Cornwall Gardens, Margate, Kent

Regular visitors to our site might have realised that we’ve got a bit of a thing for historic homes – for their nooks and crannies, their stories and idiosyncrasies. But we also love a bit of decorative flair, nodding to the tastes of today: a natty fabric here, a patterned tile there. With all this in mind, could Cornwall Gardens, which has recently come 

, tick all our boxes? Not only does this Edwardian house still have many of its original features – from floorboards, fire surrounds and windows to coving and a plate rail in the dining room – but it has been restored and revamped to the highest standard.

We’ll start with the paint palette, which runs the whole gamut. We’re hard pushed to pick a favourite from this polychrome panoply. Could it be the sitting room’s dusty rose? The palest pistachio of the kitchen bookshelves? The enveloping ochre of the bedroom, a shade of damp sand that sings of the nearby beach? Even the loo has been brushed with greatness. Painted a pretty pink to chime with the tiles, it’s a reminder that the smallest room can still make a big impact.

Speaking of tiles, we’ve been seduced by the sumptuousness of the ones installed in this house. Those pink ones look like 

 to us. Made in Morocco, no two shiny squares are alike and their uneven surface and deliquescent sheen are perfect for bouncing light around more diminutive spaces. In another bathroom, large squares of terrazzo pack a patterned punch against plainer white rectangles, their flecks of colour singing in harmony with the yellow cabinetry. Meanwhile, the family bathroom uses cement tiles with dark geometric motifs – also underfoot in the hall – as a contemporary-feeling counterpoint to the gentle blush of the walls.

Throughout the house, textiles and fabrics of the finest quality (we spy Ottoline’s ‘

’ in the kitchen) bring richness and texture. We love the bright Berber rug in the kitchen and the charming chintz in that earthy bedroom too.

It’s clear that someone with an eye for style has had a hand in making this home as handsome as it is. And another thing’s for sure too: if we were moving in, we wouldn’t change a thing.

A Polite Request

Inspiration of the Week: high-spec and span – the fabulous finishes of a marvel in Margate

Every corner of this Arts and Crafts house on the Kentish coast has been lavished with attention. Crowning it this week’s winner, we pay it some more