by James Balston | Mar 14, 2019 | 1970s, Apartments, Crystal Palace, Design, Kitchens
In my experience, having work done on your home, is unlikely to be drama free, but I won’t go into the can of worms we opened late last summer when we started work on our new kitchen. We are delighted with the results, and the stress, noise, and dust, are but... 
by James Balston | Jul 12, 2018 | 1970s, Apartments, Colour, Kitchens
It’s time to say a fond farewell to our classic 1970s avocado kitchen! As much as I love it, it’s time for an upgrade, and a dishwasher apart from anything else. This was the original kitchen, installed when the block was built in about ’81, so ok... 
by James Balston | Jan 18, 2017 | Apartments, Architecture, Cityscape
One of the most memorable shoots of 2016, was a major development by Squire & Partners, at Elephant & Castle in South London. One The Elephant, as it’s known, is a 37 storey residential tower built by Lend Lease. What made the three day shoot... 
by James Balston | Dec 3, 2016 | Apartments, Architecture, Bathrooms, Bedrooms, Cityscape, Kitchens
I heard it said that Vauxhall is the new Knightsbridge. While this may be a tad exaggerated, even by property marketing standards, there are elements of truth. Perhaps more accurate would be Vauxhall is the new Mayfair, for the simple reason that the American embassy... 
by James Balston | Aug 24, 2016 | Apartments, Bathrooms, Kitchens, London
Symbolic of luxury since ancient times, marble appears to be more in demand than ever. And these days it’s not only the pure white variety of this metamorphic rock that’s popular, but every shade from white to black. Judging by how much I’ve seen on... 
by James Balston | Feb 16, 2016 | Antiques, Apartments, Architecture, Artists' Homes, Contemporary, Crystal Palace, Designers & Architects, London, Restaurants, The Triangle SE19, Workplace
London’s centre of gravity is on the move. The city’s ancient roots are of course north of the river, with many of its landmarks and institutions dotted along that side of the Thames. Centuries of expansion, while not confined to the north, saw it’s...