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Russia has faced widespread global censure since its invasion of Ukraine, but as the U.S. and NATO continue to resist active involvement in the form of a no-fly zone, conflict is instead being waged via economic sanctions that have thus far devastated the value of the ruble as well as Russian stocks. On Friday, U.S. President Biden announced a ban on Russian imports including diamonds, vodka, and seafood

These sanctions have extended to some individual Russians, as well, including the high-profile seizure of yachts belonging to Russian oligarchs, and new legislation in the U.K. that will force offshore entities that own properties in Britain to identify themselves. Stateside, the Biden administration has announced sanctions on a short list of Russian elites described as “Putin’s cronies and family members,” a process that involves freezing their assets in the U.S., including property, meaning they are unable to sell it.

“The U.S. luxury real estate market has typically attracted investments from high-net-worth individuals worldwide,” said Mickey Alam Khan, New York-based president of Luxury Portfolio International. “New York and Miami [are] where Russian oligarchs have parked their capital, especially in condos and new developments through their LLCs.”

In New York specifically, local politicians are exploring further legislation to put pressure on the assets of Russian oligarchs, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams has vowed to assist the Biden administration with any planned crackdowns on Russian-owned luxury properties.

High-profile Russians with strong ties to President Vladimir Putin own a handful of marquee, well-publicized properties in New York City, including three Upper East Side properties worth a combined total of more than $91 million formerly owned by Roman Abramovich, who transferred ownership to his ex-wife Dasha Zhukova in 2017 in advance of a new round of sanctions, the New York Post reports.

Seizing property from Russian oligarchs may appeal to foreign policy hawks and local housing advocates alike, but the reality of the process is far from simple.

“Initially, the [U.S.] government can only freeze the asset,” said Michael Romer, co-founder and managing partner of New York-based law firm Romer Debbas LLP. When the government freezes an asset, “It’s sort of on hold, it’s in limbo,” Mr. Romer said. “[The owner] really can’t use it, can’t enjoy it, can’t sell it, can’t lease it, can’t mortgage it. It’s in this state of limbo where it will make it really uncomfortable for the owner.”

In order to actually seize a property (as opposed to simply freezing it), Mr. Romer said, “The government would have to establish that the property or funds used to purchase the property were associated with a criminal act. What the end result of this would likely be if real estate is frozen in the U.S. is that it would end up in litigation for years.”

“Freezing the assets is one thing, actually seizing them and potentially auctioning off a property down the road, that’s another,” Mr. Romer continued. Among the numerous complications that could arise from potential freezing or seizure of U.S. properties from Russian owners, Mr. Romer said, is the question of who is responsible for paying common charges when a condo asset is frozen; whether the government will target properties owned by relatives or children of certain individuals; and how broadly the government can or should target individuals based on nationality without running afoul of fair housing laws.

Similar complications are likely to arise in the U.K. market, as well.

“A lot of these properties are [owned by] a web of companies or offshore vehicles,” said Mark Pollack, co-founding director at London-based luxury real estate agency Aston Chase. “I suppose they can be unraveled, but it will inevitably take time. And when you’re talking about £40 million [US$52.2 million] or £50 million properties, [those owners] are going to have the best legal representation, they’re not going to go without a fight.”

In the short term, Mr. Pollack’s firm has had “a couple transactions which have been paused or aborted as a result of the sanctions.” While the buyers in question were not on any watch lists, “I think anyone with a Russian nationality at the moment is very concerned that any sanctions could be far reaching and not necessarily exclusively affecting the people they’re intended to affect. The tendency is to try to stay on the side of liquidity.”

In New York, some Russian luxury property owners are quietly considering selling their properties, also in the interest of liquidity.

“So far, there are two active listings that came on [in recent weeks], one $50 million apartment and one $41 million apartment,” Victoria Shtainer, a Ukrainian-born Compass agent in New York City, said last week. “With the ruble being worth less than a cent, this is an asset they have that they feel they could unload and send that money to Switzerland. For any asset right now in New York, now is a good time to sell, and [property] is like one of their diamonds that is easy to liquidate.”

Though there have been a few recent inquiries from luxury buyers hoping to scoop up New York City properties that Russian owners might be rushing onto the market, Ms. Shtainer said, the broader effect of sanctions on the property market may be smaller than on the handful of ultra-high-end trophy homes owned by oligarchs.

According to data compiled by the National Association of Realtors last week, Russian buyers accounted for less than 1% of all foreign buyers of U.S. residential property between April 2015 and March 2021, and the median purchase price among Russian buyers was $325,000. However, the average purchase price for Russian buyers was $652,915, compared to $480,695 for all foreign buyers, indicating a higher percentage of high-end deals done by Russian purchasers.

Previous sanctions enacted during the Obama administration—most notably in 2014 following Russia’s invasion of Crimea, a Ukrainian territory—had long since slowed the influx of Russian buyers into the New York market, Ms. Shtainer said. “They’re a very small proportion of [the city’s international] buyers.”

According to a recent report from Aston Chase, North West London has become a hot spot for Russian buyers, who collectively own £8 billion worth of real estate assets, businesses and other investments in the U.K.

“The real likelihood is that even if they want to transact, they probably won’t be able to for some time until this has all unraveled and legal ramifications are properly resolved and sanctions are lifted or more specifically targeted to individuals,” Mr. Pollack said. “I don’t think there’s going to be a huge impact on our market because in that space [for properties between £5 million and £15 million], there are a lot of buyers.”

New York City is a similarly frothy environment for luxury listings and is on pace to outperform white-hot 2021, according to recent market reports.

Beyond individual properties, broader economic sanctions may already be removing some would-be Russian buyers from the U.S. market.

“People who are living here but still have businesses in Russia have put deposits on new developments in New York and Florida that will be closing in the fall,” Ms. Shtainer said. “If their income stream has stopped and the ruble is down, how can they close? That’s something we should be watching.”

And as for the ultra-wealthy buyers, “Russian oligarchs will now continue looking to buy into friendly regions,” Mr. Khan said. “That means Dubai in the U.A.E. will benefit as Russians move their money across friendlier markets.”

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in late February, 2.8 million refugees have fled Ukraine and Reuters estimates that total casualties in the conflict have reached 15,000, including heavy losses of Ukrainian civilians. On Monday, Russia and Ukraine met for a new round of talks that have been put on a “technical pause” until Tuesday.

From red-brick Victorian gems to glamorous Regency-era townhouses, period properties possess a certain je ne sais quoi that is missing from the – dare we say it – soulless superstructures of the modern era

You can keep your clean lines, fluid shapes, and metallic textures. When it comes to property, there’s nothing like some old-world charm. We want sash windows and stained glass. Give us ceiling roses, corbels, and cornicing galore. More fireplaces than you can count? Yes please. If you too are a lover of all things ornate, then you’re in the right place: this is our edit of the latest, and most sumptuous, period properties for sale in London right now.

The following is an excerpt from the above Luxury London article which features two offerings from our portfolio of stunning properties.

Regent’s Crescent, W1B

Regent’s Crescent is a slice of London history, forming part of architect John Nash’s grand vision of a Roman-inspired West End approach to Regent’s Park. After a five-year renovation, Regent’s Crescent has emerged as a 120-metre curve of glorious stucco with all the classical beauty of Nash’s design. This is an rare opportunity for buyers to acquire a lateral apartment within this landmark Grade I-listed development – the property features a 75sqm private terrace which runs the entire width of the apartment, as well as a double-height entrance lobby, 24/7 concierge, meeting rooms, a 20m swimming pool, gymnasium, treatment rooms and a private cinema.

£4,250,000 astonchase.com

Springfield Road, NW8

This Georgian-style house is located in the up-and-coming St John’s Wood. After 2.5 years of painstaking renovation, which included excavating a new lower ground floor to provide additional leisure, recreational and bedroom accommodation, this 522.9sqm detached residence is the perfect family home. The property comprises a principal bedroom with an ensuite dressing room, bathroom and shower room, plus five further bedrooms, reception and living areas, a kitchen/breakfast/dining room and a study. Luxurious extras include a cinema room, split-level gymnasium and two guest cloakrooms.

£10,000,000 astonchase.com

Looking to buy, sell or let a property of distinction in North West or Central London? Call Aston Chase on 0207 724 4724

Historic £17.5m hunter’s lodge in london’s belsize village combines luxury with links to royalty & a prime minister.

Located off Belsize Lane in Belsize Village, Hunter’s Lodge is a magnificent Grade II listed white-stucco castellated Georgian mansion, built in Gothic-revival style in 1810-1812 by architect Joseph Parkinson (1783-1855) which is fully modernised, with a new build extension and basement leisure floor, providing a luxurious 7,594 sqft (705.5 sqm) six bedroom house, with seven reception rooms, study, cinema room, swimming pool, gym and spa, opening onto gardens and complete with a 523 sqft (48.6 sqm) guest cottage and parking: for sale via joint sole agents Aston Chase and Savills.

Reviewed in Country Life magazine in 1943, Hunter’s Lodge is the most historic property in Belsize Village with a history that includes Royalty, aristocracy and a British Prime Minister dating back to 1496 when a manor house, known as Belsize House, was built off Belsize Lane, complete with a lodge house fronting onto Belsize Lane on the site of what is now Hunter’s Lodge (ref: John Rocque’s Belsize map, 1746).

In 1542 the Belsize House estate was given to the Dean of Westminster by King Henry VIII with the manor house and lodge leased to wealthy tenants to generate income for Westminster Abbey. The lodge was used to house guests visiting the manor house for parties and hunting who included diarists Samuel Pepys and Sir John Evelyn.

Between 1661 to 1798 Belsize House and lodge were leased by the Chesterfield family, initially by Katherine, Countess of Chesterfield, Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Catherine of Braganza, the wife of King Charles II, and after Katherine’s death (1667) by her two sons, the first Lord Wotton (who entertained Samuel Pepys at the lodge house in 1668) and her second son, the Earl of Chesterfield and his descendants. Between 1704 to 1740 Charles Povey hired the estate for parties and in 1721 entertained George, Prince of Wales, and his wife Caroline, at Belsize House with the lodge house used as a raucous party venue to wine and dine the Royal visitors.

Between 1798 and 1807 Belsize House and lodge were leased by Spencer Perceval, who in 1809 was to become British Prime Minister. The politician used the lodge house as a retreat where he wrote his speeches for Parliament. In 1807 Perceval became Chancellor of the Exchequer and relocated to Downing Street leaving Belsize House and lodge vacant.

In 1808 the Dean of Westminster surrendered his freehold rights and the Belsize House Estate was divided into several freehold plots in order to meet the increased demand for London mansions set in generous gardens. As a result the lodge house was put up for sale, and later in 1853 Belsize House was demolished.

In 1808 the lodge house was purchased by wealthy City of London merchant William Tate – a relative of the Tate & Lyle dynasty – who demolished the property and commissioned architect Joseph Parkinson and builder George Todd to build him a new mansion on the site in 1810-12, which was named Hunter’s Lodge.

Best known for his work on Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1805 Joseph Parkinson had designed a country house called Mabledon House, which he used as his inspiration for Hunter’s Lodge. Designed in Gothic-revival style, with features highly reminiscent of Royal Lodge and Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park, Hunter’s Lodge has striking white-stucco facades with details including arched windows, oriel bay window, ornate castellated pediment and a magnificent garden façade with three round towers.

In 2008 the current owners purchased Hunter’s Lodge and started planning applications in order to undertake a major three year refurbishment and modernisation of the Georgian mansion including a sympathetic new build extension, the creation of a basement leisure floor and the restoration of the mews cottage. Meticulous quality and fine attention to detail has created a large modern family house with a leisure floor and state-of-the-art plumbing, heating, comfort cooling, wiring and technology installed behind the walls, combined with sympatheric heritage restoration.

The most striking and unique residence in Belsize Village, Hunter’s Lodge offers substantial accommodation over four floors and mezzanines arranged over basement, garden floor, ground and first floor levels. The round towers of the south facing garden façade give a number of the reception rooms and bedrooms the benefit of deep bay windows with natural light cascading through the bays providing the living spaces with an exceptionally bright and airy ambience.

On the ground floor Hunter’s Lodge has a spacious reception hall which provides access to a double reception room with bays, Gothic arched windows and a feature marble fireplace, which provides a drawing room and morning room. There is also a study with bay, stone fireplace and built-in cabinets and shelving.

The hall also gives access to the 12-14 seat formal dining room and the triple aspect library/grand reception room which has elegant ceiling coving, a large picture window overlooking the garden and Inglenook style marble feature fireplace.

On the first floor is the principal bedroom suite which has a His bedroom with marble tiled bathroom with freestanding oval bathtub and walk-in shower and a Her bedroom with dressing room and veined marble shower room, with a main bathroom on a mezzanine floor above. There are three further bedrooms on this level including a guest suite with dressing room and ensuite bathroom.

The garden floor has an upper and lower level, which open out onto two south facing gardens, an upper garden with terrace and lawn, with steps leading to a lower sun terrace. On the upper level there are two further guest suites both with double doors opening onto the upper garden and use of an ensuite bathroom. Alternative these suites could be used as entertaining rooms opening onto the garden. There is also a wine tasting/cigar room with an adjoining glass walled wine and champagne cellar.

On the lower garden floor there is a large family room with a high ceiling, floor-to-ceiling marble feature fireplace and French doors opening onto the sun terrace. The family room leads into the family kitchen and breakfast room which forms a glass roofed and walled pavilion with sliding glass doors opening onto the terrace. During warm weather the doors to the family room and kitchen can be opened to create a spectacular inside-outside relaxation and entertaining space, with loungers and an outside dining table on the sun terrace.

Skylights in the sun terrace enable natural light to cascade into the basement leisure floor which has an 8ft high ceiling and features a large cocktail/games room, an adjoining cinema room and a health suite consisting of a gymnasium, steam room, treatment room and swimming pool. There is also a staff bedroom and ensuite shower room opening onto a lightwell patio.

Beyond the garden, with its own independent street access, is the guest cottage/studio which provides a double height space with large picture window, kitchen and bathroom, with a mezzanine bedroom/living area above. The cottage/studio could be used as work-live space, business premises, accommodation for friends/family, home schooling or an exercise studio.

Hunter’s Lodge has been built to an exacting specification. Principal entertaining rooms have coffered ceilings with feature lighting, light oyster timber flooring and marble fireplaces, the family kitchen is bespoke design by McCarron & Company with black granite worktops, fitted units and cabinets and integrated appliances from WOLF, Miele and Gaggenau.

The bedroom suites have silk sheen carpets to the principal bedrooms and dressing rooms and large format natural stone floors and walls to the principal bathrooms. There is underfloor heating to all the bedrooms and there is air conditioning and comfort cooling to the main rooms and principal bedroom suite.

Mark Pollack, CoFounding Director at Aston Chase says: “With a rich history that includes Royalty, political figures and William Tate Hunter’s Lodge is a unique fully modernised Gothic-revival mansion located in sought after Belsize Village. Reminiscent in style of Royal Lodge in Windsor, the Belsize Village property represents excellent value for money on a price per square foot basis compared to values just further south in locations such as Primrose Hill and St John’s Wood.”

Stephen Lindsay, Head of Office, Residential at Savills (St John’s Wood) says: “Hunter’s Lodge is a unique trophy home, a striking masterpiece that combines new build elements and a modern specification with heritage features. An abundance of outside and inside living space has the additional benefit of a leisure floor with a cinema, gym and swimming pool and a separate guest cottage/studio which could be used for a business, work-live space, home schooling or exercise studio. It is one of the finest residences to come onto the Belsize Village housing market in many years.”

Hunter’s Lodge is for sale with a Guide Price of £17,500,000 (freehold). For further information contact joint sole agents Aston Chase on Tel: 020 7724 4724 / www.astonchase.com and Savills on Tel: 020 3043 3600 / www.savills.co.uk

Howzat! London’s ultimate home for cricket lovers has just been launched for sale.

A magnificent three bedroom 2,637 sq ft (245 sq m) duplex penthouse on the ninth and tenth floors of the Pavilion Apartments in St. John’s Wood with huge private terraces on both levels providing panoramic views over adjacent Lord’s Cricket Ground: for sale via Aston Chase.

Aston Chase say that the penthouse represents an outstanding opportunity for a cricket lover to avoid a 29 year waiting list to join the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at Lords and become an ‘elevated’ instant member of the MCC by buying this remarkable penthouse apartment which offers unrivalled views over the hallowed turf of cricket.

Located at 34 St John’s Wood Road, directly overlooking Lord’s Cricket Ground, the duplex penthouse in the Pavilion Apartments benefits from full height glazing on both floors and provides excellent entertaining space and outstanding views over the London skyline.

On the ninth floor the spacious double-height entrance hall opens into a magnificent open plan reception room bordered by full height glazing offering outstanding views over Lord’s Cricket Ground. Sliding glass doors open onto an exceptionally large south facing roof terrace which has a Jazuzzi hot tub, cocktail bar and extensive entertaining areas.

Believed to be the very best view of Lord’s Cricket Ground provided by any apartment in the area the roof terrace offers a picture perfect mid-wicket view of Lord’s Cricket Ground. The ninth floor also has a spacious media room/family room, an office/study and a family kitchen/breakfast room.

On the tenth floor is the principal bedroom suite which has full height glazing opening onto a spacious roof terrace. The principal suite is lined with built-in wardrobes and has a main bathroom with two tropical rain forest showers and separate steam shower/sauna. There is a guest bedroom suite with ensuite bathroom and a third bedroom suite which has access to a separate ensuite shower.

Built to an exceptionally high specification the penthouse has a fully fitted designer kitchen with built in units and integrated applicances, Oak timber flooring to the entertaining areas, timber decking to the terraces, full height doors with bespoke architraves, deep silk woven carpets to the bedroom suites and a home automation system using the latest technology. The penthouse is complete with designated underground parking bays for two cars in the building’s secure underground car park.

Originally built by developer Westcity Properties, the award winning Pavilion Apartments is a 149,000 sq ft luxury apartment building designed by KSR Architects with specification and interiors by designer Lester Bennett.

The striking apartment building has a curved main façade with floor-to-ceiling glazing and large balconies and terraces, with the upper floor apartments specifically designed to maximise views over Lords Cricket Ground. The building has a hotel style entrance lobby, 24 hour concierge, three passenger lifts and beautifully landscaped communal gardens.

Widely referred to as the “Home of Cricket” Lord’s Cricket Ground Is a world-renowned cricket venue named after its founder Thomas Lord. The cricket ground was opened in 1814 on land owned by the Eyre Estate and is home to the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England & Wales Cricket Board and the European Cricket Council.

The cricket ground can hold up to 28,000 spectators and the Grade II Listed Victorian-era pavilion with its famous Long Room alongside the modern stands and media centre are world famous. Basic seats to watch the most coveted one-day international cricket matches can sell for £165 per person, with a 29 year waiting list to be a MCC member of which there are some 18,500.

It was recently reported in the media that Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, paid £45,000 for life membership at the elite cricket club, joining Sir Mick Jagger and HRH Prince Charles as members of the exclusive Marylebone Cricket Club. Alongside the 20 plus year waiting list to become a member of the club hospitality packages for the finest seats, bar and champagne refreshments and lunch can sell for £429 per person.

Mark Pollack, Co-Founding Director at Aston Chase says: “This apartment represents an outstanding opportunity for a cricket lover to avoid a 29 year waiting list and become an ‘elevated’ instant member of the MCC by buying this remarkable penthouse apartment offering unrivalled views over the hallowed turf of cricket.”

The penthouse at the Pavilion Apartments is on sale for £9,500,000 (950 year lease). For further information please contact Aston Chase on +44 (0)20 7724 4724.

HNW buyers in search of large houses and gardens have been making their way to NW8, where the supply is plentiful.

St John’s Wood has emerged as one of London’s most active prime markets, according to boutique agency Aston Chase, which has chalked up £200m worth of deals in the area in recent months.

The firm has reported shifting some 30 properties in the neighbourhood in the year to May 2021, at an average price of £6.6m, and offers a number of reasons to explain why HNW buyers are picking NW8 over other PCL postcodes.

According to a 2008 survey by Westminster Council, the area has one of the lowest housing densities in the borough; the mix leans heavily towards larger houses with big gardens, which have of course been flavour of the month since the onset of the pandemic.

The average garden size in St John’s Wood of 116 square metres is nearly nine times larger than in nearby Mayfair (13 sq m), notes the agency, while the Conservation Area status of much of the area has maintained the leafy vibe and kept out high-density development.

Norfolk Road (Aston Chase) Other driving factors have included the American School in London and the boutiques and restaurants of St John’s Wood High Street, says Aston Chase, whose recent deals have included a five-bed on Acacia Road (sold for £9.75m) and a six-bed on Norfolk Road (which achieved close to the £8.75m asking).

The garden at a £16.95m instruction on Cavendish Road

Mark Pollack, Co-Founding Director at Aston Chase: “St John’s Wood is one of the most buoyant local housing markets in London at present. The large low built family homes with outside space have always been in demand in St John’s Wood but the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted buyer priorities and more than ever buyers want substantial outside space with St John’s Wood providing this and more. We consider ourselves fortunate to be able to offer buyers properties that meet their demands in a post-pandemic world. Whilst there has been a significant flight from the city to the country many people value the ability to have more space internally and externally yet remain within close proximity of the metropolis.”

Cavendish Avenue frontage (Aston Chase)

Langtry House near Hampstead Heath looks like an unassuming bungalow from the surface, but runs to nearly 3,500 square feet…

Langtry House (named after Victorian actress and Royal mistress Lillie Langtry) rises just 11 feet above the ground, but offers nearly 3,500 square feet of hidden depths.

The high-spec three-bedroom house on East Heath Road, near Hampstead Heath, is on the market at £4.7 million via Aston Chase.

It’s tucked away behind a classic Victorian property, on a site previously occupied by garages. Planners insisted that the new building rise no taller than the previous 11-foot structure – hence the subterranean space.

Despite being largely underground, living space is light and airy thanks to a lot of glass, including a 25-foot high central atrium with glass roof and sunken courtyard.

Above ground, Langtry House is set behind a gated and walled patio garden, with parking for three cars. Down the feature staircase (and past the 800-bottle wine wall), the lower level is largely open-plan. There’s a kitchen/living room with sliding doors to the sunken courtyard and to a family room, a cinema room, space for a home gym, and a storage cellar.

Craig Draper, Associate Director at Aston Chase: “We are delighted to bring this unique home to the market at a time where buyers are seeking property with access to large green spaces such as Hampstead heath. Langtry House is the perfect house for a family with bright modern interiors and plenty of space for cars, entertaining and relaxing.”

Mark Pollack, Co-founding Director at Aston Chase: “Langtry House is an exceptional property and arguably Hampstead’s ultimate “iceberg home” having just the 11ft high ground floor of the house above ground, but with expanses of glazing, the large atrium and sunken patio enabling the creation of an abundance of light filled living space at lower ground level. The house has a bright and airy ambience throughout and is perfect for a family wanting to live in sought-after Hampstead, literally across the road from Hampstead Heath.”

The fully refurbished home on Hamilton Terrace echos the nearby residence of 20th-century socialite Freda Dudley Ward.

Located on Hamilton Terrace, the design of the home is a historical nod to the nearby 1930s home of a famed London socialite. TONY MURRAY PHOTOGRAPHY

The interiors were “inspired by the glamorous life of Freda Dudley Ward, the mistress of King Edward VIII, later the Duke of Windsor, who lived in an Art Deco house on Hamilton Terrace between 1937 to 1966. TONY MURRAY PHOTOGRAPHY

One of the home’s eight bathrooms TONY MURRAY PHOTOGRAPHY

A landscaped backyard has been updated to include an outdoor fireplace as well as multiple seating areas. TONY MURRAY PHOTOGRAPHY

An indoor swimming pool with leisure decks TONY MURRAY PHOTOGRAPHY

 

Located on Hamilton Terrace, the design of the home is a historical nod to the nearby 1930s home of a famed London socialite. TONY MURRAY PHOTOGRAPHY

A newly refurbished London mansion with Art Deco interiors and modern luxury finishes has been listed for £23.5 million (USD$33.3 million) in the tony St. John’s Wood neighborhood.

Located on Hamilton Terrace, the design of the home is a historical nod to the nearby 1930s home of a famed London socialite, as well as the Art Deco interiors of 1920s New York City hotels.

The interiors were “inspired by the glamorous life of Freda Dudley Ward, the mistress of King Edward VIII, later the Duke of Windsor, who lived in an Art Deco house on Hamilton Terrace between 1937 to 1966,” said designer Nicola Fontanella, founding director of Argent Design, in an emailed statement.

Art Deco-style touches have been incorporated throughout the home. Tony Murray Photography

 

More: Renovated Art Deco London House Has a Large Garden and a Pool

The nine-bedroom, eight-bathroom home is also fully equipped with ultra-modern amenities, including a movie theater and a health spa that includes a gym, steam room and 12-meter indoor swimming pool with leisure decks. The property’s current owners couldn’t be identified, but have owned the home for around 11 years, according to a representative.

Art Deco-style touches have been incorporated throughout the home, from the furniture to the statement flooring and grand staircase in the main entrance hall to the light fixtures.

The home features multiple spaces for entertaining, including a drawing room, dining room and a “wine/cards room” with a built-in cocktail bar as well as champagne and wine refrigerators. Tony Murray Photography

The home features multiple spaces for entertaining, including a drawing room, dining room and a “wine/cards room” with a built-in cocktail bar as well as champagne and wine refrigerators, according to photos and information provided by the listing agents.

The living quarters include a primary bedroom suite located on its own private floor with twin walk-in closets as well as twin marble bathrooms. In addition to six bedrooms located on upper floors, there are two additional bedrooms on lower levels designed to act as staff quarters.

From Penta: Lamborghini’s Exclusive Lounge Opens in New York

A landscaped backyard has been updated to include an outdoor fireplace as well as multiple seating areas, and a front driveway provides “substantial” room for parking, according to the listing.

Originally a single-family home, the property was converted into apartments in the 1960s, then reverted back to a single-family mansion in the 1990s, according to a representative. The current refurbishment by Argent Design was a three-year process that involved retention of the original period facade, but a complete redevelopment of the interiors.

Michael Sulkin of Aston Chase is representing the sale, and said in a statement, “The interiors skillfully combine Art Deco and contemporary influences and the glamorous interiors, amenity facilities and landscaped grounds are perfect for a family or A-lister looking for a London home providing an abundance of entertaining space and bedrooms.”

Homes with links to A-listers can expect to see a boost in value when they hit the market, according to new research by a London-based ultra-prime property specialist

Lead image: Nicky and Lesley Clarke’s former home in St John’s Wood (all photography courtesy of Aston Chase)

With our insatiable appetite for all-things celebrity – what they where, who they date, where they go – this news may come as no surprise, but by just how much an A-lister can lift a property value may raise an eyebrow.

Property owned or rented by celebrities, or those with famous past residents, can add up to 10% to the asking price, says ultra-prime estate agent Aston Chase.

Operating in some of London’s most prestigious residential addresses, including St John’s Wood, Marylebone, Regent’s Park, Belsize Park, Primrose Hill and Hampstead, Aston Chase has become known for marketing luxury homes owned by the rich and famous.

In 2020 alone, the estate agent was instructed to market homes in London with past residents including Rihanna, Mark Carney, Ellie Goulding, Dua Lipa, Damien Hirst and Robbie Williams.

Kate Moss’ former home on the discreet Melina Place in St John’s Wood (photo courtesy of Aston Chase)

 

Rihanna’s former St John’s Wood rental, which she reportedly paid £18,000 a week for (photo courtesy of Aston Chase)

 

Nicky and Lesley Clarke’s former home on Queen’s Grove, St John’s Wood (photo courtesy of Aston Chase)

 

Ellie Goulding broke the white-stucco mould with her choice of property on Oldbury Place, Marylebone (photo courtesy of Aston Chase)

Due to a combination of shifting attitudes among celebrities, who are increasingly open to sharing their personal lives via social media, as well as members of the public spotting and sharing celebrity homes online, and the open manner in which the ownership of properties has to be registered, there has been a significant sea-change in celebrity attitudes towards collaborating with agents instructed to market their properties.

Ten years ago, most celebrities would have been reluctant to collaborate in a property marketing exercise. But this year, of the celebrity instructions handled by Aston Chase, 70% of the vendors have been willing to authorise marketing campaigns for their property.

‘Celebrity endorsement has become the modern day Blue Plaque,’ says Mark Pollack, co-Founding Director of Aston Chase.

‘Celebrity endorsement has become the modern day Blue Plaque’

‘A property owned by an A-list celebrity can add to the material value of the instruction and generate worldwide exposure. Likewise a famous celebrity resident can help to endorse the importance and value of an address.

‘We have found that homes and addresses associated with extremely famous people help to generate significant enquiries from potential buyers and tenants who feel they are buying a property endorsed by its celebrity association.’

When lockdown restrictions were eased at the end of May 2020, two notable deals were high-profile celebrity homes – the first was former Governor of the Bank of England Mark Carney’s £5.5 million house in South Hampstead, and the second the was hair tycoonLesley Clarke’s £11.95 million home in Queen’s Grove, St John’s Wood.

Historically, celebrities have always made their mark on an area. Paul McCartney effectively put Cavendish Avenue on the map as a prime sought-after address (see Google Maps, below).

Likewise Rihanna made St John’s Wood Park famous, with media interviews and the star’s own Instagram stories leading to wide reporting the NW8 mansion during her two-and-a-half years there (see Google Maps, below).

 

Damian Hirst added to the cachet of Hanover Terrace (see Google Maps, below) and Anthony Joshua helped to put Avenue Road on the map, while Tom Ford did the same for Regent’s Park when he moved there, Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Gareth Bale helped to make The Bishop’s Avenue fashionable again, and both Madonna and Ellie Goulding did the same for Marylebone.

But while some are happy to share their homes on social media and talk about the joys of living in their chosen area, many are keen to keep a low profile, like Kate Moss in Melina Place (see Google Maps, below) and Greville Road, andPaul McCartney in St John’s Wood. Emma Watson also tried to remain low key in St John’s Wood, but her presence was publicised on social media.

The common denominators of A-list celebrity homes – typically priced from £5 million up to £30 million – are privacy (they tend to be set back off the street), gated driveways and garaging with direct access into the property for discreet entry and exit.

Celebrity rentals are typically priced anywhere between £5,000 and £20,000 per week, and the occupant can stay for anything from three months to two years.

Short lets tend to be taken by celebrities filming in London for a few months, with famous examples including Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford. Some celebrities also rent while their own homes are being refurbished, like Robbie Williams and Sting and Trudi Styler. Others choose to rent in London for several years for personal or business reasons, like Rihanna.

This vast live/work space in Primrose Hill, north London, is an industrial masterpiece

Eglon House is an ode to Pierre Chareau’s Maison de Verre in Paris

You can spot Tim Burton’s darkly whimsical movies a mile off. Best known for Beetlejuice, Sleepy Hollow and Corpse Bride, even his 2019 live-action Disney film Dumbo — considered a departure from the director’s previous work — can be labelled Burtonesque.

Dumbo was his seventh movie for Disney, a reimagining of Walt Disney’s 1941 animated film with the loveable large-eared baby elephant as the star. It features a typically eccentric cast, including Colin Farrell as Dumbo’s amputee-veteran handler, Danny DeVito as the roughish ringmaster Max Medici, and Eva Green playing a vampish trapeze artist. Burton directed the film while renting Eglon House, a vast live/work space in Primrose Hill, north London, from 2016 for a three-year period. He used the east wing of the house to write and produce Dumbo, and the west wing for accommodation for executives and staff working on the film.

With its glass-block façade and full-height bronze windows, the four-storey 13,100 sq ft house is an ode to Pierre Chareau’s Maison de Verre — “house of glass” — in Paris, built from 1928 to 1932, the period between the two world wars considered the high point of classical modernism.

Dumbo was Tim Burton’s movie for Disney

The Maison de Verre was one of the first houses in France made of steel and glass, an early iteration of a modern live/work space, with a commercial area on the ground floor and residential accommodation above.

Like the de Verre mansion, Eglon House is approached through a discreet little arch and has a central cobbled courtyard. It was created by the present owner — an associate and family contact of Burton — and the designer Russell Sage, the founder of Russell Sage Studio.

Sage brought in British craftsmen to build the five-bedroom house from scratch using 1930s construction methods to create the shuttered-concrete ceilings with exposed steel beams and mechanical bolts, a staircase made from pitch pine and grout mixed with Portland stone, and copies of Chareau’s original sofas and table.

Eglon House comprises an east and west wing that sit opposite one another across the courtyard, linked at the lower ground level. The east wing features a double-height salon and upper galleried level with a kitchen/breakfast room and dining room. On the basement level the salon leads to an expansive leisure suite with a rising floor that can be transformed into a cinema and swimming pool, including a 3m-wide LED waterproof movie screen, plus a gym and cocktail bar. Solar photovoltaic matting is set into the triple-glazed roof lights to generate energy while reducing glare.

The five-bedroom house was built from scratch

The first floor of the east wing is configured as the sprawling 2,000 sq ft principal bedroom suite, with an open-plan lounge area and a freestanding copper bathtub. The second floor houses a glazed orangery that could double as a home office. One of the bedrooms has a blue carpet colour-matched to a bedroom in the Parisian mansion.

Sage describes the six-year project as “an opportunity to produce exquisite, unbelievably high-quality finishes. We didn’t want the building to be a copy of the original but the craftsmanship inspired the appearance and detailing. Chareau was a really specific designer who brought together industrial and art deco finishes.”

Eglon House comprises an east and west wing that sit opposite one another across the courtyard, linked at the lower ground level

Russell Sage Studio’s client list focuses on high-end hospitality such as Angela Hartnett’s Cafe Murano, the Goring Hotel in Belgravia and most recently the Savoy’s restaurants. He adds: “It’s something so rare for London, to have a huge amount of living space. It meant we could treat everything as an art installation.”

Eglon House stands on the site of Mayfair Recording Studios, which saw hits recorded by everyone from Tina Turner and Pink Floyd to Madonna and David Bowie. In the early 20th century the site was a shell-casing factory during the First World War.

Mark Pollack, a co-founder of Aston Chase, the estate agency handling the sale of the £20 million house, says: “Our client is passionate about design and regards Maison de Verre to be a cornerstone of architecture. He was inspired by Kenneth Frampton’s revered essay on the property in the 1960s as prior to this it was something of an undiscovered gem. Frampton, along with renowned photographer Michael Carapetian, subsequently documented and photographed the property, resulting in their acclaimed article entitled ‘Maison de Verre’ in a 1969 issue of Perspecta.”

On the basement level there is an expansive leisure suite

When the project was completed in 2016, Pollack notes that the owner arranged for Carapetian to photograph the house using “the very same camera and lens that he originally used to shoot Maison de Verre and I understand that these images will be gifted to the ultimate purchaser of Eglon House”.

Adding that “you don’t ordinarily think [of live/work spaces at] this kind of price point in the market”, Pollack describes its situation as a “very under-the-radar location. It’s got the most innocuous approach, you would never anticipate what lies beyond. It really has no profile from the street at all, which for a certain type of buyer or occupant is obviously incredibly appealing.”
Eglon House is on the market with Aston Chase for £20 million, astonchase.com

A bidding war between three families has lead to a large, dilapidated house in London’s St. John’s Wood selling for £6.25m ($8.6m), which is £500,000 more than the asking price.

 The property in St John’s Wood is an eight bedroom, 7,074 square-feet family house on Grove End Road. Photo: Aston Chase

Estate agent Aston Chase, which acted as joint sole agent with Arlington Residential, told Yahoo Finance UK that this is the “latest evidence of a frenzy in the housing market driven by pent-up demand.”

“The appetite for family houses in North West London is often underestimated by people who feel that the events of the past 12 months have suppressed the sales market,” said Marc Schneiderman, director of Arlington Residential.

“This really could not be further from the truth, with demand currently far outstripping the availability of houses for sale.”

He said 70% of his company’s sales in the last six months have resulted in two or more buyers competing for the same property.

 All three bidders were UK private clients who live in the immediate area and know Grove End Road well. Photo: Aston Chase

The property in St John’s Wood is an eight bedroom, 7,074 square-feet family house on Grove End Road.

Secure gates on the property give access to a private drive leading to the house, which has an ‘L’ shaped footprint, and opens onto a 80 feet garden.

The home has an artist’s studio, seven reception rooms and a family kitchen. The bedrooms are located on the upper floor, along with six bathrooms.

There are also walk-in cupboards, a wine cellar and store rooms.

 The house has an artist’s studio, seven reception rooms and a family kitchen. Photo: Aston Chase

Aston Chase said all three bidders were UK private clients who live in the immediate area and know Grove End Road well, and were looking to create a home for their own private occupation, rather than being developers.

It added that buyers are seeking larger homes and with stamp duty holiday extended to end of June the London, the market is very buoyant.

The successful buyer will now embark on a major renovation project.

Mark Pollack, co-founding director of Aston Chase, explained that the property “hit a chord with numerous applicants who were attracted by the opportunity to create their own home resulting in the competitive bidding process.”

 The successful buyer will now embark on a major renovation project. Photo: Aston Chase

He said the St John’s Wood marketplace is one of the most active in London for both sales and lettings deals, with a large supply of detached and semi-detached houses set in private gardens.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a large uplift in buyer and tenant demand for homes with outside space and their own private entrances, he added.

Going forward, Aston Chase believe buyers and tenants will continue to want houses with outside space and proximity to parks “which will help to ensure that St John’s Wood remains one of the most sought after and active housing markets in the capital.”