Formerly owned by a brewery, knitwear designer Juliette Sherwood’s historic home on the fringes of Borough Market comes with a celebrated legacy and location.
Sitting on a quiet corner of the South Bank, Take Courage House has an eclectic past. Formerly a clerical office for Courage Brewery – whose slogan is still emblazoned on the building’s brick exterior – its location is hard to beat. Borough Market, the newly opened Borough Yards development and the River Thames are all moments from here.
The home’s interiors are similarly unmatched. Bold yet considered, nothing looks out of place, even the bright yellow Bisazza tiles that flow across the first floor, tying the communal spaces together. Walls have been moved, floors raised and ceilings lowered to create a seamless sense of flow throughout.
Bought as a finished house in 2018, the property ended up needing so much attention – from the wiring to the plumbing – that it became more of a project. Its aforementioned position, however, meant it had untold potential. “When you’re in London, you want to experience London,” says homeowner and designer Juliette Sherwood. “You don’t really want to be spending time in a cab. We tried to move out of the area, but it pulled us back.”
Having so much culture and vibrancy on the doorstep has informed the design. Take the dining room, a sophisticated space with sash windows and a heritage fireplace. Mustard floors pair with a striking Petite Friture Vertigo pendant light. “We wanted it to feel formal – traditional but with a twist,” she notes. Upstairs, a loosely 1960s-themed reception is alive with character, and illuminated by a dramatic lighting frame that hangs from the ceiling.
Outside, the home’s walled garden is also in tune with its surroundings. Designed by award-winning landscapers Garden Club London, it features a fire pit, a herb patch that echoes the sights and smells of Borough Market, and striking views of The Shard. “It’s another living room,” Juliette adds. From here, the style and scale of the building is apparent – from the original brickwork to the industrial sunroom extension. This unique framework caught the attention of SPPARC Architects, the creators of Borough Yard, who cite Take Courage House as a key influence in the development’s design. “People have a warm dialogue with the house,” she beams.
“When you walk into a room and you feel nice and relaxed, to me, that’s down to the colour, the lighting and the layout”
Inside or out, the atmosphere is welcoming and relaxed. “To me, that’s down to the colour, the lighting and the layout,” Juliette explains, adding that this mood-boosting ethos also translates to her knitwear company, MG Rivers.
From its former life as a brewery to its rebirth as a family home, the soul of Take Courage House certainly cannot be divorced from its location. “I think he likes playing SimCity,” Juliette says of her property developer husband, Tom, who took it upon himself to ensure that the area welcomed its only missing amenity – a cinema. “He likes creating environments,” she adds. “But on a way bigger scale than me.”
“I’ve always believed you’re a custodian of a house”
Yet the environment the couple has created at the house is no less convivial. “It’s less of a house, more of a clubhouse,” muses Juliette. “When we’re here as a family – the little one, two teenagers and their mates – it’s a house that gobbles you up and lets you all live. You could be spread across all five floors, yet a sense of togetherness remains.”
Now that the time has come to sell, the search is on for the next “custodian” to take the reins, says Juliette. “I’ve always believed you’re a custodian of a house,” she affirms. “That’s why I don’t mind moving on from Take Courage House. Because it’s not mine – I’m just living in it.”
Take Courage is available for short stays via our associate business Domus Stay.
