Industrial EVOLUTION

Rough bare brick and hard resin have never felt so good thanks to pot plants and precious mementos at the Sussex home of Rockett St George’s co-founder Jane Rockett

Jane Rockett is extolling the virtues of owning a golden colander. Everyone needs a colander. But a gold one? ‘Oh, definitely!’ she says warmly. ‘Even the most practical, everyday object is an opportunity to brighten your day or make you smile.’ It was with pretty much this philosophy that she and best friend Lucy St George set up their eponymous online emporium ten years ago, selling all manner of eccentric, beautiful and covetable homewares. Jane bought this house in Sussex at around the same time, so its rooms are a delicious delve into the Rockett St George ethos, mixtures of old with the new. This is where prototypes, instant sellouts and classics come to enjoy a rather glittering retirement.

But, as Jane points out, ‘First

and foremost this is a family home.’ The walls are decorated with her children’s drawings and her living-room cabinet is full of precious mementos. ‘I’ve saved heart-shaped leaves my daughter gave me when she was little and piles of pebbles found on beaches around the world. I love walking through the front door and seeing all my favourite things in one place.’

However, the house was definitely lacking its feel-good factor when Jane and husband Toby bought it. ‘When we showed the children around they all cried, “It’s horrible, don’t make us live here!”’ Rooms were divided by stud walls and coated with swirls of Artex or woodchip. ‘It was a dark warren – except for the odd faux Mediterranean archway, which was almost worse,’ says Jane.

She and Toby set about stripping out those non-original touches: ‘We put the house’s rooms back to how they were meant to be.’ The only alterations were a glazed extension for the dining area and removing the

Even the most practical, everyday object is an opportunity to brighten your day

low ceilings on the top floor. ‘We opened it up to the eaves and rafters,’ she says.

Jane’s home reflects her love of homewares that whisper of escape and luxury. ‘I still like elements of industrial style, but these days I prefer to work them in as hints and contrasts.’ So in her kitchen there’s a rough bare-brick wall, touches of tarnished metal and a poured resin floor. The living room is wrapped in dark walls with bare wood floors. But the overall mood is sophisticated rather than gritty, thanks to kitchen whites, elegant pot plants,

the sheen of brass and feathery and woven textiles.

‘My look right now leans more towards the glamour of the 1920s, mixed with a bit of 70s earthiness,’ Jane says. ‘They are two quite different looks but working out how to meld them together to create something interesting and new is where you can have fun at home.’

RIGHT The dining table has a view of the garden, backed by a Victorian wall and ancient trees. The dining table was a vintage find and is teamed with Eames DSR chairs (conranshop.co.uk). The flooring is poured resin by Designs In Resin...

TOP The dining room walls are painted in Madison Grey by Abigail Ahern (abigailahern.com), a deep colour out of which paler objects appear to leap, including a faux swan and the chandelier, both from Rockett St George

TOP RIGHT While the living room stays faithful to its original architecture, Jane has added an Alice in Wonderland- mood convex mirror from Rockett St George and a Morsø woodburner (morsoe.com)

ABOVE ‘I dream of having a beautiful designer sofa, but with three children and two dogs, this white Ikea leather number copes brilliantly with family life,’ says Jane. The house’s original windows and shutters were intact when Jane and Toby bought it....

ABOVE RIGHT To the right of the fireplace is a cabinet of curiosities, holding an ever-changing array of the personal and the pretty. Jane says, ‘Its shelves boast everything from tiny pansy shells that we found on a sandbank in Mozambique to treasures...

LEFT AND RIGHT ‘I treat a side table as an opportunity to create a bit of a “style spot”’, says Jane. ‘I’m always switching things around to keep the look fresh.’ Find similar side tables at Zara Home (zarahome.com)

‘I love an industrial look in restaurants but at home I’ve given it a softer take,’ says Jane. In the kitchen, she opted for ‘plain and simple’ Ikea units, slotted in between existing storage. The resin flooring, which Jane describes as ‘less expensive...

The living room walls are painted in Madison Grey by Abigail Ahern (abigailahern.com). For a similar retro armchair, try Florrie & Bill (florrieandbill.com)

LEFT In the kitchen, bare brick, white and brass create a modern mix. For similar handmade chopping boards try Urbanara (urbanara.co.uk)

RIGHT ‘This wallpaper pattern by Mr Perswall (mrperswall.co.uk) is great for a teenage girl’s bedroom – and 15-year-old Lola has given it her seal of approval,’ says Jane. The lamp is by Rockett St George

ABOVE ‘In the family bathroom the tiles are pretty ordinary, but laid in a herringbone pattern to add interest,’ says Jane. For a similar basin, try Waterworks (waterworks.com). ‘I chose unvarnished brass taps, so they have tarnished naturally and look...