WINTER 2017

ISLINGTON

23

Karen Keating’s Islington

Sweet treats, Speedos and our new addition in eclectic Islington

Finish this sentence: ‘You know you’re in Islington when...’ … you see a man in a suit followed by a man in Speedos and it doesn’t shock you! You’ll find everyone and anyone here – it’s incredibly diverse.

Name a shop in your area that you couldn’t live without: Euphorium Bakery [branches at 79 and 202 Upper Street, N1] – it does amazing coffee and a lot of weight has been gained from their delicious pastry selection.

If there’s one piece of advice I’d give buyers in Islington, it would be... When you’re searching for property, don’t just think about what you need in the next few years, think in terms of at least five to 10 years – Islington is such a good place to live, work and bring up a family, that you won’t want to leave!

Get the price right and it will sell. There’s such a variety of properties that buyers have a really good idea of what’s available in their specific price band – whether that’s £450,000 to £500,000, or £3m and more.

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I’m in love with a little tapas bar on Upper Street called La Farola. It does a fantastic late breakfast menu and fabulous eggs with hollandaise sauce.

What are the latest home and interiors trends you are seeing? I love what a lot of homeowners are doing by renovating their period features while keeping a modern vibe. So, for example they might have a funky colour scheme in their living room but they’ve also taken time to restore the original cornices, fireplaces and ceiling roses.

What’s the local outlook for Islington in 2017? Trends in central London tend to filter out here, so with the prime end of the market now moving, it will impact here, same with the lower end. With so many new businesses opening and great bars, restaurants and schools, we expect Islington to be a popular place to buy or rent.

IT’S SUCH A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND BRING UP A FAMILY

If there’s one piece of advice I’d give sellers in Islington, it would be...

Find Karen and her team at: Dexters Islington 76 Upper Street, London, N1 0NU 020 7483 6373

Any particular favourites?

What’s changing? What’s the most exciting development you’ve seen over the past two years? More and more businesses are opening in Islington so it’s a vibrant place to work. There’s also the Night Tube, which is likely to see more people come to Islington for the nightlife, supporting the already thriving bar and restaurant scene.

And what do you love most about Islington and where it’s heading? I love the fact it’s so diverse. You see this reflected in the properties too – you can have beautiful Georgian terraces and good value smaller homes within a stone’s throw of each other. There’s something for everyone here, which is what keeps the area so full of energy and life.

What’s the favourite part of your day? There’s such a buzz around Islington. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is when you step out of Angel Tube station – the streets are always busy. dexters.co.uk