This beautifully conceived two-bedroom apartment occupies a wonderful position on the first and second floors of the Beaux Arts Building in Manor Gardens near Holloway. This particular apartment is the second largest in the building, extending to 1,655 sq ft. The building is configured around two expansive courtyard gardens with mature trees and plants, creating a wonderful sense of peace and seclusion.

Meticulous renovations in recent years have introduced the finest contemporary materials and fittings to this grand Edwardian building. The resulting spaces are bathed in light, capitalising on large sections of glazing and a significant mezzanine to dramatic effect.

Access is gained via a newly created entranceway. This space joins a contemporary kitchen lined with concrete-style tiles, with underfloor heating, which chime perfectly with an exposed concrete pillar in the middle of the plan. The materials in use are of exceptional quality and include stainless steel and marble worktops, Crittall windows, marine-grade birch ply cabinetry, integrated Gaggenau appliances and a boiling water tap. The lighting in this area of the house is particularly worthy of note, including pendants, track lighting and up-lighters by Iguzzini.

An expansive living room adjoins the kitchen and is arguably the heart of the apartment, positioned partially beneath the mezzanine, with high ceilings and two large, double-height wood-framed windows overlooking The Royal Northern Gardens. The floorboards are wide and of solid oak, while the walls underneath the mezzanine are of Venetian plaster. One wall at the far end of this space is fitted with Vitsoe shelving, with more Vitsoe shelving adjacent to the under stair storage which is concealed from view.

The upper floor is accessed via a staircase of the same custom-milled oak, supported by steel beams, leading up to a flexible open space, overlooking the living room below. There are currently wardrobes positioned at one end of this area and a dressing table. It has been used by the owners variously as a children’s’ playroom, a guest bedroom and currently as a dressing room. It capitalises on wonderful levels of natural light care of the double height windows and has elevated views of Manor Gardens.

The remaining space on this level is occupied by a master bedroom with en-suite wet room lined with elegant anthracite tiles and fitted with a custom-made ceramic sink and mirrored cabinetry with Naoto Fukasawa tap for Boffi. A second bedroom is positioned next to the master bedroom and has original Crittall windows and fitted storage space. A utility room has been configured as a ‘plant room’ with space for the washer and dryer, as well as a commercial grade boiler system and ventilation system that serves both bathrooms, toilet and kitchen; there are polished concrete floors underfoot.

The Beaux Arts Building has three private courtyard gardens for residents, as well as 24-hour concierge, a gym, sauna,steam room and bike storage facilities.

Architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner has the building dating back to 1909 and originally designed by Wagner and Rutherford of her Majesty’s Architectural Works. It was formerly the Money Order Office of the Post Office, before its conversion to apartments in the 1990s. The architectural style is described as, “an angular version of Edwardian Baroque… with brick channelling and a hint of Lutyens.” The front facade alone certainly makes it one of London’s finest examples of the Beaux Arts style, its dressed stone preserved in wonderful condition by the current residents.

The building’s name is derived from the Beaux-Arts architectural style, a particular aesthetic taught at the École des Beaux-Arts school in Paris, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The original sales brochure states that the foyer, “divides into three wings, each named after leading exponents of the Beaux Arts idiom… Garnier, Baltard and Labrouste, names that evoke the golden age of Beaux Arts architecture.”

Manor Gardens is a quiet residential street tucked away, between Holloway Road and Hornsey Road in the borough of Islington. The area has a vast array of restaurants, shops and cafes. Particularly worthy of note is Westerns Laundry a wonderful seafood eatery, offering British & Spanish small plates and natural wines.

The closest stations are Archway, for London Underground services via the Northern Line, and Upper Holloway for connections via London Overground. Holloway Road is also nearby, for Piccadilly Line services.

Tenure: Leasehold
Lease Length: approx. 100 years remaining
Service Charge: approx. £7,800 per annum (including 24-hour concierge, bike store, communal gardens maintenance, gym and sports facilities, CCTV and provision for the sinking fund)
Ground Rent: approx. £20o per annum

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.