Holland Park Road is a historic road in West Kensington that was home to many prominent artists in the late-Victorian era. Leighton House, located at No. 12, is one of the most notable villas on the road and was once the home of the famous artist Frederic, Lord Leighton.

No. 10 was built for James Shannon, a well-known portrait painter of the time. The house was constructed around the original farmhouse of Holland Farm, which was likely one of the oldest buildings in the area. Today, the house is still standing and has been preserved as an example of the architecture and style of the late-Victorian period.

On the north side of the road, there are striking period mansions built with red-brick, while the south side is dominated by St Mary Abbots Terrace, a contemporary development comprising of neo-Georgian townhouses. Although these styles are quite distinct, they complement each other nicely.

During the 19th century, Holland Park Road was known as an artists’ quarter and featured numerous artists’ studios. The trend of building houses on adjoining plots was started by two close friends, Frederic Leighton and Val Prinsep. Lord Leighton hired architect George Aitchinson to build his house, now known as "Leighton House", located at No. 12, while Val Prinsep enlisted the services of Philip Webb to build No. 14. These houses were constructed in approximately 1865.

Leighton House is a grand Italianate villa constructed using red-brick. Its exterior is relatively subdued, but its interior is lavishly decorated to the highest standards. Leighton was a prominent classical painter during the late 19th century. Leighton’s first exhibition at the Royal Academy was in 1855 when he was just 25 years old, and he later became the President of the Academy.

In addition to his own works, Leighton was an avid art collector and acquired pieces by notable artists such as Constable, Corot, and Delacroix. His travels to Arab countries piqued his interest in Arabic art and architecture, which ultimately led to the creation of an Arab hall based on the twelfth-century Muslim palace of La Zisa in Palermo, Sicily. The Arab hall is the centerpiece of the house and adds to its uniqueness.

Today, Leighton House has been transformed into a museum and art gallery that is open to the public. It is considered to be one of the most remarkable buildings of the 19th century. The interior of the house is lavishly decorated and features important works of art by Leighton, John Everett Millais, Edward Burne-Jones, and George Frederick Watts. Notably, there is an Arab hall adorned with tiles that Lord Leighton collected during his travels. The hall is cooled by an indoor pool, which adds to the uniqueness of the building.

Nos. 20 to 30 on Holland Park Road are a group of even-numbered houses that were constructed around 1877 as a series of studios surrounding a central courtyard, which can be accessed through an archway. These houses were originally known as "the Studios."

No. 24a Holland Park Road, also designed by A M Cawthorne, was added later in 1929 and was originally called Court House. It is unique in that it was slotted in amongst the existing buildings.

In 1900, Albert Cockerel designed and oversaw the construction of two additional houses on the road, which are now known as Nos. 32 and 34. These houses add to the architectural diversity of the area.

At the west end of Holland Park Road are some exclusive modern blocks of flats.