It's not all glass and horror: Two of London's latest luxury apartments show us that good taste and sensitive design still reign supreme

In 1863, William Whitely opened a drapery shop at 31 Westbourne Grove. Did he know that he had taken the first steps to inventing the department store? Probably not, but by 1867 the ‘departments’ of his store were increasing in number. He didn’t live long enough to see the creation on Queensway that opened in 1911, which at the time was the largest shop in the world. It still towers over the streets of west London, a Grade II-listed monolith that has emerged from a recent £1.2 billion redevelopment to begin a new life as The Whiteley.

Things are progressing. The façade gleams, the iconic dome remains and defines the centre of this vast structure. When completed, the development will offer 139 luxury residences, from one-bedroom apartments to penthouses, as well as various on-site amenities, a Six-Senses hotel and spa and, of course, a padel court. You know it’s an interesting project when Foster + Partners want to get involved. 

At the top end of the Whiteley’s residential offering is a four-bedroom home styled by Joyce Wang Studio as part of the Designer Collection series. Set over two floors, the space spans some 4,080sq ft, with 20ft high ceilings in the main reception areas. It is a profoundly elegant space, shrouded behind the restored façade.

There are many buildings in London and it should be applauded when developers take the time and care to restore and revive them rather than knock them down. So hats off to Finchatton, MARK and C C Land for keeping this West London landmark in situ rather than replacing it with something else generic and made out of glass. Where possible, it is vital to protect London’s rich architectural history.

Another example of this is the development at 60 Curzon in Mayfair, an Art Deco masterpiece located on the former site of the Mirabelle restaurant, which saw famous patrons such as JFK, Winston Churchill, Leo DiCaprio and Kylie Minogue. It is the first and only private residential building in Europe designed by the legendary architect Thierry Despont and it really carries the elegant luxury of that early-20th century style of design with aplomb.

The latest launch within 60 Curzon was another four-bedroom apartment designed by Elicyon and Charu Ghandi. So many of these large luxury apartments feel like hotels in disguise, so how pleasing it was to see a thoughtfully styled home that pays homage to the elegant building it sits in, but is also a functional space for a modern family.

If there’s one thing developers have been accused of in recent years (or, indeed, decades) it is a lack of taste. Build em high, build em fast, cover them in glass and who cares about the rest. Perhaps it should be no surprise that at the top end of the market, things are done a little differently. But it shows it can be done.

James Fisher is the deputy digital editor of countrylife.co.uk. He lives in London and looks at buildings

Credit: The Whiteley

Coming soon: London's largest private residential terrace

This five-bedroom penthouse at The Whiteley in London's Queensway comes with a terrace of some 4,400sq ft. Yours for £39.5