31B St Mary’s Road, Wimbledon

Private house built in 1965 to the design of Peter Foggo David Thomas Architects by Forrester Developments Ltd of Wimbledon.

The house comprises a fully-expressed concrete frame with brick side walls and near full-height polished plate glass in steel frames to the front and rear elevations. It is orientated north-east to south-west, fronting onto St Mary's Road, and is served by a carport.

The building takes the form of a single-storey, flat-roofed rectangular box, raised approximately 0.5 metres above the ground. The main elevation is divided into three bays by T-shaped concrete piers. There are two near full-height glazed lights to each end bay and two glazed lights flanking the entrance doorway of the central bay. Beneath the glazing is a black plinth containing the services, above which are white top-hung ventilation flaps. The exposed concrete frame is painted black with a black fascia beneath the roof. The side walls are built of stock brick and are largely blind without openings, though there is a later blue brick porch at the centre of the east side. The front elevation features timber-boarded double doors approached by very wide concrete steps beneath a flat-roofed porch. The rear elevation has glass sliding doors leading down very wide concrete steps to a patio and small landscaped garden. Skylights run along the centre of the roof between the side walls.

The plan comprises a compact rectangular arrangement with a central core containing a front entrance hall flanked by a kitchen and study (originally a utility room), leading to a large open-plan living room at the rear. On each side of the central core is a lobby, bathroom (one now subdivided to form a utility room), front and rear bedrooms (one now used as a dining room), and a utility room.

The main entrance leads through later bronze-framed secondary doors into a small open-plan hallway. Most internal walls, including the hall, are lined with original vertical sapele mahogany-veneered panels with original metal ventilation louvres. There is a polished Canadian maple floor and flush timber doors throughout. The floor is raised off the ground to allow services such as heated air ducts to pass beneath. Flanking the entrance hall is a small study and kitchen. Kitchen fittings are largely original, though cupboard and door fascias have been replaced in what is believed to be close approximation to the pure white originals. Adjacent to the entrance hall is an original full-height island storage cupboard with later folding doors at each end. Beyond it is the large open-plan living room with a fully-glazed rear aspect. Doors on either side of the island cupboard lead into two side wings, each with a central lobby serving bathrooms and bedrooms. Several original fitted wardrobes are retained in the bedrooms. Two of the sapele mahogany-panelled walls have been painted and secondary glazing has been added. Original doors, door handles, fitted cupboards, ventilation flap handles and operating mechanisms are present throughout, along with many original brass light switches and plug sockets, some replaced like-for-like.

In front of the main entrance is a carport canopy supported on T-shaped concrete piers, given the same materials and treatment as the house and forming an integral part of the design. This carport is included in the listing.