Riverstone Kensington was the first to open in June 2022 with 190 one, two and three bedroom apartments for sale, all with balconies or outdoor space. Riverstone Fulham followed, offering 161 terraced homes in a waterfront location on the River Thames, next to the Thames Path and close to the Hurlingham Club. The third property, Riverstone Bishops Avenue, will comprise 93 apartments in an Arts and Crafts-inspired building near Hampstead Heath. All three offer spacious private apartments with oversized windows, clean modern design and high quality finishes.

The independence afforded by the private apartments is matched by automatic Riverstone Club membership, giving residents access to each property’s community-focused spaces and program of cultural events. Facilities include in-house cinemas, gyms and spa treatment rooms, exercise studios and swimming pools. All three have an extensive library and brasserie-style restaurant open to all, along with attractive landscaped gardens – those at Riverstone Kensington were designed by RHS Chelsea Flower Show winner Andy Sturgeon.

These amenities add up to an ease of living, time and freedom to choose how to spend your retirement, with a home that’s a joy rather than a burden. Instead of worrying about how to manage an unruly garden, for example, there’s the pleasure of enjoying one perfectly maintained by someone else. This aspect appealed to Emma, ​​whose move to Riverstone Fulham removed several stress points.

“I lived in a beautiful Regency house in Brixton with a big garden at the back of the park and I was very happy there for many years,” she says. “But as I got older, I suddenly felt it was too big and too much responsibility. Moving to Riverstone was such a good decision because I went from a complicated life with lots of clutter and too much stuff to a wonderfully simple life where things are taken care of for me. However, I feel completely independent, which is great, and if you don’t want to see people, you don’t have to. I loved my home and never thought I’d be happy to leave it, but I haven’t regretted the move for a second.”