#GUIDES
30 April, 2026
Pimlico, Perfectly Preserved
Categories
Cape Town Meets Kensington
Published
30 April, 2026
Edited
3 August, 2026
Brunswick Gardens II
By LIAM HESS
Photography by ANDREW BEASLEY
Illustrations by ROB WILSON
When Ian and Gigi were planning a move back from Cape Town to London in the mid-2010s, they were looking for a turnkey property. Knowing they’d have to move into the house immediately upon arriving back, they saw little point in considering any fixer-uppers. Until, that is, they came across an unusually spacious five-bedroom apartment on the Kensington and Notting Hill border. Well, unusually spacious for London.
“The basement in particular needed a lot of work. It was a series of very small, boxed off rooms, [and] coming from Cape Town, where one has ample space, I was very much put off,” says Gigi. “Luckily, Ian spotted the potential and saw it could be a beautiful family home.”
That it certainly is: The charming, kaleidoscopic apartment is a reflection of its owners’ globetrotting spirit, as well as their magpie’s eye for color and pattern. Just take the jewel box of a ground-floor sitting room, with its English-country-house-on-acid mix of floral chintz, paisley, and coral stripes across the upholstery, or the offbeat combination of an antique armoire topped with blue-and-white porcelain ginger jars. Oh, and that’s without mentioning the fireplace, above which hangs a whimsical, candy-hued abstract painting, in turn flanked by white plaster wall brackets topped with colorful bird figurines. “It’s our room for us to enjoy our special pieces from Cape Town and our antiques that we’ve collected on our travels,” Gigi says. “We love nature, and incorporating the birds reminds us of South Africa—and also gives a sense of fun to the room. It is a formal room, but it is to be lived in and enjoyed.”
“Color and pattern is found everywhere in the home, including the rhythmic elephant and hot air balloon wallpapers that festoon the children’s bedrooms. ”
This balance of classic English decorating codes with quirkier, globally-influenced flourishes courses through every floor of the home. And while it’s reflective of their personalities, those details—the ceramic monkey figurine fruit bowls in the kitchen, say, or the suzani wall hanging with decorative pomegranates and tulips used in place of a headboard in the second bedroom—also speak to their immediate desire to bring the sunbaked soul of their former home city to the British capital. “When we moved, we knew that we would be facing more grey weather days, so I thought it would be best to really go for it with color and pattern in certain darker spaces,” Gigi says, referencing the rhythmic elephant and hot air balloon wallpapers that festoon the children’s bedrooms, as well as the riotous tropical fauna that decorates the wallpaper in the downstairs bathroom.
Its initial appeal, however, was its enviable location: Brunswick Gardens is undoubtedly one of the loveliest streets in all of west London, tucked away immediately behind the antique shops and characterful pubs of Kensington Church Street, and just a short stroll from Hyde Park and the shops and cafés of Portobello Road. Every spring, the street erupts with white cherry blossoms, which the homeowners can watch shapeshift in widescreen through their bedroom windows at the same height as the branches. “I love that we can sit in bed and enjoy the changing of the seasons,” Gigi says. There’s a feeling of being within a kind of sanctuary. “It is very much a village. You can’t go out without having a chat with a familiar face.”
A LOCAL GUIDE TO KENSINGTON
THE WINDSOR CASTLE | An enduring local favorite for a reason, this hidden gem pub in a residential area between Kensington, Notting Hill, and Holland Park pours a crisp pint and features a leafy (and, in the summer, very lively) outdoor terrace.
MAZI | The name of this small but mighty restaurant means “together” in Greek, and the convivial atmosphere lives up to that title. Pair dishes from the mezze sharing menu—zucchini fritters with a zingy cucumber and mint dip, or the prawn risotto—with shots of ouzo.
HORNETS | The classic signage and Union Jack flags posted outside Hornets tell you all you need to know: more than just a vintage menswear store, this is a deep dive into British sartorial history. Browse its racks of tweed jackets and silk waistcoats, and feel
KENSINGTON CHURCH STREET | The string of antique stores that line the winding Kensington Church Street offers everything from museum-quality Japanese ceramics to rare English silver and mid-century modern art.
KENSINGTON PALACE GARDENS | In London, do as the royals do: stroll through the Gardens. While their history spans many centuries, the famous sunken gardens were redesigned in 2017 in honor of Princess Diana, with hundreds of white lilies inspired by some of her most famous gowns.
HJEM | This charming café takes its name from the Danish and Norwegian word for “home”—and once you’re happily ensconced inside its warm, sage-colored interiors with a cup of coffee and a cardamom bun, you’ll feel very cozy indeed.
Credit Illustrations: Rob Wilson
