Commendation for best interior design of a new home
Luxury living
You know you have arrived when you can afford to live in Eaton Park Road, one of the best roads in Cobham, lined with mature trees whose leafy canopies meet overhead, and with neatly clipped grass verges on either side, but nothing so ordinary as a pavement – or sidewalk, as it is more accurately called by those who send their children to the local American School.
This is luxury living at a price, though the £3.5 million value placed on it last year represents good value for money, given that this six-bedroom house of 8,000 sq ft stands in two acres of landscaped gardens and wooded grounds, with a large swimming pool set in a paved surround immediately outside the back of the house, and large lawns and high hedges beyond. There are other houses at this price – and more - in Cobham that are nowhere near as spacious, well designed or comfortable.
Approached through double wrought-iron electronic security entrance gates, the classical white-rendered house sits at the top of its private drive, with garaging for three cars and a pillared front porch with coupled columns. A pair of front doors made of solid American white oak open into a doubleheight entrance hall, whose vaulted ceiling also spans the large dining room beyond, which is entered by double glass doors set in fixed glass panels on either side.
From the dining room, sliding glass doors open onto the paved terrace leading to the swimming pool, which has its own changing rooms and an al fresco dining area under a pergola. The stepped rear elevation resembles a Moorish or Mediterranean villa, and the round-topped double-height central glass doors and windows reminds one of a portcullis.
A wide staircase of Italian stone off the entrance hall leads up to an indoor balcony with a chrome and glass balustrade on the side that overlooks the hall, and three tall windows on the side overlooking the dining room. This balcony becomes a conventional corridor giving access to all six bedrooms on the first floor, including the magnificent master bedroom suite, with its walk-in dressing room and a bathroom with twin washbasins, WC, bath and separate double shower. There are four other double bedrooms, two with ensuite bathrooms, and a guest bedroom suite with its own dressing room and ensuite bathroom.
The spacious drawing room, which is almost 35ft long, is entered through a pair of full-height double doors of oak and glass. The focal point of the room is the modern fireplace set in an oak-clad chimney breast, with tall windows on either side giving views of the garden. One wall has full-height glass doors opening onto the paved terrace and the pool.
The large kitchen, breakfast room is designed for comfortable family living, with an area for informal dining and double glass doors opening onto the terrace and the pool area. The kitchen area is planned around a large central island, where the hob and extractor hood are located, with a wall of built-in cupboards and appliances, including an American-style fridge freezer, a separate wine fridge, microwave oven and coffee maker.
With its restrained classical exterior, the surprise of this is its unashamedly contemporary and comfortable interior, using the best materials, fittings and appliances, but resisting going over the top with unnecessary frills or fripperies that are the hallmark of bad taste. The developers of this exceptional new house are Allos Jasinski Homes, part of the Allos Jasinski group based in Esher, Surrey, which specialises in building luxury houses combining classical elegance with state-of-theart technology and design on the Crown Estate at Oxshott, the Fairmile estate in Cobham, and in the “upscale” parts of
Esher, Wimbledon and Coombe Hill. Mayad Allos is the builder and developer behind Allos Jasinski Homes, and his business partner is architect Marek Jasinksi RIBA of Allos Jasinski Design. The interior designer is Aida Allos, of Aida Interiors, whose cool style so impressed the judges that they had no hesitation in giving this house the award for Best Interior Design of the Year. Just to complete the family links, all the photographs were taken by Liana Allos.
HomeBuilder: ALLOS JASINSKI HOMES
Elm House Studios, 138 High Street, Esher, Surrey KT10 9QJ
Tel 01372 470015 Fax 01992 500473
Contact: Juliet Harris, Marketing Manager
Email: j.harris@ajhomes.co.uk
Website: www.ajhomes.co.uk
Architects: ALLOS JASINSKI DESIGN LIMITED
Address, telephone, fax and website as above
Contact: Marek Jasinski, Director
Email: m.jasinski@ajhomes.co.uk
Interior design : AIDA INTERIORS LIMITED
Address, telephone, fax and website as above
Contact: Aida Allos, Director
Photography : LIANA ALLOS (07976 625552)
