After the First World War, C Bechstein, the renowned German piano manufacturer, who supplied Queen Victoria with gilded art-case pianos, commissioned Bechstein Hall on Brook Street, Mayfair, for its new London showroom. The six-storey art deco building, with its white Portland stone façade, was completed by the architect Sir John Burnett and Partners in 1929.
Nearly a century later, Fenton Whelan, the ultra-prime residential developer, had the vision to turn the once art deco piano showroom into three luxury three-bedroom apartments. Our relationship with the building contractors, combined with Fenton Whelan’s desire for a modern makeover that would pay homage to the building’s architectural history, led them straight to our workshops.
Historic England cites the importance of Greybrook House as a key example of art deco architecture, one that reflected the work of Sir John Burnett and Partners — “noted practitioners of the Modern style in the interwar period”.
It was this style that we had to stay true to as we turned Fenton Whelan’s vision into reality. Working with discerning designers is always a challenge we embrace and the biggest challenge with Greybrook House was that we would be making furniture and sourcing materials for three identical apartments. Those materials included antique glass, inlaid metal, stained grey veneers, suede and leather, polished brass chevrons, stained walnut and reeded glass.
