I love my London flat. I really, really love my London flat. It’s two streets under Hampstead Heath, one of the city’s largest green & wild open spaces and a short walk from lil’sis & Posetta Baddog’s gaff. I lived there for eight or so very happy years.
After seven of those years I was finally able to address replacing the hideous pine kitchen, bedrooom closets and manky bathroom that were fitted by the previous owners. Goodness the hours I spent on my computer planning the kitchen, hunting down bargains and chasing clever solutions. My father and I ripped out the old units with gusto to save money, lugged it all downstairs and made umpteen journeys to the Waste Depot in Islington. Then the builders started work.
There’s a super long prep counter so I could plate up for twenty at any given time or have multiple airing racks of batch baking cooling. The long, 10″ deep drawers under the counter hold everything from roasting trays to ramekins, and I ordered so many double power sockets for appliances that the fitters started to question my sanity. The dark grey rubber Dalsouple floor was my pride & joy, & I was exceptionally pleased with the magnetic undercoat beneath one sage green wall to be used as an invisible notice board for recipe clippings & photos. There are still high stainless steel shelves on the empty walls where my collection of vintage glass was displayed.
My bedroom had revolting Seventies fitted cupboards so my father & I gleefully ripped those out too, and the builders replaced them with a wardrobe I designed around all my clothes, cases & hatboxes. We added special floor-to-ceiling cubby holes for my, erm, enthusiastic shoe collection. The bathroom is now a white oasis of calm, with a lovely silver heated towel rail for winter mornings & a marble topped basin unit with baskets and built-in drawers for all my beauty samples for work.
The living room is south facing, with huge windows that swing wide open in the summer, opening the room to the private balcony where I hung fairy lights & lanterns, and placed a long Habitat teak table and benches for supper parties and lazy Sunday lunches.
I love it all.
Then just a year after completing the renovation & revelling in my new space, I went off to America. Sod’s law.
And now, I’m selling it. I have to for various dull & eminently sensible reasons. So, if anyone is looking for a large flat in London’s Gospel Oak shoot me an email and I can direct you to my estate agent.
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It’s beautiful Sasha! What a perfect renovation; you must be sad to part with it.
Iheartfashion: I am, but needs must…as my realtor said: I can create something elsewhere one day…sigh.x
I’m so incredibly jealous of that kitchen! I have a massive house with the tiniest kitchen ): I’m in the process now of trying to reconfigure it, although I’ve been overwhelmed into inaction. I have no idea what I’m doing with such a small space and am totally scared of mucking it up. I need a kitchen professional stat!
Suzanne
Suzanne: I had no idea either! I used Ikea’s planning system, which is really intuitive & clever. And I was so pleased with it all.
Wow, you’ve taken the plunge. Brave woman.
Keeping fingers crossed for some fab. real estate appearing for you this side of the pond xo
Want!!! One more reason for me to resent Mr. J. for refusing to ever move back to the UK.
I couldn’t use the Ikea planning system at all, but must learn, as cannot otherwise afford a new one. Ours is sort of plastic wood. Not good. Your flat is lovely and exactly where I would like to live, but unfortunately I am now committed to the Midlands… bad luck about the law of the sod, but good luck with selling, because it looks fab.
It looks so lovely and spacious! I was looking at flats in London a few months ago but mainly in the Fulham area, but couldnt find anything I liked within my budget and have just about given up now as think I’ll move out of London before I buy. My housemate is looking for a flat to buy North as a Buy to Let tho… what is the price bracket of the property? if you want to email me a link or something my address is citygirlstylelondon@gmail.com
)
I love what you did to the flat! Such a shame to see it go, but such is life… I wish I could hop over to London and snap it up!
Hey LLG, love your website! My guy and I are looking for a spot in London, could you direct me to your agent? Thanks!
Not looking to buy a London Flat but wanted to say how lovely it is.
Gorgeous! My husband is starting a PhD in London in September, but sadly I think we should probably stay in our little house in Oxford a bit longer, even though I would love to move to London.
How much is it, missus? xxxx
v. v. beautiful. sorry youre having to sell, but there are surely going to be better, more beautiful things ahead for you. x shayma
What a shame you have to move now you’ve got your home exactly how you want it. I wish I was in the market for a place in London otherwise I’d snap it up! Ah well, back to the real world
Lovely flat, good luck with the sale.
Gorgeous flat! I’m currently looking to rent and not buy but if I could afford it I would be all over it!
However, all the reason for you to find another place and do the same
Beautiful work you did, spare and proper British soft comfort. It’d be beautiful in an oil painting, wistful and modern.
Thanks for the info — we are looking at doing an Ikea kitchen (I’ve done so much research, and it always comes back to Ikea) but their bloody planner is only for PC’s ): I guess I’m going to have to ask my parents if I can borrow a computer to try and suss it out. Then perhaps the planning heebie jeebies can loosen their grip on me!
XXX
Suzanne
Would love to know more — i’m moving back to a rental in NW3 tomorrow!!!! But on the look for my new home… please email details!
S
What a light and bright and sparkling flat — it must be a bit sad to let go but just imagine all the fun you can have setting up a new place in NY! I would love to buy in the area (I’m on P. Hill atm) but fear that even a pine-kitchened, 70s bedroomed place would be well out of my price range. Anyway I’m holding out for Keats Grove, after I win the lottery (several times over I imagine).
@Penny Dreadful You are so right! I can’t wait LLgxx
I wish I could buy it. It is gorgeous. It looks like what I want my current house to look like if I were the owner of it instead of a mere renter. I hope the new owner appreciates it.
Is your flat still for sale?Where is it? how much are you asking for it?
Oh, it is just gorgeous. I want to retire in the UK or Ireland and I wish I could buy it NOW!!
i love your flat! if poss can you email me the details?thanks xxxx
Apologies, I’m entering this conversation a little late but oh goodness.. that flat is just delicious! But it’s all your own touches and work you know, so I am just positive that you can do this again
Especially once you are better and fighting fit and ready to take on the world again.
(Thanks for the tip about Dalsouple.. love it!)
Hi — I would also like to know the price , location and any other details please. Love your style. Amanda.
So you are in America permanently?
Maybe you should have done the London thing and Let it!
love your place, looks very peaceful and if i had the money id be down there now, but i dont, not yet anyway
so does this mean you are not staying in london any more? are you still going to be know as the ‘libertyLONDONgirl’? ??? this is complete portrayal! (not fair!)