If I was to tell you the name of my favourite architect/house-builder, and I will, because it’s my website and I can do what I want, I would say that it’s Frank Lloyd-Wright.
There’s something about his use of light and space that I think elevates his buildings above all others; his ideas of what rooms in a house are important, how we should live, and how things should be laid out and lit are quite remarkable (in my opinion).
Now, there aren’t any Lloyd-Wright designed buildings in the UK, but there are some that are certainly inspired by him and built in a similar style. One such example is this absolute beauty near Richmond Park in London. Named Miramonte, it’s for sale with Strutt & Parker for £6.25 million, and I like it. I like it very much.
For sale for the first time since 2001, the property was designed by Maxwell Fry and built in 1936. It has seven bedrooms in total (six in the main house and one in a detached lodge) and indoor swimming pool, a tennis court and 1.24 acres of gardens. I think it looks amazing and I would very much like to live there.
The interiors sing. Look at the wonderful use of space in the reception rooms and kitchen, flowing from one to the other, while keeping effortless functionality throughout. Observe the office/library, with its sweeping curved wooden bookcase and skylight. The cinema room with its recessed ceiling and wooden speaker cabinets.
So many large windows to sit in front of and enjoy the gardens. Even the indoor swimming pool area (which I usually find a bit over the top in most properties) looks effortlessly stylish.
The location is just as enviable too, situated on the Coombe House Estate, equidistant between Kingston and Wimbledon town centres. The A3 is nearby, providing fast access either to the centre of London or the countryside, and Richmond Park is on the doorstep. Perfection.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Credit: Getty Images
Is now a good time to buy a house? What do you need to ask before making an offer? And where are the best places to look? Annabel Dixon on the Country Life podcast
Property writer Annabel Dixon joins the Country Life Podcast to take a look at the state of play in the
Credit: Inigo
A 300-year-old Jacobean mansion that comes with woodland, orchard and its own mini-village
Frome is where the heart is, so they say. It's easy to see why you might fall in love with
Credit: Hamptons
A 400-year-old house that’s as romantic a country cottage as you could hope to find
How many kinds of sweet flowers grow in an English country garden? Well, head to these magical gardens in Kent
-
How many puppies in the average litter? Country Life Quiz of the DayPlus a 1960s house, Hollywood's most famous cavewoman and more in Friday's quiz.
-
Love, sex and death: Our near-universal obsession with the roseNo flower is more entwined with myth, religion, politics and the human form than the humble rose — and now there's a new coffee table book celebrating them in all of their glory.
-
The sounds of spring and stained glass in an Arts-and-Crafts masterpiece in DorsetWith 35 acres, more than 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and tennis court, Winterfield has it all.
-
An eight-bedroom wonder in East Sussex where the outdoors are an adventureThe interiors of Old Middleton are pretty good too.
-
A lakeside farmhouse on the market in the beautiful heart of PembrokeshireA lake, streams, 15 acres and five bedrooms. Rogershook might have it all.
-
An idyllic countryside home that's light, spacious and comes with a Grade II-listed follyHagg House is a gorgeous family home that just happens to have a miniature castle in the gardens. Annabel Dixon explains more.
-
A historic villa for sale on the Via Nomentana worthy of Rome's rich historyThree floors, lots of balconies, and a private garden in one of Rome's loveliest neighbourhoods.
-
Eight bedrooms of unlisted Edwardian elegance with sweeping views of SomersetAshton House sits near the market town of Chard and comes with a wealth of amenities both inside and out.
-
A waterside cottage in Devon with a private quay, idyllic views and the prettiest summerhouse we've seen in yearsRight beside the picturesque Yealm Estuary, No 1 Noss Mayo is an idyllic home that feels like an escape from the world. Annabel Dixon takes a look.
-
This elegant Greek villa offers would-be buyers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to live in the shadow of the AcropolisAthenian Legacy consists of two houses in walking —and almost touching — distance of one of the world’s most famous and precious landmarks.
