Double Act: six historic homes with contemporary flair
Named after Janus, the Roman god who faced the past and the future, January is a time of looking both forward and back. It has us thinking about homes that encapsulate this duality, effortlessly combining modern design with historic charm. In with the old, in with the new, we say …
- Writer
- Sophie Sims
Paragon Court, Margate, Kent
Perched high on the third storey of Grade II-listed Paragon Court (and with a view that any coastguard would rival) is this smart, quietly contemporary apartment. It has retained a strong sense of its late Georgian roots while interspersing lively yet refined modern counterpoints. For instance: where warm-toned floorboards ground in the living room, cheery, confetti-like terrazzo adorns the bathroom, its uniquely shaped shards reminiscent of the coastline treasures strewn across the sandy beaches opposite.
Barmeston Road, London SE6
Pretty as a picture, this quintessential Victorian home in Catford wears its penchant for contemporary design on its sleeve – or rather, its frontage, with a charming sunshine-hued front door and sage green exterior detailing. This use of colour continues within, sensitively but confidently remixing its period pedigree for jolly modern living. Especially clever are its use of voguish chequerboard tiles (a 19th-century hallmark) and its seamlessly slotted-in rainbow-washed joinery.
Old Baptist Court, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire
There is something delightfully surprising about the clean-lined, pared-back interiors that lie behind this red-brick, 18th-century cottage in Tewkesbury. It sits truly embedded into the town’s architectural fabric, which has become known for its tapestry of styles and periods. From the other side of the window in the marble-lined kitchen, a particularly breathtaking view down the quiet cobbled street towards the cathedral (considered to be one of the country’s most impressive extant Norman buildings) can be enjoyed: an exceedingly pleasing juxtaposition.
Princess Road West, Leicester, Leicestershire
The concept of new-meets-old is evident at first glance here: tall and studded with sash windows, the house’s profile is proudly Georgian, though its arresting dark frontage presents a distinctly present-day edge. Much of its modernising has been undertaken by the present owners, who have added a light-filled, blushing pink-painted extension at the back – a fabulous foil to the adjoining, gentlemanly blue living spaces.
Shipwrights, Plymouth, Devon
A former pub, this house in Plymouth has stood in the heart of the community, in one form or another, since (it’s believed) the early 1800s. Its watering hole days long gone, it has been transformed, extended and thoroughly refreshed over the years. A more recent addition is the extension which, with its luminous white-painted walls, amplifies the natural light that pours in through skylights above. Timber units here, and sublime sea views elsewhere, preserve a keen sense of the surrounding area’s maritime past.
Lavington House, Naccolt, Kent
Nestled in a part of Kent known for its brick-making past is this traditional Kentish clapboard house – with a twist. A particularly inspired extension has been added in recent years, with wraparound glazing that frames near panoramic views of the garden. Much care has been taken to seamlessly unite the house’s two parts. Even in its most boldly contemporary moments, the building’s lineage is never too far away: deftly dotted about the extension are sections of wall lined with white-painted wooden boards that mimic the house’s vernacular form.
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