Beaux Arts Building V, London N7

Playfully transformed by Bunkall Architects, this one-bedroom apartment reinterprets the Grade II-listed Beaux Arts Building’s iconic design as a refreshing modern home. Space and light have been carefully optimised, while a confident and colourful decorative scheme weaves a joyful feel throughout. Set on a quiet side street, the building is close to Upper Street, Kentish Town and a wealth of green spaces



The Building



The Beaux Arts Building, designed by Wagner and Rutherford and completed in 1909 as the Post Office’s Money Order Office, was converted into flats in the 1990s. Described by Nikolaus Pevsner as an angular take on Edwardian Baroque, with hints of Lutyens, its façade is among London’s finest examples of the Beaux-Arts style. The building takes its name from the Parisian Beaux-Arts tradition, and its foyer divides into three wings named after notable architects of the style – Garnier, Baltard, and Labrouste.



The Tour



Entry to the building is via a grand entranceway and foyer. Beyond the foyer, with its large sections of glazing and elaborate Beaux-Arts adornments, there is a lift with access to all floors.



The owners worked with Bunkall Architects to create a home that breathes new life into the building’s Beaux-Arts lineage. Colour was an important part of the project: each room has its own scheme inspired by its use and aspect.



Entry is to a hallway with fantastic cork chequerboard tiles and mint-green walls. The first of several original windows draws plenty of light into the space.



The sitting and dining room is at one end of the apartment and has soft-pink walls offset by sky-blue skirting boards. Cork floors continue here and into the kitchen, which is open to the room through an exaggerated arch. The same blue is used on minimally detailed bespoke cabinetry, with a sunshine-yellow splashback, Diespeker terrazzo counters and Smeg appliances. Windows at opposite ends draw in plenty of natural light framed with Kvadrat curtains.



White walls and pink skirting boards create a soothing feel in the spacious bedroom. There is another large window and, as with the rest of the apartment, tall ceiling heights create an exaggerated sense of volume.



The bathroom sits next door and has been beautifully finished with peach-coloured paint and deep-green Balineum tiles. Fittings and fixtures are from Water Monopoly. A high-level section of glass bricks – a clever insertion by Bunkall Architects – borrows abundant light from the bedroom.



The flat also has its own private parking space.



Outdoor Space



Residents have access to well-maintained communal gardens planted with a variety of shrubs and trees. There is also a shared roof terrace with far-reaching views.



Secure car parking is available underneath the building, subject to availability. Other amenities include a private gym with a sauna and a steam room.



The Area



Manor Gardens is a quiet residential street, tucked away between Holloway Road and Hornsey Road in the Borough of Islington. The area is well connected and is home to local favourites Fields, Provisions, Westerns Laundry, and an outpost of Jolene.



Fiercely independent Fortress Road, bridging Tufnell Park and Kentish Town, is a 15-minute walk away. Highlights include Diverse, Patron and Tabac Bar. The popular bars, restaurants and specialist food shops of Highbury and Upper Street are 35 minutes on foot, including Trullo and The Compton Arms.



Whittington Park, Tufnell Park Fields and Highbury Fields are easily reached on foot. The wide open greenery of Hampstead Heath, with its famous swimming ponds, is a 30-minute walk away.



There are three London Underground stations within walking distance: Archway (Northern line), Holloway Road (Piccadilly line) and Finsbury Park (Victoria and Piccadilly lines, plus Thameslink services). Upper Holloway Overground (Suffragette line) is 10 minutes away.



Tenure: Share of Freehold | Lease Length: Approx. 94 years remaining | Service Charge: £5,636 | Ground Rent: N/A | Council Tax Band: E