From Italy with Love: Extraordinary Knightsbridge Townhouse on Ovington Gardens

Behind a classic white-stucco Knightsbridge façade, this four-bedroom, three-bathroom townhouse on Ovington Gardens offers 2,766 sq.ft. of exceptional accommodation, with interiors by Milanese designer Federica Recaneschi, a graduate of the Politecnico di Milano.

One of Knightsbridge’s most distinguished residential addresses, Ovington Gardens is home to this Grade II listed five-storey townhouse, originally built between 1844 and 1850 by Victorian architect W.W. Pocock. Acquired by its current owners in 2019, the property has since undergone a year-long renovation and interior design makeover, shaped around their Italian heritage and a defining idea: the Italian passion for style, quality and fine attention to detail.

Accessed through an elegant entrance hall, laid with pale grey and black marble diagonal grid tiles and illuminated by a Baccarat chandelier, the ground floor features an interconnecting dining room and kitchen leading onto an intimate conservatory dining and entertaining area. Beyond this is a raised terrace, ideal for sunlit morning coffee.

Flooded with natural light from a large sash window, the dining room has an ethereal feel, framed by bespoke flowing curtains and crowned with a floral Murano chandelier. Original ceiling cornicing has been retained, while the marble dining table with pastel-coloured chairs by Sé Collections adds a playful touch. There is also a Chesneys fireplace in Calacatta marble, parquet oak flooring and door handles by Beardmore, the British ironmongers whose designs adorn the penthouses of One Hyde Park.

The fully fitted designer kitchen by Blakes London has soft sage green cupboards and cabinets that the owners liken to “Van Cleef”, with integrated appliances, Carrara marble worktops, brass handles and parquet design flooring. The owners’ pink Aga is a fitting testament to the home’s uplifting spirit.

The conservatory’s built-in banquette breakfast seating is upholstered in blush pink velvet, with a round table to match and striking blue artwork to either side. A guest washroom is also located on this floor.

The staircase, lined with diamond-patterned light grey floor tiling and a gold-rodded runner, leads to the heart of the home on the first floor: a dedicated dual-aspect drawing room. With high, corniced ceilings and two sets of French doors opening onto a wrought iron balcony, the reception space is filled with natural light.

Designed for entertaining, the main sitting area features blush pink armchairs, gold and royal blue coffee tables and a royal blue velvet love seat atop a blush pink and gold rug. A bespoke royal blue and gold lacquer bar is the standout showpiece. All soft furnishings throughout the home, including beds, sofas, curtains and conservatory upholstery, use fabrics by Dedar, made bespoke by Interiors House.

To one side is a more casual snug area, with a pale blue sofa and ottoman and a royal blue and gold TV unit. The space also includes Baccarat chandeliers and wall fittings, a Chesneys fireplace and two commissions by artist Inam, acquired through Clarendon Fine Art.

The principal bedroom suite occupies its own private floor on the second level. The bedroom is fronted by two large sash windows, with bespoke cream and purple velvet-lined curtains complementing the deep purple velvet headboard and matching bench. Behind the bed, a De Gournay feature wall presents a hand-painted floral mural on silk, with embroidered and textured detailing.

The ensuite bathroom is finished in Carrara marble sourced from Tuscan quarries by Salvatori, with a pale pink vanity unit, large built-in bathtub, walk-in shower and twin basins. Dornbracht Tara collection fittings in durabrass and Sicis mosaic-lined walls complete the space.

A half landing on the second floor provides a family bathroom, leading to the third floor, currently configured as a principal dressing room. Lined with two transparent signature Molteni wardrobes, the room has the polished feel of a boutique, with a central pouffe and Molteni dressing table. This floor was previously divided into two bedrooms and can easily be reimagined as such. An additional room serves as a study.

The fourth floor roof terrace offers panoramic views across the rooftops of Knightsbridge, towards the dome of the Victoria and Albert Museum and the dome of the Brompton Oratory, creating a striking setting for summer evenings.

On the lower ground floor are the second bedroom, bathroom, utility room and a further room currently used as a gym, which opens onto the garden. This private walled oasis, filled with hydrangeas, greenery and birdsong, offers a remarkable retreat moments from Brompton Road.

Positioned between Brompton Road and Walton Street, the townhouse is a short walk from Harrods and the boutiques of Sloane Street. Knightsbridge Underground station is 0.4 miles away, South Kensington Underground station is 0.5 miles away and Sloane Square Underground station is 0.6 miles away. Victoria station, with National Rail services and the Gatwick Express, is within easy reach.

Kay Louise Smith, Sales Broker at Beauchamp Estates, says: “This magnificent townhouse on Ovington Gardens presents a rare opportunity for a discerning buyer to acquire an outstanding family home in the heart of London’s Knightsbridge. The quality of specification is exceptional throughout, but what sets it apart is the story behind it: a home conceived with design passion and flair, completed to an extraordinary standard. You can have breakfast, lunch and dinner in three different outdoor spaces, and you would never know you’re so close to Brompton Road.”