We all know how bachelors in America live – with lots of cushy leather sofas and reclining chairs! Throw in a giant flat screen TV, some sports memorabilia on the wall, add a huge coffee table, and most single men would be heaven – just like this crew here. And no, I don’t know who this fine group of men is- they came straight from the internet. But, don’t they look familiar? Do all bachelors around the world live like ours? Or do they have more……taste? For instance, how does a single man in England live? Maybe someone who truly is cultured and actually likes to collect antiques? Enjoy!
This house for sale in London, is four stories, including a basement, and is approximately 6,000 sq. ft of living space. Located in Mayfair, close to Regents Park with its famous restaurants and shops, (perfect for our cultured bachelor) the house has 4 to 5 bedrooms, a roof terrace, and a one car garage, which is shown, above, on the far right. The building to the left with the arched windows is not part of this townhouse. In England, many houses have names and this one is called “Nightingale House.” The price is not listed, but like the old saying goes – if you have to ask the price……..
The front hall with its beautiful marble floors is centered between the drawing room and dining room. Notice the gorgeous wood doors that close off the cold winds that blow in from the open front door. There are more beautiful doors leading to the drawing room on the right. In England, traditionally the houses are not open concept as they are in the U.S. Rooms lead off from a center hall and are closed off with doors. When modernizing homes, some owners will open up adjoining rooms by breaking through the walls, but the hallway with all the doors remains an important element of the design.
Glancing at the first room visible in the house – it is obvious that a single man lives here. What woman would turn her drawing room into what looks like a lawyer’s office from the 1800’s? Obviously, our bachelor uses this space for his study. And what a wonderful space it is, I could use an office this big! Notice all his antiques – the unusual collection of brass reflecting telescopes add quite a lot of atmosphere here. He obviously loves globes – I count seven in this room alone. I adore the two revolving bookstands on each side of the mantel. The crystal chandelier makes the room seem so grand! The moldings are beautiful, as would be expected in a house of this quality. And yes, there it is, on the right, the obligatory tufted brown leather sofa and chairs. Why is it that men hate upholstery fabric????? Boy, what I could do with the room!!!!
Across the hall from the drawing room, the dining room could double for a law office conference room. The set of antique leather chairs are indeed quite wonderful, but very testosterone driven. And what woman would use twin globes as a dining room centerpiece? He’s obviously very anal – everything is perfectly symmetrical – the tablescape and the mantelscape are carefully arranged. Still, the room is beautiful and very appealing in a masculine way. I wonder if he uses his house as an office and this IS his conference room? Or, maybe he is an antique dealer and sells his merchandise from this house.
The stair hall with a stunning skylight. How gorgeous is this townhouse? Look at the finials on the newel posts! The large mirror on the landing reflects it all back downstairs.
The second floor drawing room. This room is identical in size to the first floor drawing room. Our bachelor must be an antique dealer! I’ve never met a single man this into antiques without being in the business. More telescopes and more globes – typical items that men collect. And of course a single man who lives here – would any woman let a TV ruin a room like this?????? Does it have to be this conspicuous and huge? Notice his antique French leather chair just sitting ready right in front of the screen. Without the TV, it would be almost impossible to tell what era this house is from. It definitely could use a woman’s soft touch such as curtains and upholstery fabric, but for a man – it’s pretty good!!
The second floor has just the master bedroom and the drawing room. The children’s (if there are any!) bedrooms are on the top attic floor. Notice how high the ceilings are – the cabinet looks dwarfed here! There’s no TV, but he has his stereo and speakers in here. This room, and the whole house, really desperately needs a woman’s touch.
The master bathroom is stunning with its marble fireplace and brass tub!!!! And yep, he’s got a telescope in here too, just in case he needs to examine the bathwater for floating germs, I suppose.
The kitchen is very beautiful – with its tan cabinetry and bold black and white tile floor. The stainless range is fabulous! Wonder how much cooking goes on in here? This room is located on the basement level.
The breakfast room, also in the basement, is lovely. I really love the wall clock. So let’s see, he plays chess and he has a dog! I spy his pup’s rag toy to the right of the fireplace. At least our bachelor is not alone in this huge home. I was getting worried about him.
Hee-hee! Well, I asked for upholstery – so I got it! Not exactly the quality I had in mind though. I love how he’s covered his ottoman so that the dog doesn’t ruin it. And could he have a bigger TV in here? He smokes too! I’ll bet it smells terrible in this basement room. A wife would certainly make him go outside to smoke. Maybe he is married – to that thing in the corner! What is that – and shouldn’t it be in a museum, not a house????
For those who like to read floor plans: it’s a little hard to make out the writing, though.
So, what do you think? Would you like to live here and give it your feminine touch? The house is a beauty without a doubt, and our bachelor did a wonderful job of remodeling it, it just needs a good interior designer. I wonder why he’s moving? Is it too big for him, or is he getting married and his wife has her own house? Or perhaps he is a victim of the economic climate in England that is just as bad as in the states? What do you think?