It was one of life's tipping points that triggered the new home search for city-dwellers Jessica and Darryl Clifton. I had an all-consuming job as a broadcast agent and was permanently on call, and we lived literally 20 seconds from the art college where Darryl works,' explains Jessica. 'Work was all we ever seemed to do, and any break in business hours just blurred with normal everyday life.'
The pair realised it would be hard to change their ways while still living in London, and it suddenly felt right to leave. They had recently finished renovating their home in Camberwell and were ready for a new project; they just didn't know what or where that might be.
'We did the usual drive around the M25,' says Jessica. 'We weren't drawn to any particular area, but we both had a feel for the sort of house we would like. We must have been looking for about a year and had offers on two separate houses fall through. It was such a disheartening time, but then my mother suggested Faversham.' It was an inspired suggestion. They liked the feel of this medieval market town and looked at several houses, but again without much success.
'It was Darryl who spotted this one,' says Jessica. 'If I'm honest, it sounded like my idea of hell: low ceilings, dark beams, old pub - no thank you! But when we walked through the door we couldn't believe it was this huge open space, and we could see how much potential it had.'
Denne historien er fra September 2022-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September 2022-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Collecting Dioramas MINIATURE WORLDS
From elaborate taxidermy museum displays to humble folk art creations, a diorama can transport us to another time and place
Pride of place LEEDS CREAMWARE
In its heyday the pre-eminent rival to Wedgwood's Queens ware, Leeds creamware is still much revered by collectors for its understated elegance
Bohemian Rhapsody
An exuberant approach to decor, with rooms enveloped in colour and pattern, has brought this historic home merrily into the 21st century...
THE ANTIQUES THAT SHAPED ME Rory Hutton
The accessories designer on his love of silver spoons and Sévres porcelain
European HERITAGE B&Bs
Is there anything more inspiring than staying somewhere that's both beautifully stylish and imbued with history? Rhiannon Batten explores five gems across Europe, from Sweden to Spain...
STAR SALES
A Hitchens painting, a museum-quality teapot and a Parisian chocolate box are all top of the lots
Textile designs by artists
Influential 20th-century fine artists and sculptors, from Picasso to Barbara Hepworth, gained additional status as textile designers until decline set in during the 1970s
Period DRAMA
A painstaking renovation has brought this 1725 former Huguenot silk weaver's house in London's Spitalfields back to life
An artist's RESIDENCE
Rustic details and a restrained palette lend a sense of simplicity to this lovingly restored Friesian bakery
Carefully Curated LIVING
This lovingly restored Gustavian manor has become both home and showroom for its owners, Maria & Jan Åke, who deal in European antiques