Have you ever longed to step into a time-capsule? Or to travel back in time and catch a glimpse of a different life? At 18 Stafford Terrace, in London’s swanky Kensington, you can do exactly that. This perfectly preserved Victoriana house allows you to imagine that you’re back in the early 1900s, with the residents having just stepped out to enjoy the spring sunshine. It is a magical experience! 
I was lucky enough to visit the house with Instagramers London, meaning we were allowed to run all over the house and snap pictures to our hearts’ content. From the instant I stepped inside I was astounded – photographs, artwork and statuettes covered every available surface, while the dark olive green contrasted with the beautiful stained glass. And of course, the fish-eye mirrors immediately caught my eye!
The writing room
So how exactly did this amazing treasure-trove come about? 18 Stafford Terrace was originally the home of Edward Linley Sambourne, his wife Marion and their family. Linley (as he was always known) was a cartoonist for Punch, the satirical magazine, and became increasingly famous through the years. He decorated their home in the ‘Aesthetic’ style, which meant incorporating foreign influences into the design of the home, seen in everything from Japanese vases to Middle-Eastern chests to lacquered surfaces. It was later passed down through the family largely unchanged, meaning you can experience the house very like Linley and Marion would have lived in it.
Some of Linley’s works
The incredible drawing room
I loved all the details
Linley was an early adopter, and installed electricity in the house virtually as soon as it was available in 1896. He also loved mechanical gadgets, and I couldn’t help but notice the variety of clocks in every room. He was also a keen photographer, both for its own sake and because he liked to record people’s poses to later draw them in cartoon form. I was fascinated by the many portraits, including of himself, featuring characters from drunkards to generals – and a good few life models!
The man himself
Linley and Marion had two children, Maud and Roy. While Maud lived the life of a typical young debutante and then married into a good family, Roy was more of a playboy. He was a lifelong bachelor with many actress friends, the portraits of whom decorate his bedroom at 18 Stafford Terrace.
Roy’s room and an autograph from a loving friend
The main bedroom
The maid’s room was rather more austere!
This house must have taken forever to dust!
I very much wanted this vase to come with me – gorgeous!
If you’d like to experience the Victorian time-capsule that is 18 Stafford Terrace for yourself, click here for the details. My pick is the twilight tour they run on the third Thursday of every month – sounds magical!
Have you ever felt like you stepped back in time?
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Linking up for #WanderfulWednesday with Marcella, Lauren, Van and Isabel – check out their new travel link-up and their fantastic blogs using the links!
