153 Old Church Street is a c. 3,343 sq. ft home in Chelsea, located three houses to the north of the Chelsea Arts Club and on the former site of the studio of the renowned Welsh portrait painter Augustus John
Russell Simpson and Savills have been appointed to sell 153 Old Church Street in London’s Chelsea with a £5 million guide price. The current house, a four bedroom family home with a garden and summer house, was built between 1956-1957 and boasts a lower-ground floor currently configured as a self-contained one-bedroom apartment.
Influenced by Rembrandt and likened to Gauguin and Matisse, Augustus John was a leading exponent of Post-Impressionism. By the 1920s he had become a celebrated and established portrait artist, and appeared on the cover of TIME magazine in 1923. Augustus John painted several eminent contemporaries of the time including Thomas Hardy, George Bernard Shaw, T. E. Lawrence, James Joyce, Dylan Thomas and W. B. Yeats.
Robert Hannah (1812-1909), the Scottish portrait painter, is believed to have shared the studio with Augustus John, who lived in an adjoining property.
Throughout the late-Victorian era, Old Church Street was home to a diverse range of artists and intellectuals, including the painter Evelyn de Morgan and her husband, William de Morgan, the ceramicist who frequently collaborated with the founder of the Arts and Craft movement, William Morris.
The family who are now selling built the property, it has therefore never been on the market and is available to purchase for the first time in over 60 years. Located three houses to the north of the Chelsea Arts Club, the property is unique with a double width garden with south and westerly views backing onto the communal gardens of the houses on the eastern side of Elm Park Gardens.
Alan Russell, Director of Russell Simpson commented: “The history of this property highlights the artistic and bohemian character of Chelsea, having had two significant painters based at this address. This is a family house designed and created by a wonderfully artistic lady, rich in style and character located in this extraordinary position with huge potential.”
Barbara Allen, Head of Savills (Knightsbridge) commented: “This is an utterly charming home full of character. Tucked away discreetly off Old Church Street, it provides both flexible accommodation and huge scope for development. On the site of the former studio of Augustus John and located in the heart of Chelsea, you are reminded of the property’s artistic links throughout. There is a robust demand for properties at this price point from both domestic and international buyers, further enhanced by its development potential and prime Chelsea location.”
153 Old Church Street sits across three floors with c. 3,343 sq. ft. of accommodation, the property offers many opportunities to the discerning buyer; it is full of light, has large windows and generous ceiling heights, which must be seen to be appreciated. The front door is approached by steps that lead up to the entrance portico on the raised ground floor. Inside is a bright and airy entrance hall with a high ceiling and tall sash windows along the southern elevation.
The hall leads into the spacious drawing room, which has a stone fireplace, attractive cornicing and two sash windows overlooking the rear terrace and garden. The drawing room connects to the dining room with an adjoining wooden panelled kitchen, which can also be approached from the entrance hallway.
The master bedroom suite on the first floor overlooks the garden, which is complete with a south facing roof terrace, an en-suite bathroom that is also shared with a single bedroom/dressing room. A further double bedroom is located to the rear of the house with a 3.2 metre high vaulted ceiling and an en-suite bathroom.
The first floor also features a conservatory fitted with a kitchenette, opening onto a roof terrace shared with the master bedroom. Featuring an intricate, curved glass roof and stone tiled floor, the current owners have used the conservatory as an artist studio
As mentioned previously, the lower-ground floor of 153 Old Church Street is currently configured as a self-contained one-bedroom apartment. However, there are architect-drawn plans (subject to planning permission) to convert the property into a single dwelling with the garden floor utilised as a spacious family/kitchen breakfast room and further bedroom.
Subject to planning, there is thought that a basement could be built to provide a home cinema, gymnasium and additional bathroom as well as a lower floor to the Summer House to provide further accommodation.
153 Old Church Street is available to view by appointment only through Russell Simpson (T: 0207 225 0277) and Savills Knightsbridge (T:0207 581 5234) and has a guide price of £5,000,000. For more information please visit www.russellsimpson.com or www.savills.com