Simon Barnes explains why the stucco fronted house in Prime Central London is seen as a status symbol by international buyers
“Regent’s Park offers some of London’s most desirable and iconic stucco-fronted houses; crescents of period Nash built properties looking out across the vast green space of Regent’s Park. For international buyers London’s stucco fronted homes represent a status symbol with their imposing grand facades, pillars and ornate front doors.
The Royal Parks and Crown Estate who manage the buildings are most diligent about the upkeep and external appearance, so the properties are immaculately presented with paint in a uniform shade and all kept in tip top condition.
The quiet streets of Belgravia with Eaton Square and Chester Square boast grand stucco facades, long favoured by the aristocracy and the great and the good, including the Late Baroness Thatcher, who was a long term resident of a stucco townhouse in Chester Square.
Over the centuries, these traditional period townhouses have remained largely unchanged in layout. They tend to be tall and narrow with similar floorplates – staircases leading off a narrow deep hallway and a main L-shaped reception room; neither particularly inspiring or practical and because they are usually listed, alterations and reconfiguration is very restricted.
Stucco fronted ‘trophy homes”
Buyers from overseas are seduced by the symmetry and grandeur of the stucco facades, which they consider typical of London’s finest residential offering. They overlook the impractical design, lack of lateral space and listed status and perhaps because many of them do not use the property as a main home, but own several homes around the world, they are able to accept the imperfections safe in the knowledge that they are happily stuck with one of London’s trophy homes.”
About Stucco – from Wikipedia
Stucco is a material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture.