Today I want to share about the prettiest houses in London. When I first moved to London, I fell in love with the big buildings. From the Great Court of the British Museum to the glassy dome of the Gherkin, I was smitten. But over the years my interest in the obvious architectural attractions has given way to an obsession with the secret little ones.
I’ve found myself increasingly intrigued by London’s houses, as anyone that has seen my Instagram feed knows. My photos have gotten such a good reception that I’ve realized I’m not alone in loving the city’s undiscovered treasures.
Prettiest Houses in London
Over the last couple years, I’ve discovered I have an innate pink detector. Whenever I come within a mile of a pink house in London, I seem to sense it and seek it out.
The benefit is that I’ve photographed some of the pinkest, prettiest houses in London. From the famous pink house in Notting Hill to the one in Cranley Mews in South Kensington, they’re some of my favorites.
This one in Earls Court isn’t too shabby either. In fact, there are a lot of pastel houses in Earls Court. Roads like Child’s Street are full of them.
And I love this pink house in London’s Primrose Hill.
Cute Houses in London
Another of the things that makes a house stand out for me is its contrast with the ones around it. This lovely red house in Twickenham caught my attention by being a bright light among rather subdued surroundings.
It’s one of the prettiest houses in London in its own right, but it’s made even more eye-catching by its isolation among less stand-out neighbors. And that hedge.
It’s not just color that catches my eye, either. Some of the best houses in London are the most understated. This little group in Chiswick is one of the loveliest I’ve spotted, not least for its muted beauty and rustic surroundings.
Colorful Houses in London
The combination of several houses in a row can really make a statement if they’re color coordinated or just fit well together, too.
There are great examples of this in the streets of Primrose Hill. Gloucester Avenue has rows of colorful homes, and Chalcot Square has some of the prettiest houses in London.
Little streets in Hampstead like Back Lane also have clusters of colorful homes. I love the purple one in particular.
Which is to say nothing of mews in Kensington like Kynance Mews. Some of the prettiest houses in London can be found on and around this street.
Oh, and seemingly every street in Notting Hill falls into this category, too. From Lancaster Road to Blenheim Crescent, there are a lot of colorful houses here.
Great Doors
But a pretty house wouldn’t be complete without a lovely door, and this one in Pimlico is the best I’ve come across in my explorations. The colors themselves are cheerful, and the purple exterior wall really makes it come alive.
Quirky Homes in London
Then there are the quirky houses in London. When I lived in Hampstead, I loved walking by the Admiral’s House, with its whitewashed shell and wide windows.
Equally exciting was the house with a ship’s figurehead in the shape of a mermaid sticking out the front wall.
Seasonal Beauties
Above all, the houses that really put a smile on my face are those so encumbered by their gardens’ imperial overstretch that it’s hard to see them.
There are plenty of these peek-a-boo types in London in all seasons, and I particularly like the one on Well Walk in leafy Hampstead in summer.
And the one on Canning Place in wisteria-laden Kensington in spring. It’s absolutely one of the prettiest houses in London.
And don’t get me started on my obsession with autumn draping its colors over the walls of London’s mews houses. Kynance Mews is the perfect place to see it.
Pretty Houses in London
These beauties may not have the stature of The Shard or the fame of the Natural History Museum, but they are what make London a truly unique and beautiful city to me.
If you’re interested, you can see these houses and more on many of my self-guided London walking tours. They’re great ways to take in the best side streets and houses in London.
What do you consider the prettiest houses in London? Have you spotted any good ones?
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What a beautiful post! I’ve always wanted to do a tour around London mews. They are so very charming!
Thanks! Yeah, that would be amazing!
I so so LOVE the colorful houses in London! 🙂
xx Lisa
I do, too! They’re lovely!
Love these! When I was little I wanted to live in a pink house! Probably every little girl’s dream 🙂
Nice! I always wanted a pink bedroom! Sounds like we had similar taste!
Love this!!:)
Thanks!
Oh my! That wisteria in Kensington – LOVE!
Yeah! It’s my favorite thing to see in London in the springtime!
Wonder on every walk here in London. I love the many different styles of houses you can see in any given spot.
Yeah! That’s so true!
Wow, so many beautiful houses in London!! Wonderful, thanks!
You’re welcome!
Oh, London. It really is an Instagrammer’s dream, isn’t it? I love walking through Notting Hill – I’ve seen all the rows of candy-hued houses a hundred times but the sight never gets old! I’ll have to go explore some more of the areas you’ve listed x
True! It really is a great city for photography.
Thank you for these images. I moved back to the States, after 5-plus years in Hampstead, twenty-six years ago, and I’m still homesick for it. There is a surprise around every corner. That’s true for all of London, actually.
Do you take requests for blog subjects? There are a couple of favorite places that I would love to see through your eyes and camera.
You’re welcome! Hampstead is such a special part of London. Feel free to let me know what you’d like to see on the blog. I always love suggestions!
Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVE this post!! These houses are just gorgeous, I wish I could rewind the clock to when I used to live in Notting Hill and South Ken when all this was on my doorstep and I did not even remotely even appreciate or notice it! I really want to go and hunt these down to see how pretty they must look in person 🙂
Thanks! Glad you like it. I agree about wanting to go back to places I’ve lived before. I loved living in Hampstead, but I still wish I could walk around the little streets there again!
Lovely photos!
Thanks!
These are all so darling! Makes me want to pick up and move to London right now!
Thanks!
Thanks for this post. Beautiful houses of London – perhaps there should be a London mews walking tours to be started :o)
Yeah, really!
I love this post! London sure has photogenic streets. I particularly love the Notting Hill and South Kensington areas, as well as Primrose Hill. Kynance Mews, Queen Anne’s Gate, Colville Terrace and Hillgate Place are some of my favourites streets to photograph.
Yeah, those are all great ones! Sounds like you’ve discovered some of the best places in London!
Very nice! Love the wisteria house.
Thanks! Yeah, that’s one of my favorites, too!
Wow! Not only are these houses amazing but so is your photography! Could you let me know what camera you use or any recommended ones? I’d love to have your tips and feedback too! x
Thanks! All of my camera information is in the FAQ section, so feel free to head over there and take a read.
This is one of my favourite posts of yours, for sure. All the photos you showed are wonderful, but I’ve always had a really soft spot for those tiny mews streets. A little mews cottage is a long way up my list of lottery dreams!
Thanks! The mews are some of my favorite streets, too!
You have such a good eye! I’d love to wander around the mews searching for these beauties!
Thanks! It was a lot of fun!
Great!
These houses are awesome 🙂
Thanks! Glad you think so!
A very interesting read. There are houses that i’ve seen that are just amazing in London, even though London is turning into a futuristic city. a sight of a classic house in London refreshes your eyes.
True!
Very nice 🙂
Thanks!
These are surely the most beautiful houses I’ve ever seen. What colors! Wonderfully captured. Great work! Would love to see more such things.
Thanks!
The colourful house in Pimlico is my favourite. How I wished I lived in London. Thanks so much for the pictures they are amazing.
You’re welcome! I’m glad you like the house in Pimlico.