WHY I LOVE DULWICH
WHY I LOVE DULWICH
Rudolph Diesel is the head of London interior design company Rudolph Diesel Interiors. In this article, he describes areas of London that have earned a special place in his heart.
Love to look at
Dulwich is one of the most photogenic places in London - there’s even an Instagram account called Door of Dulwich, by Door Gal devoted to images of the prettiest Dulwich front doors! You can upscale your love of exteriors at Dulwich College. The Palladian red brick structure, gables, finials, turrets and cupolas – all designed by one of the finest interior architects in London, Charles Barry Junior – are very evocative of Hogwarts.
Even a stroll around Dulwich Village will have you reaching for your camera. The area remains a private estate and gained conservation status in 1968. It bristles with Georgian, Edwardian and Victorian properties; approximately 80 shops, pubs and restaurants; cricket, golf and tennis facilities, and a very village-like atmosphere.
Finally, I love SE22 for its fine and modern art excellence. Rembrandt, Rubens, Gainsborough and Canaletto – they’re all in Dulwich, safely tucked up in the Sir John Soane-built Dulwich Picture Gallery, alongside a permanent collection of Baroque masterpieces and highly acclaimed touring exhibitions.
Love to shop
If you’re looking to create a luxury home interior, Rigby & Mac have three award-winning stores in the Dulwich area, each with a different style but all with the same high quality and originality - Ed on North Cross Road provides a veritable feast of homewares and objet d’art, plus it is a stockist of the wonderful Annie Sloan chalk paints. The Dulwich Trader in West Dulwich is a personal favourite of mine as it also stocks larger items of furniture, while Tomlinsons in Dulwich Village is good if vintage-style French and Scandinavian accessories tick your high end interior design boxes. If you only had time to visit one shop, however, Forest would be a contender. It’s arguably one of the best eye-candy establishments in SE22, overflowing with utterly lush house plants and complementary homewares.
Love to eat
If you’re like me and are making a concerted effort to eat less meat, the perfect spot for brunch is East Dulwich’s veggie-centric Spinach restaurant and bar – the Honduras baleadas are perfect around 11am. An alternative if you have the luxury of time is Yama Momo – a contemporary Japanese Izakaya and sushi restaurant bar also in East Dulwich.
Vegetarian but not vegan? Then you must stop byHeritage Cheese in Dulwich Village. If you’re not going to sunny Marbella and can therefore eat carbs with your fromage, The Dulwich Bakery in West Dulwich will sate your appetite for warm bread, and provide everything you need for a doorstep-style sandwich.