History of 575 Wandsworth Road

Expert curated

Candles and picture postcards on a mantlepiece with decorative fretwork at 575 Wandsworth Road, London — Candles and picture postcards on a mantlepiece at 575 Wandsworth Road | © National Trust Images/Robin Forster

575 Wandsworth Road holds a remarkable secret. At first glance, it appears to be just one of the many modest Georgian terraces lining this busy road in south London. Half-hidden behind a small front garden, its quiet exterior gives little sense to the extraordinary world inside. But through the front door, the transformation is immediate: every room draws you into a warm, intricate interior shaped by hand-carved wooden decoration, painted designs and the remarkable vision of its former resident, Kenyan poet Khadambi Asalache (1935–2006).

Khadambi Asalache’s studies and career

Khadambi Asalache was born near Kaimosi, western Kenya in 1935. The eldest son of a local Chief, he showed an early interest in literature, reading Shakespeare while herding cattle.

As a young man, Khadambi studied architecture at the Royal Technical College in Nairobi before traveling to Europe to study fine art in Rome, Geneva, and Vienna.

In 1960, he moved to London to pursue a literary career, publishing his novel A Calabash of Life in 1967. His second novel, The Latecomer, was broadcast on the BBC Africa Service in 1971, and his poetry collection Sunset in Naivasha was published in 1973.

Khadambi is recognized in The Companion to African Literature as one of the pioneers of modern Kenyan literature and his work has been studied in Kenyan schools.

By the mid-1970s, he had joined the Civil Service, working in the Treasury and Cabinet Office, where he impressed colleagues by writing notes in blank verse.

He also earned a distinction whilst studying for an MPhil in the Philosophy of Mathematics from Birkbeck College, which he later combined with his architectural training to design the interiors of 575 Wandsworth Road.

Spotting the house from the 77A bus

In 1981, Khadambi spotted 575 Wandsworth Road on what was then the 77A bus on his way to work at the Treasury. When he bought the house, it was in poor condition, having previously be occupied by squatters and animals including a horse, pig, and chickens kept in the back garden.

Nevertheless, he saw potential and was drawn to the property’s calm, quiet atmosphere, appreciating its original architectural features, quality of light and sunny garden.

“It was quite magical, when I saw it, I thought – I can do something with this” - Khadambi Asalache on the house in 1981.

Detail of the fretwork niches at 575 Wandsworth Road inspired by the carved coral houses on the isle of Lamu. Peeking out from between the niches are beautiful green ceramic dishes from China, adorned with elegant images of birds and flowers. — Decorative fretwork at 575 Wandsworth Road, London | © ©National Trust Images/Robin Forster

‘Head-in-the-sand’ solution to a work of art

By 1986, prompted by persistent damp issues in the basement dining room caused by the commercial laundry next door, Khadambi adopted what he called his ‘head-in-the-sand’ solution, fixing pine floorboards to the wall that he’d salvaged from a local skip to disguise the damp before enhancing them with intricate hand-carved wooden decorations.

Over the next nineteen years, Khadambi went on to embellish almost every wall, ceiling and door of his home with exquisite fretwork patterns and motifs, using reclaimed pine from skips or wine crates. 

He primarily used a pad saw, drilling entry points and carving patterns with rough, unsanded edges. The fretwork is pinned and glued to every surface and pencil marks remain visible, revealing his meticulous process and occasional adjustments to his planned schemes.

Architectural and design influences

Entirely self-taught and with no formal training in carving, Khadambi drew inspiration from all over the world, including his rural childhood in western Kenya and his travels.

He records in a lecture he gave about the house to architecture students in 1995, that there were three specific kinds of design which left a lasting impression on him and from which he drew inspiration.

These included traditional African houses such as the 18th century coral houses in Lamu, Moorish architecture in Andalucia (particularly the Grand Mosque at Córdoba and the Alhambra Palace in Granada) and Ottoman architecture (notably the early 19th century wooden Yali houses which line the shores of the Bosphorus in Istanbul).

Drawing from his studies in the philosophy of mathematics, Khadambi avoided symmetry, focusing instead on visual balance to evoke a sense of ‘lightness and happiness’. Each detail in his carvings is subtly different, encouraging the eye to explore the variations and creating a unified yet dynamic effect.

A white teapot on a stand with other china ware in the background at 575 Wandsworth Road — A teapot at 575 Wandsworth Road | © National Trust Images/Robin Forster

An outdoor room

The garden was integral to Khadambi’s artistic vision, forming a vital extension of his home - an outdoor room with its own rhythm and character.

From 1981, he began working on the garden - creating it from scratch after clearing a collection of sheds used to house animals. He introduced a series of terraces and added lighting and sheltered seating to create intimate spaces to sit and reflect.

Fretwork structures, echoing the intricate designs inside the house, were built along the fences and across the garden. These acted as climbing frames for plants and provided shade and texture.

The garden was not overlooked from the rear, protected by dense hedera on the boundary fence, which gave it a private, enclosed feel in comparison to the busy road at the front.

Khadambi created a garden with a strong structure and carefully considered planting scheme - a thoughtful, original space that evolved over many years as he acquired new plants and extended his gardening knowledge.

The planting evolved over many years as Khadambi developed his gardening knowledge, experimenting with new species and allowing ideas to grow organically. A mimosa tree - a species native to East Africa - was positioned just outside the Back Sitting Room, linking the house to his childhood landscape.

Preservation and conservation

Khadambi declared the house finished in 2005 and left the house to the National Trust on his death in 2006 to ensure it would be cared for and shared with a wider audience.

Described by Trustees as “one man’s complex and singular work of artistic achievement,” the National Trust formally acquired the house in 2010 because of its rich and striking interiors, recognising that it holds national significance as both a home and an extraordinary work of art.

Before opening to the public in 2013, the National Trust undertook major conservation work to address rising damp, subsidence, a leaking roof and cracks in the ceilings. The guiding principle throughout was to resolve these issues in ways that respected Khadambi’s own pragmatic and creative approach.

One final part of this conservation work remains: the garden is being restored and reinterpreted to embody Khadambi’s creative spirit. It is being re‑envisioned not only as a view from the house, but also as an outdoor artwork and an extension of the rooms within.

The garden’s re‑interpretation will draw on surviving physical evidence, original photographs and recollections, reinstating it as an external room and visual link to the house, and restoring lost planting and structures.

Ongoing restoration includes repairs to terraces, walls and paths, and the recreation of original features such as terracotta paths, benches and carved fretwork. This work is being carried out with careful attention to Khadambi’s overarching vision.

A colourful patchwork quilt featuring pockets representations of what home means hangs from the wall. — 'At Home' Community Quilt with pockets featuring makers' representations of home | © Erica Parrett

A creative legacy

Today, the house stands much as he left it - an extraordinary interior and garden that continue to inspire individuals and communities of all ages and backgrounds.

Although visitor access is limited due to the size and fragility of the house, it has become a centre for deep and meaningful engagement. Workshops in creative writing, visual art, craft and music are held regularly, alongside artist residencies and collaborative projects.

Long‑standing relationships with local schools, charities and arts organisations across Wandsworth and Lambeth have enabled more people to experience the house in creative ways, and a strong community programme now supports long‑term local and London‑wide partnerships that extend far beyond the property’s physical boundaries.

Although Khadambi had decorated the house purely as a home for himself, he derived great pleasure from others’ enjoyment of it. That same generosity of spirit now underpins the house’s role as a place of learning, creativity and connection - a legacy that continues to grow in ways that reach far beyond the house itself.