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Top five for January 2022 | Location Agency Blog | 1st Option

Top five for January 2022

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A new year often brings many changes with it, one change it can’t bring, however, is the amount of incredible new locations that flow through our doors on a monthly basis. Following on from the outstanding end to 2021, we have been incredibly lucky to welcome a multitude of amazing new locations. January 2022 may well be the best January we’ve ever had – seeing us take on properties ranging from one-of-a-kind architect designed homes to Grade II listed Georgian Villas, gorgeous East London family homes to Georgian manor houses set within 88 acres of land. Before we get into it, if you want the inside scoop, make sure you check out our interior design predictions for the year ahead, in the meantime, here’s our top five for January. 

Arezzo 

Designed by the incredible interior design outfit that created Nash and Angel – amongst many other superb properties – All and Nxthing has brought another masterpiece to life. Welcome to Arezzo. This exceptionally spacious family home in North London has been designed meticulously. Prevailing interiors consist of raw materials including steel, concrete, oak and leather, all of which provide visual connection throughout the space. This is matched by the living room’s solid oak slatted ceiling, which adds warmth, whilst mirroring the kitchen and its island’s ribbed oak cabinet doors. Likewise, the circular kitchen island, dining table and library poles also add weight and sophistication, juxtaposing the clean lines on show. Light inundates the space, beaming through the 3.5m skylight, the large crittal doors and the oversized oriel windows – all of which add to the refinement of the space. Minimalism presides throughout the rest of the house, with standout features including original artwork, tons of natural hues and natural materials from end to end. Due to the size of Arezzo, we would recommend only small-scale filming and photoshoots here. 

Clean lines and sophisticated interiors at Arezzo

Birchwood House

Staying in North West London, just a short walk from Arezzo, our second new location this month is the rather memorable Birchwood House. This remarkably unique location combines old and new, bringing together an 1860’s cottage with a lateral 2000 sq ft modern glass extension, all set around a glorious courtyard. This light-filled property features a striking double-height atrium, discovered upon entry, with a large glass roof, concrete flooring, original columns and to top it off, original lead lattice windows found in the old cottage. Outstanding features are part and parcel of being a shoot location, however, Birchwood House’s courtyard is a lion amongst sheep. The area is surrounded by gorgeous birch trees and an array of eye-catching seating covered in patina, adding character to this spectacular home. Interiors consist of a contemporary minimalistic aesthetic, with remarkable touches throughout, including a suspended wood burner, glass walls, a spiral wooden staircase and the most outstanding wall of marble in the bathroom. Birchwood is vast, with tons of space for shooting, so filming and photoshoots are ideal here. 

Birchwood House showcasing contemporary minimalistic interiors

Homestead

We are absolutely delighted to announce our third new location this month! Take a look around Homestead, a marvellous East London Victorian Villa, with spacious rooms, great natural light and a huge 159 ft south-facing garden. The house itself features an extensive kitchen/ living/ dining area, finished with bundles of premium touches. These include polished concrete flooring, crittal doors, brass fittings, neutral hues and skylights that immerse the space with natural light – making it perfect for day shoots! You don’t have to look too hard to find exceptional elements at Homestead, as this outstanding property is brimming with original period features; check out the original 1920’s Versailles parquet flooring with walnut trim, a working Victorian style marble fireplace with a classic Chesney’s fire basket, bay windows, sash windows and biophilia that can be found throughout, adding that touch of elegance. If we hadn’t sold Homestead enough already, the huge rear garden incorporates a garage, a large patio, a wooden-clad summerhouse and an outdoor kitchen that steals the show. With open-plan spaces and tons of opportunity for pull-back, there are many areas within this special home that filming would be ideal for. And with an array of rooms offering different shooting opportunities, we would recommend photoshoots here too.

The light and spacious Homestead

Medallion

From a family home in East London, to a manor house situated within 88 acres of parkland, on the edge of the Salisbury plain – we could not offer you more variety if we tried. Located in an area of outstanding natural beauty, our next location is Medallion: a classic Georgian manor house, approached through an enchanting tree lined drive that will have you swooning before you even enter the property. This 10,000 sq ft location house, with 8 bedrooms and 4 reception rooms offers a unique and eclectic mix of period decoration and contemporary art and furniture, with a plethora of colour throughout. You would be right to assume that a property of this magnitude is littered with remarkable touches. Venture inside to find quirky decor throughout the drawing and ballrooms (both of which feature soaring vaulted ceilings), and step outside to find 4 acres of formal and informal gardens, a swimming pool, kitchen garden, tennis court and a Georgian stables complex, complete with stable yard. With such extensive assets, you won’t struggle to find unique filming or photoshoot opportunities here at Medallion.

Medallion offers outstanding gardens and eclectic interiors

Ophelia

Our final location of the month takes us to Crystal Palace. Check out Ophelia, a Grade II listed, semi-detached Georgian Villa. Built as one of the original exhibition Georgian Villas in early 1830, the property offers a gorgeous blend of original features, offset against a modern, but complementary extension. Interiors consist of 2 formal, period living rooms and a large open-plan kitchen/ dining room; expect to see traditional furniture, exposed brick, tiled flooring, a muted colour palette and skylights – allowing for natural light to beam in. Plants are the overarching theme when you proceed outside, where you’ll find a gorgeous manicured garden area, designed with an Italian feel. This consists of a flower room and summer house, set upon 3 levels. If you like the look of Ophelia, we would recommend opting for stills or very small-scale filming in the kitchen/ dining area. 

The modern but complementary extension on show at Ophelia