If you travel the length of the New King’s Road in London you will find it hard to miss this former Art Deco garage that is lovingly known as the ‘Talisman Building’ in homage to its former ground floor shop, a Mecca to the best Twentieth century antiques in town The Talisman.

 

 It was our quickest yes to date when asked if we would stage it.  This huge three bedroomed,light-filled apartment overlooks Eel Brook Common, a lesser known mark between Fulham and Parsons Green. 

Five thousand square feet unfolding across a gallery-style space, the building originally dates to 1939 and was used as a garage to house luxury cars in the Seventies.The design by BLDA Architects allows for an expansive open-plan living space with walls on runners that enable a self-customised living space. 

  At the end of the central space is a set of mobile bookshelves which can be separated at the turn of a handle to create a library and reading room.

The double-glazed Crittall windows that span the width of the apartment bring in just enough light to bathe the building in a warm glow without turning it into a greenhouse and moving walls enable an art collector to exhibit work on a rotational basis.

 Polished concrete floors extend into the bedrooms and bathrooms. Beyond the library is the main bedroom with  custom leather wardrobes.

Steel-framed doors lead through to the bathroom and an adjoining steam room. A second bedroom is positioned southeast of the library and has a fantastic shower room beautifully clad in teak to imitate the deck of a yacht.

There is a further bedroom in the southern corner with an adjacent bath and shower room, and store room between the to the other side, which could be used as a gym. 

 The blue of the kitchen and sitting room shelves inspired a Moroccan touch and art gallery feel sparked up Mondrian colours.

We brought in the park outside with plants.

 And yellow Womb chairs to contrast magnificently with the blue shelves.

 Early C20th and Midcentury artists and designers were inspired by African masks so we brought in those as well as some huge wooden bowls.   

The Brutalist Jenga-style cupboards were softened with a curving modular sofa, designed to come up in a small lift and a painting by a young RA artist.  

 We kept rugs to a minimum as wanted to keep to the floating sliding feel of the appartment.

Texture was paramount with soft Moroccan blankets and African weaves.