The transatlantic couple reveals why this corner of the capital will always be home to them.

Known today for its fashion boutiques, good schools and handsome mansion blocks, Chelsea also has a long history of artistic residents. Among others, Mark Twain and T.S. Eliot have called this area of west London home. More recently, musicians such as Freddie Mercury and Mick Jagger lived here.

Artists clearly have an affinity with Chelsea. Take Adam Wake. A singer, songwriter and music producer, he and his wife Lindsay have a special connection with the area, having bought Draycott Place in 2018.

Adam’s musical ability was discovered early. He was a chorister at Westminster Abbey Choir and spent several years touring and recording records. “It was very intense at that age,” he explains. “I didn’t go home for Christmas for five years.” Adam went on to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Today he and his songwriting partner create dance music under the name The Disruptiv and also hope to engineer a pop hit. They are signed to Primary Wave, a publisher which owns big-name back catalogues including that of Bob Marley – another former Chelsea resident.

Together with his wife Lindsay, a trader and former tennis player, the couple live in Chelsea, not far from their short stay home on Draycott Place. Settling down in London was the obvious choice. “The pace of New York is too intense for my creative brain and I don’t find Los Angeles very grounded,” Adam reveals. “But I find London a very creative place to live. It’s grounded but also a bit chaotic. It provides inspiration and stability at the same time.”

It’s an ideal spot for Lindsay too, who previously worked at both The White House and the World Trade Center. “I was on the trading floor for seven years,” she says of the asset management firm with which she relocated to London. Now a day trader, the UK’s positioning on the world map means she can catch the Asian, European and American markets in a single day. “It’s a good place to have a global perspective.”

The couple divide their time between the UK, the US and Bermuda with their 10-year-old daughter. This transatlantic lifestyle has come to characterise the Chelsea neighbourhood and it is this modern, metropolitan demographic that Draycott Place is geared towards. “We always thought it would be the perfect international pied-à-terre,” Adam says of the apartment.

Set within a mansion block, its distinguished exterior punctuated by white stucco accents, Draycott Place is a quintessential redbrick residence. At street level, a blue plaque discloses that the Earl Jellicoe, the Admiral of the Fleet, lived in this building more than 100 years ago. Four floors above, a turret creates a regal look, its pointed roof wearing a green patina.

“Often, in these older buildings, there’s something that doesn’t quite work,” Lindsay says. “This is an historical building but there’s a lift. The apartment has high ceilings but also a great layout. There’s no compromise.”

Adam and Lindsay had each completed renovation projects before they met. They proceeded to take on several projects over the years in both London and New York. When they bought the apartment five years ago, Draycott Place hadn’t been updated in 30 years. While the layout remains roughly the same, every room has been reimagined.

“It’s perfect for entertaining,” Lindsay says of the open-plan kitchen that comes complete with a wine fridge. Tall windows pour light into the considered living area, which is furnished with attention to detail. “The bedrooms are quiet,” Lindsay states. Each has carpeted floors and soft lighting. “It flows very well – it’s the perfect two-bedroom apartment,” Adam adds.

Sloane Square and the surrounding streets form an enviable enclave. “You’re right by Duke of York Square and the Saatchi Gallery,” explains Lindsay. “It’s Chelsea which is great in itself. But here, you’re also a stone’s throw from the King’s Road.”

Just one minute’s walk from the apartment, you’ll find Michelin-starred restaurant The Five Fields. A brief amble will take you past two more. However, the area can also lay claim to some of west London’s best pubs such as The Admiral Codrington.

“You’ve got everything you could want so you end up staying in the area,” states Lindsay, whose favourite new food spot is Birley Bakery. “Colbert, Daphne’s, Daylesford… there’s a lot of choice,” Adam confirms.

“Not being from London originally, this area has a very quintessentially English feel,” Lindsay adds. Where first-time visitors are often struck by how new much of the city is, Chelsea is a time capsule providing a glimpse of London as it appears in films. “It’s the ‘Disney London’,” Adam muses.

Draycott Place is available for short stays from £700 per night