an authentic fireplace and reclaimed wood paneling elsewhere. Cupboards on either side of the fireplace now house the convenience of an antique water closet to one side and a wash hand to the other.

On the second floor is the second bedroom with softly textured lime rendered walls creating a warmth intensified by the natural light penetrating the room through dual windows; historic details continue with beautifully aged & waxed, reclaimed floorboards and muted hue of the paneled walls and cupboards on either side of a fireplace.

Essentially untouched since 1700, the historic loft space is in a class of its own and a glimpse into the past of its honest construction with 326-year-old pegs and roof tiles remaining intact.

It’s a piece of history brought back to life perfectly.

As always click to emBIGGERate …

The Spaces

Architecture Wednesday: Dougill Hall

Dougill Hall—pronounced “Dowgill”—in Harrogate, Yorkshire, has been turning heads for 300 years, and now the historic, Grade II-listed Georgian manor is on the market for £2m or 2.5 M USD.

Originally constructed for the Dougill family in 1722, the detached Georgian country house—built from ashlar stone with a slate roof—exemplifies the symmetry of Georgian architecture and sits on five acres overlooking the Nidderdale Valley. It was expanded in 1910 and recently restored, yet retaining its architectural integrity and features such as impressive stone elevations with mullion windows and a wealth of internal period features.

In addition to the seven-bedroom main house, Dougill Hall offers equestrian stables, four acres of paddocks, five acres are formal gardens, a one-bedroom annex that functions as either guest accommodation or a holiday rental and a substantial two-story barn and paddocks.

The home spans 4700 square feet across three floors and features seven bedrooms. On the ground floor the drawing room retains its original paneling, has window seats, a fireplace and column radiators; double doors open to the dining room/reception hall, which has a stone flagged floor, two column radiators, a fine exposed ceiling beam running across its length, exposed stonework and an external paneled door to the gardens.

The farmhouse kitchen and breakfast room is full of character with a timber ceiling and the original kitchen hearth which now holds a Range cooker. The modern fitted kitchen includes an island unit with granite worktop, wine cooler and family-sized breakfast bar, and integrated appliances. It links to a spacious laundry/utility room, storage and utility rooms, a charming snug room—a small, cozy space designed specifically for relaxation—with a wooden floor and stone fireplace; a cloakroom and powder room lie off the inner hall.

On the first floor is a central landing with a walk-in airing cupboard and storage room, giving access to three elegantly proportioned double bedrooms—one of which is used as an office—and a luxurious house bathroom with a wide walk-in shower and free-standing bath.

On the second-floor landing is a vaulted play area for young children and wall-to-wall cupboards. The principal bedroom suite has two tall stone mullion windows facing south across the garden and a luxurious en suite bathroom. There are three further double bedrooms, one of which is currently used as a cinema room.

On the northern wing of the house is a self-contained annex, ‘The Old Cooling House.’ This one-bedroom apartment offers an additional 416 sq ft of living space and includes a fully equipped kitchen, a double bedroom, bathroom and sitting room.

The house is set on over an acre of gardens and grounds. The beautiful south-facing walled garden is predominantly lawned with mature shrubs and trees and a large area of paved and gravel terracing. The stone barn is currently divided into five stables, a workshop and store. This detached building provides scope to convert into additional living space, subject to the necessary consents. The grassland/paddocks lie to the north of the property and are enclosed by dry stone walls.

It's large and ancient and well-kept and a peaceful spot to live … for a bit over 2.5 million.

As always, click to emBIGGERate ...

 The Spaces

Architecture Wednesday: Gordon House

This gorgeously restored 18th-Century Georgian home is located in Margate, Kent, England and can be yours for £1,295,000, which is $1.6 million USD … oops, hang on, we’re learning that there has been a price drop to £1,200,000 AKA $1.5 million USD. A bargain, no?

Built in the 1790s as a family home there are six-bedrooms, four bathrooms, kitchen, double length parlor, a gallery space and a studio spread across five floors and 5,000 square feet. Many of the original architectural features have been preserved, and later Victorian cosmetic additions have been saved, including marble fireplace surrounds, internal archways and doors, sash windows, and original wooden floorboards.

The front façade is a mix of exposed and painted brick and is set slightly back from the sidewalk behind the original iron railings. The front door opens into a generous vestibule, divided from the hallway by an early Victorian fluted glass door that's surrounded by complementary stained-glass windows, which give a hint to the bold color choices character to come.

And there is color … the main reception room retains a warm feel despite being a very large space with a pair of white marble fireplaces, while a botanical mural embellishes one of the west-facing corners, hand-painted by home's current artist owner. To the left of the hallway is a two-story annex—thought to be a later addition—where you find the color filled triangle-shaped kitchen with a mix of freestanding and built-in cabinetry with colorful, handmade Mexican tiles and hand-finished woods for a rustic edge. The room is large enough for a social-sized dining table, and a generous amount of storage; an original street-level entry—seen at the top in the first photo—has been turned into pantry.

Upstairs the first and second floors feature a shared footprint, each with two generously sized bedrooms and a shared bathroom; the first floor's bedrooms are divided with an original set of large, double arched doors. The third, top floor has two double bedrooms accessed from the sky-lit hallway that follows the pitch of gull-wing roof, constructed with ship's beams sourced from nearby Chatham Dockyard. The larger of the two bedrooms takes the whole width of the home and draws back to create an L-shape. A bathroom with shower, separate WC and a small kitchen make this floor self-contained, and ideal for guests.

The lower ground floor shares the same footprint as the main floor, divided into one triangle-shaped artist’s studio and a large gallery space which makes use of one of two lower-ground-level entrances, affording the public direct access to the gallery from the street, making it an ideal events or work space. There is also a powder room and a large storage room on this floor. The gallery space opens to a graveled terrace via French doors, while the upper half of the garden is ascended to by stairs and features a border of brick-made raised beds, a corner shed and a lockable gate that leads out to the alleyway .

Even better, the home's history affords it access to four subterranean spaces—three to the front that run under the road, two of which provide ample dry storage, and one in the garden that holds plenty of potential as an additional storage space or darkroom.

I love this one for the quirk and charm, and the use of color and Mexican tiles throughout. I picture Carlos and I running a B&B there … after first putting in an elevator; Mama ain’t climbing five floors to change the linens. But you can rent out the studio space and the gallery and you’ve got yourself a nice little business happening.

And, again, the price has been lowered … 

As always, click to emBIGGERate.

Dwell