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Afrique Mon Amour

Quirky former BBC studio complex in west London

A quirky former BBC studio complex in west London was converted to mixed small business and residential use in the late 90's. The largest apartment at 300 sq meters was created by an architect who added panels of glass, an extra level and opened the space up to be as light as possible. The new owner, an artist, recently moved from the south of France so finding such a place in London was something of a miracle. She uses the entry level space, adjacent to an intense blue living room, as her studio. Two walls are almost entirely glass plus the original windows provide excellent light all year. There is a concrete staircase leading up to a guest bedroom (not seen) and another down to the open-plan kitchen, dining and living area. Her bedroom and bathroom with dressing area are hidden at one end. A curved timber-clad pod projecting into the main living area houses an additional bedroom with a concrete bath at one end. The apartment is decorated in a colourful exuberant mix of painterly colours and texture. The contents are a mix of African (the owner was born in Kenya), antiques and things collected during 16 years living in France a great example of individual style chosen to please and enliven life in London where the sky is often grey.