When Clive Mead and VV his partner Stephen Hewson went to view their early 18th-century townhouse, they definitely weren't in the market for another move. They were just being curious, having already found their forever home nearby. However, things didn't go to plan. 'We'd agreed that we were not going to move again,' Stephen explains. But we decided that we wanted the house within 10 minutes of seeing it. They have since fondly named it 'Fanny's Dilemma': a reference to a portrait that hangs above their fireplace, and the property's imagined chatelaine.
Part of a stuccoed terrace, distinguished by architectural detailing intended to elevate it from its neighbours, the house transports you back in time as you step through the doors, enveloping you in a dark and deeply bewitching atmosphere. Exquisite, original pine panelling and that impossible-to-fabricate smell of age set the imagination racing: what were the past inhabitants like and how did their lives play out? Fortunately for Clive and Stephen, the couple they bought the house from had commissioned an in-depth report on the history of the house. A shopkeeper, cow keeper, dairy man and fish hawker are just some of the people who have called the house home since it was built in 1715.
By the time Stephen and Clive looked around, however, it needed reminding of its past. I've always lived in old houses, apart from when I bought a loft overlooking the Regent's Canal,' explains Clive. 'I ended up hating polished concrete and realised that new is definitely not for me.' A 1980s renovation and awkward layout needed to go, along with beige carpets, which were tossed in the skip.
Denne historien er fra June 2023-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
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Denne historien er fra June 2023-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