stepping up
An unusual, ornamental staircase is the standout star of this Edwardian semi in Southampton
The decorative carved and turned architectural detail embellishing the staircase was the clinching factor for Anne Cowan and husband Andy when they first viewed their Edwardian home. ‘I stepped into the hall and knew I wanted to live here,’ recalls Anne. ‘It had so much character, with the original tiled fireplace still in situ as well as the ornamental staircase.’
Dating from 1911, the four-bedroom property forms part of a terrace of semi-detached houses, and the couple were delighted to find that only a few, mainly cosmetic, changes had been made. ‘Apart from Artex on the ceilings, little had been done to the place in decades,’ says Anne. ‘So we got on with refurbishing from top to bottom, keeping the lovely features but removing the textured ceilings. At one point, we had five rooms being redecorated, which was a challenge, as our son Ben was just a baby at the time.’
Anne and Andy met while at Southampton University. ‘Andy was studying medicine and I read history,’ says Anne. ‘But I’d always been interested in interior design, so I started an online
course when I was pregnant with Ben. However, once he was born, it was impossible to find a spare minute, let alone an hour or two.’ Nevertheless, Anne had firm ideas about how she wanted to decorate her new home, choosing pale colours for the walls and a country-classic style throughout. ‘I like to keep the look light and bright, with soft furnishings adding accents of stronger colour.
‘The furniture is mostly traditional, which suits the house, but there’s the odd contemporary piece providing contrast,’ continues Anne. ‘Soon after moving in, we had the dresser in the breakfast room custom-made, which I painted pale blue. I’m always looking out for vintage pieces of china to put on it – sometimes I’ll arrange the shelves with my blue-and-white collection, and have a random mix of colourful floral designs in spring. Andy leaves design matters to me, but he does veto anything too flowery,’ she laughs.
Over the years, the couple – who also have a daughter, Sophie – have made a series of changes to ensure the house adapts with
their family’s changing needs. ‘ We’ve recently updated the bathroom for the second time, in order to install a separate shower,’ says Anne. ‘And our next project will be building an extension to create a larger kitchen with dining area. I’d also like to convert the loft into a master en suite. But whatever changes I make, I plan to incorporate lots of storage, because chaotic and cluttered isn’t a good look.’
Three years ago, Anne was fortunate enough to land the perfect part-time job, working two days a week in the Southampton branch of The Consortium – an interiors store selling new, retro and vintage pieces, as well as pre-loved items on behalf of customers. ‘It’s a small set up, so it’s pretty hands on, with everyone taking turns buying, selling and displaying the goods,’ explains Anne. ‘Once a month, on Mondays, I teach classes in Annie Sloan paint techniques in our Winchester shop. We particularly enjoy visiting the major regional antiques fairs, such as Ardingly and Detling, where I’ll often find beautiful furnishings for my home, too.’