The Duke of Devonshire’s bookshop has been enlisted to curate the library at one of Mayfair’s most exclusive real estate developments.
Heywood Hill, the Mayfair book dealer owned by Stoker Cavendish, the 12th Duke of Devonshire, will source books and objets d’art for the private library at property developer John Caudwell’s latest project, 1 Mayfair.
‘With our experience and expertise in library curation and the spectacular design and attention to detail of the library at 1 Mayfair, we believe that the collaboration will create a marvellous library for residents and visitors to enjoy,’ the duke said.
The upcoming prime development, which will feature 24 principal residences with an estimated starting price of £35 million, is slated for completion in early 2027.
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Alongside vast entertaining halls and lounges, the £2 billion development’s library will feature a bespoke collection of over 1,000 books – including biographies, novels and memoirs set in London – that will be researched by Heywood Hill’s head of libraries, Zoe Dickey.
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The library’s architecture will be inspired by the Rossi Library at the Pavlovsk Palace, which was commissioned for the Russian Empress Catherine the Great in 1780. It will feature parquet flooring, George II-style furniture and an oval library table with handcrafted marble top.
‘We chose Heywood Hill who are renowned amongst bibliophiles over decades for their ability to locate special books and curate libraries for passionate readers and the literary curious alike,’ Caudwell said.
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The library at 1 Mayfair is being designed with those who prioritise intellect in mind, Heywood Hill chairman Nicky Dunne said.
‘Our aim is to assemble nourishing books for the spectacular reading room at 1 Mayfair where people can embrace the joy of reading and immerse themselves in beautiful and fascinating books,’ said Dunne. ‘Just as residents will be able to enjoy personal fitness training in the gym at 1 Mayfair, the library will be a place of intellectual personal training, since reading provides inspiration and escapism for the human mind.’
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When creating a library for a client, the overall visual aesthetic is often as important as the contents of the shelves, notes interior designer Rebecca Hughes.
‘It’s not necessarily the books themselves that are the main focus, although they play a huge part,’ she says. ‘The bookshelves themselves are curated as a whole to represent the owner, while also working appropriately within the room.
‘Clients are often surprised by how many items one needs on a bookshelf to make it feel good and lived in.’
Given what the team behind 1 Mayfair have told Spear’s, the library will meet both the intellectual and aesthetic demands of its residents. Sales at the development will begin later this year, when the first fully decorated residence is unveiled.
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