When Michael Wilkinson and Tim Martin first stepped inside their duplex apartment in London‘s Earl’s Court in 2017, it wasn’t the bedrooms or even the private garden that sealed the deal. It was the murals. Hidden inside a grand reception room were hand-painted palazzo scenes framed by intricate wall paneling, a theatrical backdrop that spoke to the style-savvy couple, who had just relocated from Los Angeles.
They were especially drawn to the scale of the entertaining spaces but also to the untapped potential of the lower floor and the deep private garden. Over the next several years, Martin, an architect turned ceramicist, reconfigured the layout to create a more seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, while the garden itself was lowered to align with the bedrooms, then planted with palms, camellias, and bay trees around a symmetrical water feature, transforming it into a lush, private oasis in the middle of central London.
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The two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom property spans a cozy 1,530 square feet and blends period character with modern craftsmanship. The dramatic reception room remains the centerpiece, while a bespoke kitchen and dining room complete the main level. Downstairs, both bedrooms open onto a winter garden, with the primary suite featuring a polished en suite bath and generous storage.
Inside, Martin and Wilkinson infused the home with personal touches that speak to their creative partnership. Warm colors and architectural paneling harmonize the two floors, while ceramics by Martin and textiles repurposed from Wilkinson’s film projects—including fabric from Aladdin—layer the home with stories.
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The couple, both originally from Australia, have spent their careers crisscrossing the globe. Martin worked for three decades as an architect in Sydney, New York, and Los Angeles—including a role as senior designer at the American Museum of Natural History in New York—before shifting into ceramics. He now works from a studio at Cockpit Arts in Bloomsbury and has exhibited across Europe, the UK, and Australia.
Wilkinson, meanwhile, has built an international reputation in film and television. A graduate of Sydney’s National Institute of Dramatic Art, he has designed costumes for more than 40 productions, from Justice League to Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge!. He received an Academy Award nomination in 2013 for American Hustle and, more recently, won an Emmy for his work on the Star Wars series Andor. Known for his meticulous research and ability to build entire worlds through fabric and silhouette, Wilkinson is considered one of the industry’s most sought-after costume designers.
Now listed with Savills for £2,395,000 (about $3.2 million), the couple’s Earl’s Court apartment offers both scale and sanctuary—qualities not easily found in central London. With work continuing to take them abroad, Wilkinson and Martin plan to remain in London but are reportedly looking toward Hampstead for their next chapter.
Click here to see more photos of the Earl’s Court home.
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