I spent less time on deciding to buy my apartment than I would a pair of shoes. I’d seen the 12ft floor-to-ceiling windows and 30 seconds later had said yes. But that’s how the place affected me: it was gut instinct.
The windows are quite something – they’re the only original element that survive from when the house was built in 1835. Like many large homes, Adelaide House has been tweaked and chopped and tinkered with over the years, removing all character.
But that meant I could start afresh, reinventing the space. Being slavish over the refurbishment was pointless – too much had been lost. I’d nod to the building’s history instead through egg-and-dart cornicing and the campest ceiling rose I could get. Finding a chandelier was a problem. I fell in love with an expensive Murano glass design. So I found a factory in China to hand blow something similar for a fraction of the cost.
Rather than employ a designer I trusted my own judgment. Scale, colour and simplicity were key. Wide engineered-oak planks are used throughout the flat, knitting the space together and creating free-flowing living areas that focus on the spectacular view of the sea. Bannisters went out in favour of plate glass, ensuring a sea view even from the back of the kitchen.
To my mind, the kitchen is the single most important room. I dislike wall cupboards and kitchens that are too fitted. So I created a movable island with storage for crockery and drawers for utensils. Stainless-steel countertops give it a semi-industrial feel, and a Bertazzoni range cooker adds to that flavour.
I kept furnishings simple and bold. The sofa, Eames-style armchair and midcentury wing chair are complemented by oak armchairs reupholstered in cowhide and a large kilim. Local artist Roberto Landin created the two dark blue paintings and the coloured skull installation.
It was important to me that the shelving beside the stairs was sculptural, so I designed it to house objects rather than the practicalities of books. And it’s from that mezzanine level that I think are the best sea views. I never tire of walking out from my bedroom each morning to see what the day is doing.
Both bedrooms have antique beds. In the guest room is a William IV half tester – a reference to his widow, Queen Adelaide. She moved to the house in 1837 after leaving Buckingham Palace, and my living room was her bedroom. If the place was good enough for that old queen, then it’s good enough for me.
Sleep Like a Queen, St Leonards-on-Sea (airbnb.co.uk)
