The Best Address in Town

The world’s diplomatic services have a key role to play in creating a good image for their countries in furtherance of commercial and intergovernmental interests. Premises used for the many activities and functions to support these interest are many and varied but almost without exception are very impressive indeed.

London is one of the world’s key ambassadorial cities with many wonderful buildings taken over as official premises for the world’s embassies. As a major European country, France certainly shows the way. Its Embassy is in prestigious Knightsbridge and its ambassador’s residence in one of London’s most sought after addresses in Kensington Palace Gardens overlooking the Royal gardens themselves.

The period style mansion block in Kensington Palace Gardens has recently been completely refurbished to the highest standards of course as would be expected, under the direction of architects Sturgis Associates LLP. The external rendered façade required considerable repairs and additional rendering and also had to match the stringent colour and performance requirements of Crown Estates and English Heritage.

Sturgis Associates specified Keim Mineral Paints Granital system to meet these exacting standards and a special colour was produced to match Crown Estates cream which is the standard for most major period buildings in this exclusive area which boasts many delightful and expansive Georgian properties owned by several of the world’s wealthiest elite.

Granital was chosen for its longlife, whole life costing advantages and its breathability allowing any moisture in the substrate to pass out without blowing off the paint itself.

The Keim Mineral Paint system owes its longlife to its microcrystalline structure which forms a chemical bond with the substrate. The paints are also resistant to acid and alkaline conditions, completely light fast and environmentally friendly being odourless, mould resistant, non-combustible, solvent and VOC free and produced using only natural inorganic materials.

As a focus of French ambassadorial activity in the UK, it is important that the appearance of the impressive building should look good at all times and the longevity of the Keim Mineral Paints system, supported by a BBA certified performance of a minimum 15 years, will ensure this is the case over the expected 15 years plus life span before redecoration is likely.

Keim Granital has also been used and specified for its longlife and empathy with the building style on other properties in this high profile and exclusive area of London where many of the properties are valued at figures approaching £100 million.

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