Movie MAGIC
WITH LONDON THE JEWEL OF THE THRIVING UK FILM INDUSTRY, IT’S LITTLE WONDER PROPERTIES IN THE CAPITAL ARE IN DEMAND AS BACKDROPS AS WELL AS HOMES FOR VISITING TALENT, WRITES ALEXANDRA GOSS
For more than 16 years, Simon Grantley has rented out his sleek, industrial-style apartment in Shoreditch for hundreds of film shoots and TV programmes – it has appeared in hit shows including Killing Eve, Fleabag and Catastrophe. Yet, even after all this time, he’s never lost the thrill of seeing his home, a 2,000 sq ft former art gallery, on screen.
“When the film crews are here you get a sense of what they’re filming, but not necessarily where it fits into the storyline,” says the 65-yearold, who has decided to move out of London, and so is selling up through Savills for £1.65m.
“When it’s all put together and I sit down to watch, it’s really a game of ‘spot my house,’ which never gets old. I still get a kick out of it.”
While Hollywood has been affected by Covid-19, the 2023 writers’ strikes and recent devastating wildfires in Los
Angeles, the UK film industry is thriving. Surrey’s Shepperton Studios and Pinewood Studios, in Buckinghamshire, are going from strength to strength, and some of the biggest films of the past year – including Paddington in Peru, Jurassic World Rebirth, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy and Oscar-nominated Wicked – were all extensively shot at the new Sky Studios Elstree in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. London itself continues to be a top location too, with the eighth instalment in the Mission: Impossible franchise, The Final Reckoning, filmed in Trafalgar Square and South Kensington. Boosted by tax breaks for
SEEN ON SCREEN
Clockwise from opposite: A doublefronted Victorian home in Streatham, Amble is one of Love Location’s most popular rental properties; Simon Grantley’s Dingley Place apartment in Shoreditch has had a number of starring roles; while filming Wicked at Sky Studios Elstree, Ariana Grande stayed in Hampstead Heath; Paddington in Peru was also filmed at the Borehamwood set
PHOTOGRAPHS: KUBILAI’S TENT; DEAN HEARNE; RACHAEL SMITH; IKSEL; PAUL MASSEY;
LOOK UP
THE CEILING IS FINALLY GETTING SOME MUCH-NEEDED ATTENTION, FROM COLOUR-DRENCHING AND WALLPAPERS, TO MURALS AND ORNATE PLASTERWORK, DISCOVERS SERENA FOKSCHANER
FROM THE TOP Clockwise from top left: Iksel’s hand-painted Kubilai’s Tent wallpaper and ceiling design was inspired by Abbasid wainscoting; OWN London choose the tile-effect wallpaper on the ceiling of the TV room in this west London renovation to add warmth and reflect the clients’ Sri Lankan heritage; the pink two-tone effect in Edward Bulmer Natural Paint shades of Nicaragua and Pompadour will bathe guests in a flattering rosy glow; Iksel’s trompe-l’oeil vaulted ceiling covering is ideal for creating a fresh take on period decor, while disguising any minor flaws; Designed by Emma Burns at Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler’s studio, the ceiling of this barn conversion’s bar niche is adorned with a painted vintage Campari motif, creating an afterhours cocktail-hour feel; with its tray ceiling and all-over painterly sky-blue hues, this Chelsea Barracks apartment bedroom has been transformed into a tranquil sleep space by Studio Squire
ART OF DIPLOMACY
CREATING AN AESTHETIC BACKDROP TO HALLS OF POWERS IN THE UK AND AROUND THE WORLD, THE GOVERNMENT ART COLLECTION HAS EVOLVED TO REFLECT THE EVER-CHANGING FACE OF THE COUNTRY, HARRIET GRIFFEY DISCOVERS
When president Volodymur Zelensky sat down with prime minister Keir Starmer for talks at 10 Downing Street on 10 October last year, the press photos showed two beautiful Paula Rego studies for Crivelli’s Garden murals on the wall behind them. These canvases are two of five works by Rego bought by the Government Art Collection (GAC), which is currently marking its 125th anniversary.
The GAC displays works of art not only in British government buildings in the UK, but also in more than 125 countries around the world. And it all began in December 1899, when Reginald Baliol Brett, the permanent secretary to the Office of Works, wrote to Sir Francis Mowatt, the permanent secretary to the Treasury, asking to spend £150 to buy five artworks for the Foreign Office. He felt that the walls of the State Room had started to
look a little shabby, and that by hanging some paintings they would ‘save us a good sum in decoration’. Today, the GAC’s 15,000 works of art range from the 16th century to present day masterpieces and their display is designed to promote all aspects of British art, history and culture worldwide.
By the early 1900s, the British Embassy in Paris was home to a full-length portrait of Edward Vll. Over time, the presence of art on the walls of embassies had moved beyond being seen as just decoration, and became increasingly recognised by diplomatic staff as a way to promote the British abroad and they began to send memos to the Foreign Office, urgently requesting more art. Consequently, in 1935 the Treasury authorised an annual fund of £250 to buy art for British diplomatic posts abroad, resulting in an Overseas Picture Committee made up of the directors of the
National, Tate and National Portrait Galleries, to guide the acquisition of new works.
The GAC also received donations. In 1937, Lord Joseph Duveen, art dealer and benefactor, donated a pair of portraits of George lll and Queen Charlotte to the newly built British Embassy in Washington DC, mischievously referring to the King’s portrait as that of the ‘founder of the American Republic’ (leaving guests to wonder why George Washington looked so different in appearance). Today, Andy Warhol’s famous 1985 screen print of the late Queen Elizabeth ll graces the walls of the British Embassy in Washington DC, with another edition of the print hanging in residence at the UK Mission to the United Nations.
After the Second World War, attitudes shifted and in 1946 the GAC appointed its first curator, Richard Perry Bedford, a sculptor and former curator at the
PRIME POSITION Above: Two of Paula Rego’s studies for Crivelli’s Garden – four murals depicting the lives of female saints painted for the National Gallery’s restaurant – hang in the prime minister’s Downing Street residence. The Visitation depicts St Elizabeth telling her cousin Mary, the mother of Jesus, that despite being past child-bearing age, she’s expecting a child. Meanwhile, St John the Baptist can be seen in the background holding a lamb
PORTRAIT OF A NATION Clockwise from top left: Hew Locke’s collage The Prize is based in the British Embassy’s Washington DC office; hanging in the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, Devotional by Sonia Boyce is a totemic list of popular Black female singers through recent history; there are two of Andy
iconic print of Queen Elizabeth II in the GAC portfolio, one in the British Embassy in the US capital, and the other at the UN’s UK Mission
Warhol’s
THE NEWLY OPENED
FOUR SEASONS RESORT
THE NAM HAI, IN
HOI AN, VIETNAM
EASTERN PROMISE
Discover the very latest luxury hotel openings in Japan, Cambodia and Vietnam for a far-flung adventure this year
FOUR SEASONS RESORT, HOI AN, VIETNAM
The idyllic surroundings of The Nam Hai luxury beach resort, opposite, on Vietnam’s central coast offer a reconnection with nature. Find immersive cultural excursions, above, and experiences, from a spiritual voyage of Unesco World Heritage ancient Hindu temple, to a ricefarming experience or a basket boat tour on the Cua Dai River. At the resort, guests can participate in the Thap Nen candle-lighting ceremony at sunset and the cooking academy. $1,040 a night for a one-bed villa from April. fourseasons.com
SHANGRI-LA PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
Shangri-La’s debut in the Cambodian capital is located near attractions including the Peak Luxury Mall and Koh Pich Enjoying majestic views of the Mekong River, the hotel offers a sanctuary within the bustling city. The 303 guest rooms, suites and apartments feature interiors influenced by French art deco and Khmer arts. Indulge in fine dining with a choice of five restaurants. At the signature Shang Palace, find elegant Malaysian dishes with Cantonese origins. From £193 for a Superior King City View room, with no inclusions. shangri-la.com
ROSEWOOD MIYAKOJIMA, JAPAN
Blossoming this spring, the latest hotel in the Rosewood family will open its doors on the serene Ryukyu island of Miyakojima. Featuring 55 exquisite villas with private pools, it’s surrounded by the magnificent seascape of the Miyako Blue Sea. Creating a synergy between spiritual harmony and traditional Japanese craftsmanship, the seamless design was conceived by Netherlands-based Studio Piet Boon. Guests can choose from four beachfront restaurants, and holistically rejuvenate at the Asaya Spa. From £950 a night for a room. rosewoodhotels.com L
SHANGRI-LA PHNOM PENH
ROSEWOOD MIYAKOJIMA
