Inside a 7,500 Sq Ft Knightsbridge Townhouse with a Glass Elevator and Its Own Private Spa and Gym

A Historic Exterior with Modern Interiors

Herbert Crescent is unusual within Knightsbridge, where many neighbouring properties were built in the Queen Anne Revival style. As Jessica explains, this terrace was built in the late 1800s in an Arts and Crafts style, making it particularly distinctive. The house underwent a complete renovation using façade retention, meaning the original exterior remains while everything behind it has been newly rebuilt. “Everything else is brand newly rebuilt behind it” says Jessica, creating a contemporary home within a historic London setting.

Spaces Made for Entertaining

The dining room and kitchen form an important part of the home’s entertaining spaces, with the dining room designed to work equally well for formal dinners and casual breakfasts. Fossilised limestone from Cornwall runs through both spaces, paired with walnut cabinetry and a Wolf cooker and Gaggenau appliances in the kitchen.

A Reception Floor for Entertaining

The first-floor reception is divided between a relaxed TV area and a more formal entertaining space, with a bespoke Art Deco furniture package continuing the house’s design language. A hidden television sits within the timber joinery, while a fireplace, bookcases, patterned rug and hand-painted silk wallpaper create a richer decorative backdrop. Jessica’s favourite details include the two stone columns, which bring out the earthy reds and oranges of the furniture and wallpaper.

The Principal Suite

The entire second floor is devoted to the principal suite, creating a generous private level with a bedroom, sitting area, dressing room and two bathrooms. Jessica describes the bedroom as “a really calming space”, with a super king-size bed, separate seating and views towards Sloane Street bringing in plenty of natural light. Lilac silk covers the walls, finished with Art Deco-inspired timber detailing, while the adjoining bathrooms use dramatic marble throughout. In the dressing room, natural olive and maple veneer joinery provides extensive storage while adding warmth to the space. Jessica also points out a practical detail behind the material choice: “What you may not know is that in order to protect clothes, it’s actually really important to have a certain type of wood so that it prevents the moths from getting to your clothes.” It is a small detail that reflects the level of thought given to the home’s finishes.

Children’s Rooms and Guest Accommodation

The third floor houses two generous bedroom suites currently used by the owners’ children, each with its own bathroom, dressing room and built-in desk. The same attention to detail continues here, with individual marble finishes in each bathroom and separate access allowing staff to maintain the rooms without entering through the main bedrooms.

An Art Deco Study

The study shifts into a darker, more intimate mood, with oak covering the room from floor to ceiling alongside leather panelling and traditional office-style seating. “You can smell the woods and the leather as you step into it” Jessica says, capturing the sensory quality of the space. A leather floor trimmed with brass inlay and arranged in a checkerboard pattern adds another layer of Art Deco detailing, while an additional dressing room nearby provides practical storage for seasonal wardrobes.

A Roof Terrace Above Knightsbridge

At the top of the house, the roof terrace offers an unexpected outdoor escape in the centre of London. South-facing and positioned among some of the highest buildings in the surrounding area, it benefits from strong sunlight and views towards Hyde Park. A living wall wraps around the terrace and is supported by an irrigation system, making it easier to maintain. For Jessica, it offers privacy above the city which is quite rare. For Jessica, it offers rare privacy above the city, a quiet retreat in the heart of Knightsbridge, whether hosting friends around the barbecue or simply reading a book.

Lower Floors Designed for Modern Everyday Living

The lower levels are planned to support the main living spaces without compromising their privacy. Staff have their own accommodation, kitchen and separate entrance, while a more relaxed TV room gives teenagers a dedicated space to spend time with friends. The home is also fully connected through a smart-home system controlling lighting, curtains, AV and speakers from an app. A separate staff kitchen acts as both a prep space for entertaining and a place for staff to take a break away from the principal rooms.

A Private Gym, Spa and Wine Cellar

The lower ground floor brings together a gym, sauna, washroom and wine cellar, all finished to the same standard as the upper floors. The gym combines floor-to-ceiling marble, leather-lined walls, brass inlay and Art Deco ceiling detailing, while the sauna and washroom continue the extensive use of stone. Nearby, the temperature-controlled wine cellar is lined with limestone and wood shelving, giving it a distinctly Italianate character. “It may be one of my favourite rooms in the home” says Jessica of the cellar.

A Dressing Room for Every Season

The last level includes an additional dressing room dedicated to the owners’ winter wardrobes, complete with leather-lined shelving, walnut cabinetry, a vanity area and generous hanging space for eveningwear. A separate space is dedicated to shoes, while concealed doors and storage appear throughout the house, reinforcing the emphasis on practical, discreet planning.

A Home Designed for Modern Living

From its historic façade to its glass lift, detailed marblework and layered entertaining spaces, Herbert Crescent is a well-designed luxury private residence in central London. The home combines formal rooms with relaxed family spaces, extensive staff accommodation and technology that supports modern living. As Jessica puts it, “literally every single floor of this house has been finished to the highest quality standard” with the same level of attention carried throughout the property.

This Knightsbridge townhouse is listed by Jessica Bishop of DDRE Global, a luxury property agency specialising in exceptional homes across prime international markets.

Listed by: Jessica Bishop, DDRE Global
Phone: +44 (0)78 1421 4930
Email: jessica.bishop@ddre.global
Instagram: @jessica.bishop.property