Leighton House and the Arab Hall

On a quiet street in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea lies quite an extraordinary house. Home to the painter Lord Frederic Leighton, the house was commissioned and built by Leighton with the desire to create a house that was both a studio and a home. Designed by architect George Aitchinson (1825–1910), the building was completed between 1866 and 1895 with a series of extensions over thirty years. The home was designed not only to showcase Leighton’s artistic taste but also to entertain and impress the foremost artists, collectors and celebrities of the day. After Leighton’s death in 1896, the house was left to his sisters who sold the contents of the home. Leighton House was turned into a museum in 1929 and was commemorated with a plaque in 1959. The house has been featured in editorials and advertising campaigns due to its beauty, such as in the opening scenes of Loewe’s campaign for its William De Morgan-inspired campaign (below). <a href="https://rosalindnoor.medium.com/leighton-house-and-the-arab-hall-fbfc4dbc7c05">Website</a>