Linden and Ally - the kind of people you are just glad to cross paths with. Warm, helpful, conscious of others and kind. Respectful of your privacy but would go out of their way to help you if you need a hand with anything.
The house itself is also beautiful and as shown in the photos. There's a real art to using colour, memories, layout and light to create an instant feeling of being home (without it feeling like "someone else's home"). It's the kind of place that awakens your creative senses yet and the same time, gives a feeling of zen. Mementoes of travels are all over the house from artwork to guidebooks though to plant selection in their beautiful garden as a nod to other continents. It all hangs together beautifully. For example, I'm not sure how they manage to put what looks like a banana plant next to a climbing jasmine and a bottlebrush next to lavender, but it all works and is reflective of the design style of the house. It all feels harmonious. If you are like me and have travelled extensively, the travel mementoes in each room of the house brings back so many fond memories and inspiration for creating new ones. The bookshelves are also a bit awesome and stocked full of some of my favourite books and again feels nice to flick through some good memories there of books I've loved and find the next book to curl up and read. There's also not a single Ikea plate or glass in the kitchen, but cast iron pots and hand made pottery - perhaps made by one of the hosts? It's hard not to love how personal it all feels, but not lacking any of your usual modern comforts. Outside the door is Brockwell Park. Being near greenery in London is always a gift when you need a break from the beautiful chaos of the city - so this has both on your doorstep. With so many places that feel homogenous these days, this is refreshing.
My beautiful hosts and the house they have lovingly restored and renovated, and been kind enough to share has a real soul and reflects the parts of London I love the most, a cultural blend of art, books, furniture and travel memories to inspire the mind to come home to after a day out with more of the same. Highly recommend.