A Charming Duplex on an Architecturally Significant London Street

Listing of the Day

Location: South Kensington, London

Price: £5.5 million (US$7.2 million)

No two houses are the same on this block of South Kensington’s Queen’s Gate.

Built in 1877, "this collection of houses is an exceptional example of London’s most prestigious and architecturally beautiful houses," according to Leo Russell, head of apartment sales at Russell Simpson.

The historic homes are each done in a different style, giving visitors and residents a whirlwind tour of London’s residential architecture.

"It was thought that this selection of buildings was created as an exhibition," Mr. Russell said. "So a developer could come and look and say, ‘I like that one. I’ll do the whole of Mayfair in this architecture.’"

For example, 192 Queen’s Gate, with its red brick facade accented by white strips, is reminiscent of the homes on the High Street of Marylebone, according to the listing. The building at 196 was built in Queen Anne revival-style architecture, much like Mayfair’s residential design. And No. 193 is a white stucco-faced home, like those on Eaton Square.

The homes were built on land purchased by the Royal Commissioners for the Great Exhibition in 1851, a World’s Fair that was held in the city’s Hyde Park that year. The buildings were developed years later by architect Henry Browne Alexander and building speculator, William Jackson, as per the listing.

The available duplex is located at 194 Queen’s Gate and was designed in late-Victorian style, the listing said. It has a red-brick and detailed sandstone facade, which was refaced in the 1890s by architect, R.A. Briggs. Over the years, the building was used as a place to house injured World War I soldiers and later as a nurses’ accommodation.

The apartment takes up the fourth and fifth floors of the building. The bedrooms are on the fourth floor, which is accessed by an elevator. The master bedroom has an en-suite bathroom and dressing room, the listing said, plus views of the Royal Albert Hall, one of London’s most distinctive music venues.

There’s another en-suite bedroom on the fourth floor, as well as a third bedroom, according to the listing. A fourth room can be used as either a reception area or additional sleeping quarters.

The fifth floor features an open layout and a small but well-appointed kitchen.

The apartment has not changed hands in more than 40 years, Mr. Russell said. It has been well maintained, but a new owner may want to renovate the space to give it a more modern feel.

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Stats

This four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom duplex is spread out over 2,675 square feet.

Amenities

The highlight of the apartment has got to be its large, landscaped roof deck.

Whereas some roof decks require users to leave the unit and climb a set of stairs to a different part of the building, this one "flows out of the the living room, kitchen and dining area," Mr. Russell said. "It can be used all year round."

The terrace can be used for anything from a casual family meal in the summer to a classy cocktail reception. It also has views of the Royal Albert Hall, according to the listing, as well as the Holy Trinity South Kensington Church, a notable example of English Gothic architecture.

More:A Stand-Alone London Townhouse With Extra Privacy

Neighborhood notes

Queen’s Gate is "just moments from Hyde Park," Mr. Russell said. It’s also close to Kensington Palace Gardens and the stores and restaurants in Kensington and South Kensington.

The Science and Natural History museums, the Victoria and Albert Museum and Imperial College London are all in the neighborhood, according to the listing. And, no surprise, it’s just a short walk from the site of the 1851 Great Exhibition.

Agent: Leo Russell, Russell Simpson

View the original listing.

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