Sydney Street

Light is amplified by the white-painted walls of this cleverly renovated Grade II-listed apartment in Chelsea. It unfolds across the top two storeys of a handsome stucco and stock brick Georgian townhouse, with two bedrooms and a generous open-plan living space. No detail has been overlooked in its reimagining, resulting in a set of pristinely finished rooms. Sited on Sydney Street, the apartment is close to South Kensington station for Underground connections across London.

Setting the Scene

This apartment is on Sydney Street, which is made up of two-bay units with stuccoed ground floors below brick façades. The houses were largely built in the early 19th century; among its first residents were tradesmen, artists and schoolmasters. St Luke’s Church, one of the most striking neo-Gothic churches in London, lies on the street and was the site of Charles Dickens’ marriage to Catherine Thomson Hogarth in 1836. Today the church presides over attractive gardens and a well-used playground.

The stretch of terraced homes on the street share a smartly dressed finish, some adorned with giant pilasters, additional storeys and a pediment at the centre of each row. A transom light frames this particular building’s front door, which has been painted a sky blue shade. Entry is to a well-maintained communal space, with stairs up to this home’s second-floor entrance. The apartment has been thoroughly refinished by its current owners, who have also added new electrics and plumbing.