1930s art deco house in Worcester Park, Surrey
Quite something, this 1930s art deco house in Worcester Park, Surrey, is one of the most architecturally interesting houses around and is back on the market at a reduced price.
Interesting both in terms of design and preservation. I see a lot of art deco and modern houses from the 1920s and 1930s each year, and the vast majority have been heavily updated. Some beyond recognition, to be honest. That’s not the case here. This one is as original as they come.
Yes, the house has been updated within, as you might expect. This is a house that has been lived in and loved in equal measure. But without losing any of the character that made it so appealing 90 or so years ago.
Huge thanks to Simon of London Suburbia on Instagram (well worth a follow) for some background on this one, too.
According to Simon, the house dates back to 1934, believed to have been commissioned by a building firm in Barnes called E H Wale Ltd and likely a one-off design rather than one of the ‘off-the-peg’ Ideal Homes designs that were popular at the time. The architect was possibly someone called L. Norman Holt.
The first owners of this house were an insurance inspector and his wife, and it hasn’t been owned by many people since. In fact, the current owners have been at this address for around half a century.
That likely accounts for it being in the condition you see today. Since the family took ownership in 1972, it has been steadily updated in terms of fixtures and finishes, but without taking anything away from the fabric of the house and its design. That’s the big selling point here.
According to the seller’s family, the house was in a ‘terrible state’ when they took ownership in the 1970s, with renovations carried out room by room to bring it back up to standard, hence why there’s a strong 1970s ‘vibe’ to some of the rooms and fittings.
The architecture and the structure itself remain unchanged. The inner walls are as they were, the original doors in place, the wood flooring (different on each level – and solid mahogany in the lounge) is a big selling point, and the small integral garage is still such a thing. Often, these are converted to add extra living space. Not so here. However, there is potential for added space if you want to go down that road.
Updates are as you would expect. The glazing looks to have been updated, albeit in keeping with the original design aesthetic. The kitchen area is obviously a later update; light fittings and decor are more contemporary than the original build. Everything you would expect of a family home that has been lived in and steadily updated over a period of time.
None of that concerns me at all. We live in an era where original and reissued interior design is at your fingertips. Whether that’s a reproduction of 1930s wall coverings, reissued designs of the era, vintage pieces at auction or even pieces at a reclamation yard. In short, everything you need to put the 1930s touches back into this one is readily available if that’s the route you want to go down. It’s the easy part.
Or you could maintain the architecture and go for something neutral and more modern. That works, too. The important thing is to preserve that house design. Because once it is gone, it really cannot be replaced. Modern takes on art deco architecture never quite have the same ‘wow’ factor.
A lot of living space, too, with the house also sitting on what looks like a substantial plot. Both of which add to the appeal.
Enter the house via the front door, and you access a hall (with a cloakroom) that, in turn, leads to a large, double-sized lounge. Beyond that is a sunroom. At the rear of the ground floor is a kitchen that’s open to a dining room area.
As I hinted at earlier, that’s not quite all, as the original garage is built into the house. As you know, 1930s garages aren’t necessarily designed for 21st-century cars. But it does offer extra storage and workspace, plus the option to convert. You might recall I featured a 1930s art deco house in London N14 that maintained the look of the garage but converted the inside to domestic living space.
Head up a level for the majority of the bedroom space. There are three on this floor, along with two bathrooms plus balcony access. Love the pink tiles on show in one of the bathrooms, and if you have a soft spot for the 1970s, you’ll love the other, too.
The final bedroom is the room on the upper floor, which can also be used as a home office. Of course, this room also gives you access to that art deco essential, the roof terrace. Great views and a great entertainment area.
The plot is also substantial and something of an opportunity for anyone green-fingered. There’s so much you can do here, from reworking the garden to creating another entertaining area around the patio. A selling point in its own right.
Yes, the architecture, postcode, size of house and size of plot mean this doesn’t come cheap. But if you can afford the £1,250,000 asking price (which has been reduced since the house first hit the market), this is one worthy of consideration for any art deco lover.
Images and details courtesy of Hunters. For more details and to make an enquiry, please visit the website.
