Leighton House and Sambourne House re-open
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Leighton House and Sambourne, two very different Kensington houses re-open after a refurbishment and they are spectacular
A beautiful room surrounded by bright blue mosaic and a golden-domed ceiling, with a fountain at its centre - the Arab hall is a beautiful jewel at the centre of Leighton House and the house has re-opened after a major refurbishment, including a chance to re-visit this stunning centrepiece.
Leighton House, the home of Victorian artist and former president of the Royal Academy Frederic, Lord Leighton, has always felt like a hidden gem in Kensington and now there’s even more reasons to visit as the architectural additions include a transformed new wing and lots more exhibition space to house works and temporary displays outside of the resplendent rooms of the house.
Most obvious is a naturally lit winter studio filled with easels, and sunlight flooding in from the skylights. It introduces much needed freshness to the house and is reached through a bright blue spiral staircase that complements the rest of the home’s interiors.
All these additions are very much in keeping with Leighton’s obsession with the art and design of the Middle East and North Africa, and now this oasis away from the noisy streets of London gives visitors even more room to breathe.
A short walk away Sambourne House has also opened to the public and this family home of cartoonist and illustrator Edward Sambourne is a completely different experience - jam packed with drawings, photographs, furniture and a bizarre collection of shells arranged as if in a shrine.
It feels very much like John Soanes Museum in how densely populated it is, and that a sudden turn could send an object flying - meriting a good few hours of careful investigation of every nook and cranny across the four stories of the building.
In the past it’s only been open on special occasions, so to have it permanently open for visitors to peruse alongside its sister museum means a whole day can be spent finding hidden treasures among these two spectacular houses.
Leighton House and Sambourne House re-open on 15 October. £11 each or joint ticket £20.
