Why Make Tall Doors: Many Reasons

An art gallery and studio, and …

The tallest door in London. Do you guess what it was for?

Giraffe houses? Maybe, but no, this one in London …

The door belongs to Elms Lester's scenic painting rooms in Covent Garden.

The big green door was made that large as the building was used to create the backdrops for theatres in the early 1900s.

In 1904 Mr. Elms Lesters built the state-of-the-art scenic painting studios in Flitcroft Street, supplying all the West End theatres with theatrical backdrops.

The early eighties found the building in a state of dereliction, and major renovations saw the four electrically operated paint frames working again and the scenic painting business was resurrected alongside the Art Gallery.

As the use of painted backdrops declined, the Elms Lesters gallery rose to prominence and the painting studios were more often than not being used by our artists, producing site-specific works for their upcoming shows.

What is the standard door height in London?