Michael Wilkinson, an Emmy-winning costume designer, and his partner Tim Martin, an architect turned ceramic artist, have transformed a period duplex in London’s Earl’s Court into a serene urban sanctuary.
When the couple first stepped into the apartment in 2017, it wasn’t the bedrooms—or even the private garden—that captured their hearts. It was the murals. Hidden within the grand reception room were hand-painted palazzo scenes framed by ornate paneling, a theatrical setting that spoke instantly to their creative sensibilities. Having just relocated from Los Angeles, they were drawn to the apartment’s generous proportions and its untapped potential below ground and beyond the garden doors.
Over the following years, Martin used his architectural background to reimagine the layout, creating a seamless flow between indoors and out. The garden was lowered to the level of the bedrooms, planted with palms, camellias, and bay trees around a symmetrical water feature. The result is a lush, private oasis—a rare find in the heart of London.
The two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home spans approximately 1,530 square feet and strikes a careful balance between historic character and contemporary craftsmanship. The dramatic reception room remains the focal point, complemented by a bespoke kitchen and dining area on the main level. Below, both bedrooms open onto a winter garden; the primary suite features a polished en suite bathroom and ample built-in storage.
Inside, Wilkinson and Martin have layered the space with personal touches and creative storytelling. Warm tones, architectural paneling, and Martin’s ceramics create a cohesive aesthetic, while textiles repurposed from Wilkinson’s film projects—including fabric from Aladdin—lend a cinematic flair.
Both originally from Australia, the couple’s careers have taken them around the globe. Martin spent three decades in Sydney, New York, and Los Angeles, including a tenure as senior designer at the American Museum of Natural History, before shifting his focus to ceramics. He now works from a studio at Cockpit Arts in Bloomsbury and exhibits across Europe, the UK, and Australia.
Wilkinson, meanwhile, has built an illustrious career designing costumes for more than 40 productions, from Justice League to Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge!. A graduate of Sydney’s National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), he received an Oscar nomination for American Hustle and most recently won an Emmy for his work on the Star Wars series Andor. Known for his meticulous research and his ability to conjure entire worlds through fabric and silhouette, Wilkinson is among Hollywood’s most respected costume designers.
Now listed with Savills for £2.395 million (about $3.2 million), the couple’s Earl’s Court duplex offers the rare combination of scale, privacy, and craftsmanship in central London. Though continuing to base themselves in the city, Wilkinson and Martin are said to be looking toward Hampstead for their next creative chapter.