A FINE BLEND
Artist Hannah Woodman has combined different design eras to great effect in her listed townhouse
Mixing design eras is a true art form in this renowned painter’s listed Cornish townhouse
High above the River Fal in Cornwall, the elegant sweep of a beautifully appointed terrace in Falmouth’s conservation area had long intrigued fine artist Hannah Woodman. A well-known architectural landmark, it was built between 1830 and 1850 for the sea merchants and captains that resided in the historic maritime town. ‘I’d driven by the terrace for years, and was always reminded of the Georgian house in Exeter I’d grown up in,’ says Hannah. ‘When I discovered that one of the houses here was for sale, I couldn’t wait to view it.’
Indeed, the moment she walked into the hallway, as light streamed in through the huge fanlight above the door, Hannah had no doubt that this was the family home she wanted for herself and her three daughters. ‘I loved the generous proportions and sense of space, and, of course, its position overlooking the river was amazing,’ she says. ‘However, I was well aware I’d be taking on a major renovation – decades of mismatched “improvements” and unsympathetic alterations had definitely taken their toll.’ Some of the original features, such as fireplaces and internal doors had long gone, but many of the architraves and cornicing, along with the bannisters and downstairs shutters, were still in situ, as were the wide door and windows at the front.
After rigorous planning to ensure every detail of the renovation was accurately considered, work on the Grade II property could begin. ‘The house had to work for the
way we live today, but I wanted to update it without obliterating the past,’ Hannah explains. ‘I worked with the original footprint too, rather than make any extensive changes.’
The renovation took around six months, during which time Hannah researched everything from fittings to finishes that would do the house justice. ‘When we removed all the old carpets we discovered that many of the floorboards were rotten, for instance, so I made sure the new oak floors were in keeping with the house’s style, and chose chequered marble tiles in the hallway for a sympathetic reflection of the house’s era.
Once the bones of the property had been made good, Hannah could turn her attention to the decor, and not least the furniture, which would make the most of the rooms’ beautiful proportions. Much of it has been bought over the years, or is a family heirloom, while other items have been carefully sourced.
Along with Georgian furnishings which, not unsurprisingly, are perfectly at home here, mid-century items and decorative objects harking from the 1960s and 1970s have a strong presence. ‘Actually, I think there are real design parallels between both eras, which is why nothing seems to jar,’ says Hannah. ‘Both have an underlying simplicity and symmetry, which is unfussy and clean.’
It’s not only the furniture that brings such a sense of individuality to Hannah’s home; as an artist she is highly attuned to creativity, and in every room paintings, etchings, ceramics and more are on display. ‘I love the idea of items being slowly collected and treasured over the years,’ she says. ‘It means a home is layered with pieces that are imbued with meaningful stories and memories. They help to make a home, and that’s certainly been the case here.’
decorating tip ‘Have art in your house – it gives it soul! You can’t go wrong with a good dose of paintings, pots and artistic rugs’