The Old Ballroom, London SW9

Once a ballroom, this expansive three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment sits in a former Edwardian hotel on Loughborough Road, south-west London. Interior spaces of 1,880 sq ft have been finished in a rich palette of colours that hark back to the building's roots. A south-facing private terrace at the rear is a delightfully quiet spot for outdoor dining. Loughborough Road lies a short walk from Loughborough Junction station and from the broad offering of cafés, restaurants and bars in Camberwell and Brixton.

Setting the Scene

Originally conceived as a grand hotel for the urban expansion of Lambeth, the building is nestled among grand Victorian and Edwardian villas that were built to accommodate merchants and clerks leaving the smog of the city. With a later stint as a salsa club, then acrobat arena, the ballroom was converted to apartments in 2008 and has retained its original decorative scheme and grandeur. It was recently the subject of extensive restoration works that have conserved the former hotel's impressive - and rather singular - character.

The Grand Tour

Entry to the building is via a set of glazed double doors leading from a quiet, residential road. Situated on the first floor, the apartment has an amplified sense of volume with soaring ceilings. The room has been sensitively converted and has a number of mezzanine levels, as well as a stuccoed dome that provides a focal point. The latter has been recently repainted in Farrow & Ball and wired with atmospheric up-lighting.

The lateral kitchen and reception space is finished in a palette of pastel yellow, blue and white; light floods into the space via expansive sash windows, which have recently had a full Ventrolla restoration to improve energy efficiency. Herringbone carpet runs underfoot, and a working fireplace provides a central point for the sitting room. On the ground floor, there is also an office and adjoining bedroom currently used as a nursery.

Upstairs, on the left mezzanine, is the primary bedroom suite, which has been finished in a soothing pink by Lick. Here, the intricacy of the decorative period plasterwork can be seen again, stretching out overhead and along the upper part of the walls. The room also has dual-aspect windows looking over the front and side of the street as well as an en suite bathroom with a large tub edged in Moroccan tiles, a vanity and a WC.

On the opposite side of the upper storey is a second bedroom suite, with glazing to the front, built-in storage space and a separate en suite.

The apartment has two off-street parking spaces, which are subject to T&C's.

The Great Outdoors

Extending out from the kitchen is a charming outdoor terrace. Paved with chequerboard flags, the space catches the south-facing sun and sits at the quiet rear part of the building. It has plenty of room for a table and chairs as well as pots full of herbs and flowers for the horticulturally inclined.

Out and About

The ground floor of the building is home to locally revered Annapurna Cafe, as well as San Mei Gallery. Loughborough Road is a quiet residential street north-west of Ruskin Park and within easy reach of Camberwell and Brixton, both of which have excellent selections of restaurants, cafés and pubs. Camberwell is home to Silk Road, The Daily Goods, The Camberwell Arms and Theo’s Pizzeria. There are also excellent galleries in the vicinity, including the South London Gallery, Hannah Barry Gallery in nearby Peckham and the Dulwich Picture Gallery. Peckham has a wealth of bars and restaurants, including Levan, The Begging Bowl, Artusi and countless others.

There are several excellent state and public schools in the area, including Dulwich College, James Allen’s Girls’ School, Alleyn’s School, The Villa Pre-Prep and Nursery and Dog Kennel Hill Primary School.

The Victoria and Northern lines run from nearby Stockwell Underground station. Loughborough Junction is a short walk away and runs Thameslink services into Elephant and Castle, Blackfriars, Farringdon and St Pancras International. Denmark Hill station is also nearby, with direct rail services to Victoria, Blackfriars and St Pancras International as well as Overground services towards Clapham Junction or Dalston Junction via Canada Water (Jubilee line). Camberwell is also well served by many bus routes.

Tenure: Share of Freehold
Lease Length: Approx. 900 years remaining
Service Charge: Approx. £1,618.25 per quarter
Ground Rent: n/a
Council Tax Band: E