Show Home Room By Room: City North Sky Villas, Finsbury Park

Telford Homes has reopened the doors of an exceptional show home at Sky Villas, and exclusive part of its City North development in Finsbury Park.

Located in the 11-storey Carriage House, there are just 11 Sky Villa duplex apartments and three penthouses. These homes range in size from 1,292 sq ft to 2,647 sq ft and come with three or four bedrooms. There are features such as an open-plan kitchen/living space with access to a private terrace with views across London, floor-to-ceiling windows and large master bedroom complete with a luxury en suite and dressing area.

All Sky Villas and penthouses feature access to a private residents’ roof terrace located on the 10th floor of Carriage House, access to The Pavilion landscaped roof garden and the private residents’ lounge, as well as the 24-hour concierge service and basement bicycle storage.

Rob Burton, co-founder of DAPA interiors, takes us through the spectacular show apartment.

“The three-bed Sky Villa apartment was a great space to design – the split levels and large space mean it feels more like a house than an apartment. The size and price point of the properties in the Sky Villa collection mean they are more likely to appeal to second or third time buyers – so we wanted to make the space feel sophisticated, elegant and travelled. Show homes can often feel like demonstration spaces, but we wanted to really show people how they could use the homes, and enable them to picture themselves living there.”

“The open-plan living space is the impressive focal point of the property. We wanted to show people how functional the space is, and how it can be carved up for different uses. We used a corner sofa with a low back to zone the area, almost splitting it in half to create an area for relaxing, and another for entertaining and dining, with a walkway down the middle leading out to the terrace.

“The sofa has a higher back in one corner, creating a little nook ideal for curling up and reading a book or watching television. The six-seater dining table is perfect for entertaining or hosting a dinner party, and we chose dainty dining room chairs with open backs so they don’t take up too much space, and still leave a clear walkway out to the terrace. We wanted people to be able to imagine heading outside for drinks on the terrace after dinner, and even placed a small bar in the corner of the room, which could otherwise have become a redundant space.

“We specifically chose a real mix of items to dress the space. Sophisticated, contemporary furniture is complemented by unique items, such as a hand-crafted rug, designed to look as though it could have been brought back from a Souk in Marrakesh – appealing to the well-travelled buyer. We hung two striking pieces of art, inspired by park living, to reflect the feel of the Finsbury Park area. That’s a theme that runs throughout the whole apartment – with the diversity of the area reflected in the eclectic mix of materials used in the finishings – from velvets and brass to concrete.”

“We wanted the terrace to feel like a functional, useable extension of the living area – especially given how important outdoor space has become since lockdown. We replicated what’s inside, outside with a six-seater table and large sofa; we wanted people to imagine continuing an evening of entertaining outside, or relaxing on the sofa and taking in the beautiful views. We also put in some storage areas, to show people where they could put the cushions away at night, as well as using lots of outdoor plants to create an urban oasis in the city.”

“We wanted the master bedroom to feel really luxurious, so we used lots of layers and textures to give it a really rich feel. We created a paint-block feature wall using smokey-blue paint, off-set with bronze and off-white, to create a multi-layered border around the headboard of the bed. A dividing wall creates a natural break through the room, which we used to create a separate, intimate dressing area – enhanced with a leaning dresser unit, large mirror and coat hanger hooks. We wanted buyers to be able to imagine getting themselves ready in there for a night out or an evening of entertaining.”

“The guest bedroom is where you can have the most fun in a home – it’s where people can showcase their travels and their story and make a statement when guests come over - so we wanted to reflect that in the décor. We gave the room an oriental feel, with striking artwork of an oriental dress and opal glass globe light fixtures, complemented with deep bronze wallpaper.”

“In the original brief, a working space was optional, but it became clear as lockdown hit that all show homes would need to demonstrate how they could be used to work from home. We turned the third bedroom into a hybrid spill-over bedroom and private home study, featuring a large bed alongside a stylish desk, facing outwards towards the beautiful view across the city.”

“Hallways can sometimes feel like a redundant space, but we wanted to make it a destination in itself, helping spark potential buyers interest from the word go. We used punchy, bold wallpaper to make people think ‘wow’ the minute they walk in, and set the tone for the rest of the home. The long vision lines also give a glimpse of the impressive living area the minute you walk in the door.”

Find out more about all the properties for sale at City North from Telford Homes. 

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