Legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury was well-known for his flamboyant style during his extraordinary life in the spotlight, so it's unsurprising that his personal sanctuary in London was also a fashionable affair with decadent details, including a vibrant yellow room used for dinner parties.
The late singer, who died at the age of 45 in 1991 following a battle with AIDS, spent his final years living at Garden Lodge, his luxurious Kensington house on Logan Place. The address had a reputation for being a party house, and friends of the late musician dubbed his home a "memory box" of the star's life when it was put up for sale by his former fiancée, Mary Austin, in 2024 for offers of over £30 million.
The Neo-Georgian manor was first purchased by Freddie in 1980 on the spot after he toured it and fell in love. He spent the remainder of his life fashioning the 1907-built home to mirror his eclectic style. He even used the help of architect and designer Robin Moore Ede to make it his own.
Freddie's sunshine room
While the building housed an array of Freddie-esque touches, there was one room in particular that caught the attention of all guests when they visited.
Painted top to bottom in a rich, vibrant sunny yellow, Freddie's dining room, with its elaborate detailing, was the focal point of his raucous entertaining and a favoured room in his W8 residence.
The room featured extravagant crown moulding that fanned out where the wall met the ceiling in a dark green and pale pearly pink colour. Gold paint was intertwined with the pop of colour to emphasise the ornate detailing.
Along the walls, artwork in bold colours stood in pride of place and a large dark oakwood dining table was positioned in the centre of the room, flanked by matching wooden chairs with zig-zagged cut-out backs.
Lining one of the walls was a large matching wooden sideboard featuring golden handles, and a large solid gold clock stood on top of its surface. Two glass candle holders were placed on either side of the clock.
The Garden Lodge dining room saw at least 14 formal dinners take place, including one where the concept of the Barcelona album was discussed with opera singer Montserrat Caballé, according to Sotheby's.
© RedfernsWhen listing the house, Mary, who inherited his house and a large part of his fortune after he died, revealed she had kept the room and the rest of the house exactly as Freddie left it to preserve his memory.
She said: "This house has been the most glorious memory box, because it has such love and warmth in every room. It has been a joy to live in, and I have many wonderful memories here.
© Getty Images"Now that it is empty, I’m transported back to the first time we viewed it. Ever since Freddie and I stepped through the fabled green door, it has been a place of peace, a true artist’s house, and now is the time to entrust that sense of peace to the next person."
