Open Doors: six flats with outdoor terraces for sale in London
For the city dweller, a balcony or roof terrace can be just the ticket. A private oasis up high, it’s the ideal spot to enjoy your morning coffee, grow flowers or vegetables, or enjoy summer suppers with friends. Here, we’re sharing some of our favourite London flats with terraces – everything from an expansive decked affair in Kennington to a richly planted south-facing terrace in South Kensington that accompanies a converted ballroom.
Cabanel Place, London SE11
This impressive terrace spreads across 850 sq ft – plenty of space for you and 29 of your friends. Occupying part of the third floor of a Grade II-listed former school in Kennington, it features wooden decking, built-in seating and striking Corten planters, designed by Simon Pengelly. A mixture of planting, including soft grasses and more structural shrubs, provide shelter from the wind, while also offering some privacy.
Stanley Cohen House, Golden Lane Estate, London EC1
Taking over the top floor of the Stanley Cohen House on the Golden Lane Estate, this terrace runs alongside the living area and bedroom. Built-in benches make the most of the 7-metre wide space, providing fantastic views of the rest of the estate, which was designed to celebrate inner-city living. As its architects declared in 1957, “we regard the whole scheme as urban. We have no desire to make the project look like a garden suburb.”
Great Eastern Street II, London EC2
Offering fantastic views of the city, this terrace is the ideal size, with just enough space for a dining table, seating and a sandpit for children. Conceived by Zuber Dobson Architects, it accompanies a converted Victorian warehouse apartment between Old Street and Shoreditch and is accessed via a mezzanine level that contains a playroom and second living area.
Gatti House, Strand, London WC2
Reached through the open-plan living area, this south-facing roof terrace forms part of an airy Grade II-listed penthouse apartment on the Strand. Floor-to-ceiling windows blur the boundaries between indoors and out, increasing the sense of space – quite the feat considering it already exceeds 2,300 sq ft internally – and providing impressive views of the Thames Embankment. The terrace itself offers a lovely set-up, with rattan seating and large pots planted with box and topiary.
The Triangle, Cyrus Street, London EC1
Bordered by the living area and kitchen, this little balcony in Clerkenwell is wonderfully sheltered from the elements, offering just enough space for a table, two chairs and a handful of plants. Part of a 1970s estate designed by former RIBA vice-president Clifford Culpin, the balcony brings even more light into the flat, while the patterned outdoor rug picks up on the colourful interiors.
Courtfield Gardens, London SW5
Huge French doors lead onto the delightful balcony that accompanies this flat in Gloucester Road. Densely planted with hydrangeas and jasmine, the terrace offers the ideal oasis, surrounded by an elegant wrought-iron balustrade and looking out onto a verdant churchyard square. Black and white tiles underfoot honour the classical feeling of the interior and reference the apartment’s former life as a ballroom.
RELATED ON THE MODERN HOUSE
Water's Edge: five homes that take in Britain’s rugged coastline
Lessons in Lateral Living: five singular single-storey dwellings
Views From Above: five homes that celebrate London’s skyline
Bright Futures: six projects packed with potential
Rich Pickings: three homes for sale in Kent
Opportunity Knocks: seven homes with earning potential
From the Ground Up: six plots now for sale
Bright Sparks: five light-filled homes for sale
Love at First Sight: homes with spectacular views for sale