London’s fanciest houses are opening their doors to people who just love browsing Rightmove this weekend

It’s no secret that rents in London are astronomically high – and without a hefty deposit or a boost from the Bank of Mum and Dad, for many, homeownership is out of the question.

So, is it any wonder that we like getting our kicks from window shopping? We’re talking trawling Rightmove or Zoopla for hours – not for the homes we can actually afford, but for the ones that feature in our dreams.

With that sentiment in mind, between September 13 and September 21, Londoners have the opportunity to live out their property dreams for a day and visit some of the city’s fanciest houses.

Every year since 1992, the Open House Festival has served as a celebration of both the architecture and the neighbourhoods that make London the beautifully diverse place that it is, as well as the people and communities that live there.

The festival programme for 2025 features residential homes and sites across the capital’s 33 boroughs, opening them up to the public to have a free nosy around.

We’re not just talking nicely decorated private homes, either: there are old hospital sites, self-built villages, and even graveyard tours, too. Spooky.

Want to get involved? Here are some of our top picks for the coming weekend.

Stoke Newington House

Affectionately known as ‘Stokey’ by locals, Stoke Newington is full of history – and one contemporary refurbishment of a local Georgian townhouse is up for viewing.

The home was originally designed by local builder Thomas Cubitt and was updated between 1958 and 1962 to give it a more modern spin, with the addition of a courtyard garden that, framed by a circular brick wall, has some impressive landscaping going on.

There’s also an extra outbuilding surrounded by plants, which we can fully imagine ourselves using as a reading room to curl up in.

There’s certainly more of a minimalist vibe inside, with simple whitewashed walls and wooden kitchen cabinets in place of glaring colour, but there’s a sliding glass door that welcomes in oodles of natural light.

Drop-in session: Saturday, September 20.

Six Columns

Located on an unassuming leafy street in Crystal Palace, Six Columns was designed by architect Will Burges as a home for his family – and in 2024, it was given its flowers and named the House of the Year by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Will previously lived just a few streets away, but the family struggled to make the home they lived in at the time, an open-plan 60s property, practical for their young children – and so when the previous owner said they’d be up for selling it, he leapt at the chance to futureproof it.

From the outside, the house looks plain and humble. But behind the front door lies a detailed space surrounded by a lush green garden with plots bought from neighbours, and heating generated by a single air-source pump.

As RIBA president Muyiwa Oki said following the win, it’s a ‘beautifully crafted family home that cleverly incorporates brutalist references and creative flourishes while retaining a strong sense of suburban belonging.’

Drop-in session: Saturday, September 20.

Woodside Loft, 4 Singleton Scarp

A 10-minute walk from Woodside Park station, the aptly-named Woodside Loft won the SBID award for International Design Excellence in 2020 – and it’s channelling all the cosy vibes.

In its early life, it started off as a 1930s three-bed semi, but now, it’s made use of the extra loft space, described as a multi-functional ‘living room with a view, a guest room, a project space, a place to relax, a place to be alone, and a place to be together with family or friends.’

There are all sorts of funky features in here, from a soundproofed party wall complete with LED strips to a wall of mirrors to give the optical illusion of extra space and a cave area with thick carpet and extra padding.

We’ll be dreaming about slobbing out in here forever, thank you.

Drop-in activities: Wednesday, September 17, Saturday, September 20.

Bough Terrace

Steeped right in the heart of Knightsbridge, one of the bougiest areas in the entirety of London, Bough Terrace is a Victorian mews house with a fresh look.

It’s been remodelled to channel more of a simplistic vibe, with a midnight blue floating staircase connecting all three floors to give a ‘levitating’ feel.

The bath is perhaps our favourite bit, with a bespoke Japanese design that sees the water floating out of a wooden tap. Frankly, we’re already feeling relaxed.

Drop-in session: Saturday, September 20.

Glenkerry House

A 14-storey tower block in Poplar, Glenkerry House was masterminded by one of the godfathers of brutalism: Hungarian architect Ernő Goldfinger.

Goldfinger is probably best known for designing Balfron Tower, which was built between 1965 and 1967 and was listed as Grade II in March 1996.

With the vision of transforming the existing model of social housing into sky-high, vertical living, Goldfinger was so pleased with his work on it that he himself moved into a flat on the 26^th floor in 1968. Here, he paid the full, unsubsidised rent of £11.10, while other council tenants initially paid Tower Hamlets around £4.15 for a flat of the same size.

Glenkerry House might’ve been slightly shorter at 14 storeys, but it was another brainchild of Goldfinger’s – and, considering that it neighbours Balfron, it had a similar mentality behind it.

He believed that quality architecture should be accessible for everyone, and while both Balfron Tower and Carradale House were ultimately sold off to a private housing association in the 2000s, Glenkerry is independently run by the tower’s cooperative.

To this day, the residents are keeping the ‘vertical village’ idea alive by working together as a community, and have invited other Londoners who are curious about the building’s history to take a look.

Pre-booked tours: Saturday, September 20.

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