Brush work
We’ve all lingered long and late in galleries, and however, even in the most beautiful of spaces, in the quietest of moments, velvet ropes keep one at a certain distance from the canvas. But not here…
Just off the King’s Road, with its innumerable shops, bars and restaurants, you’ll find Milman’s Street, an airy apartment in a modern block, which houses an extraordinarily fine collection of oil paintings and antiques. Here, you can enjoy these paintings, in the most comfortable of surroundings, and lit by bounteous natural light.
A big deal
Your host is a dealer in art and antiques, who uses Milman’s Street as his London crash pad, and an opportunity to display some of his most treasured pieces. With homes all around the world, including Marrakech, Switzerland and Suffolk, he’s a cosmopolitan fellow who certainly knows how to enjoy himself.
Private view
Take the lift up to the second floor, and then it’s past the herons in the hall and into Milman’s Street’s generously sized sitting room. You’ve two walls of large windows looking out into the treetops, and flooding the room with sunshine. The décor is intentionally simple, fabrics in biscuit, mustard and mocha, a pale wooden floor and distressed furniture all provide a subtle foil for a wall of exquisite oil paintings. So put the tv on, if you wish, or take a seat at the dining table, and alternate between feasts visual and gastronomic.
You’ve two classical portraits presiding over the master bedroom’s king sized bed, while next door, the en suite bathroom holds a walk-in shower, a deep bath and his and hers sinks. The second bedroom is similarly spacious and delicately pretty, with a tv and a further ensuite.
New attractions
Chelsea is where old money meets new, this is where you’ll see country lords and ladies shopping alongside some of the city’s brightest young things. There are bars and restaurants to suit every taste, from Gordon Ramsey’s three Michelin starred flagship dining room down to the humblest of neighbourhood bistros. Stock up on cashmere, go for a walk along the Thames or catch some new writing at The Royal Court Theatre. Or, if you’d rather get into town, a tube from Sloane Square can have you at Piccadilly Circus in fifteen minutes.
