Restoration drama
Renovating a listed Regency house presented some unexpected challenges, but the resulting light and inspiring seaside home was worth it, say the owners
Renovating a Regency seaside house
In search of fresh air and a more creative environment, Sally Evans and her husband Damian made the decision to leave their London home and head to the seaside resort of Brighton, with its inspiring space and light and its beautiful Regency properties. ‘I’d been working for design and architecture agencies for a long while and wanted to explore my own design projects. We’re very much urban dwellers though,’ says Sally, ‘so this wasn’t about escaping to the country; we still wanted to be a stone’s throw from galleries, bars and restaurants.’
Their hearts were set on a Regency building, which helped narrow the search, but even so they viewed a lot of properties over about six months. ‘We were drawn to the pretty frontage of this Grade-II listed house. It reminded us of one we’d once loved, but weren’t in a position to buy,’ says Sally. ‘Initially, though, I was put off by the dark and poky interior. On our
first viewing, the blinds were half drawn and the house was full of dark lumpy furniture, so I was thrilled by how light and spacious it felt when we eventually moved in.’
They planned a major renovation but it was three years before they were able to start the building work. ‘We knew exactly what we wanted to do,’ says Sally, ‘but we weren’t prepared for all the constraints that apply to listed buildings.’ It took the couple more than 32 weeks just to get planning permission. ‘It was a painful process,’ recounts Sally. ‘What we’d originally had in mind didn’t comply with the restrictions imposed on this type of house, so after the planning officers’ initial site report we had to go back to the drawing board!’
Choosing a builder was also not without issues. ‘We had four quotes, all of which were double what we’d expected, and one was another £100,000 on top of that,’ Sally recalls. ‘When we eventually employed a builder, he
pulled out three days before the work was due to commence. It was horrible at the time, but turned out to be a blessing ultimately as we ended up with a fantastic team. The job went amazingly smoothly and only ran over by two weeks.’
The couple completely reconfigured the space, reclaiming the basement, which had been a dingy self-contained flat, as a spare bedroom and bathroom, and turning the first floor, which was originally a bedroom and bathroom, into the living room and study. They also moved the main bedroom and bathroom to the second floor and cleverly glazed a hatch in the roof allowing a spill of light into the landing.
Moving the kitchen was the biggest challenge. Initially it was a narrow galley at the back of the house but Sally and Damian wanted it at the centre of the ground floor. ‘We weren’t allowed to fit any appliances in the alcoves beside the chimney breasts, which presented a real conundrum for us,’ recalls Sally. ‘Eventually
we had the genius idea of fitting a bespoke sink and drainer into a cupboard! We love the result, although we often get people asking “where’s your sink?”’
Another big issue was complying with the stringent fire regulations. ‘We knew we wanted to open up the space as much as possible, and in order to have an open-plan kitchen leading onto a stairwell we’ve had to install a mains-linked mist sprinkler system. Once we set it off by
‘We aimed to maintain some of the period features but we complemented this with a calm palette and clean lines,’
SAYS SALLY
mistake, during a dinner party,’ laughs Sally. ‘We all got drenched before we figured out how to turn it off!’
It’s quite obvious from the way that the fixtures and fittings in every room have been carefully considered that both Sally and Damian – who runs Damian Evans Designs – have design backgrounds. ‘We aimed to maintain the period features of this gorgeous Regency building by restoring fireplaces and cornicing, and we’ve complemented this with a calm palette
‘I was thrilled by how light and spacious it felt when we eventually moved in,’ SAYS SALLY
and Scandi-style clean lines,’ explains Sally. All the furniture has been meticulously researched and sought out too. ‘I’d wanted the Lamina chair and footstool in the sitting room for as long as I can remember!’ she says.
They’ve also been able to indulge their shared love of modern art, and have a print by Damian Hirst in their living room. ‘We began picking up pieces from the RCA degree shows, and this really kickstarted our passion, but we also enjoy keeping our eyes open for local artists.’ Sally and Damian now each have a design studio just minutes away. ‘We love living and working here,’ says Sally. ‘We can see the sea from our house and enjoy exhilarating walks to work every morning. I particularly love the sea mists that suddenly roll in and cover Brighton in a ghostly cloak. I was brought up on the coast, so I feel as if I’ve come home!
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