A restrained yet jovial use of colour seemingly elongates the already tall Victorian proportions
A restrained yet jovial use of colour seemingly elongates the already tall Victorian proportions
Tucked down a quiet road in the heart of Margate, Kent, this three-bedroom Victorian house has been inspiringly updated in recent years. It has an easygoing and contemporary feel whilst still bearing many of its original features, including sash windows, fine cornicing and a large fireplace with wonderfully ornate floral tiling. The kitchen opens to a south-east-facing garden, where mature palm trees introduce a tropical inflection and add a shady spot to sit beneath. Nestled between Cliftonville and the Old Town, the house is close to Margate’s excellent food scene, cultural institutions and stretches of beaches.
Setting the Scene
Margate has a vital role in the history of the seaside holiday: the 1750s saw it become the home of the first bathing machines, the first Georgian square built in a seaside town, the first development beyond the historic footprint of a coastal town, and the first development created specifically to serve holidaymakers. The town grew rapidly throughout the 19th century before expanding eastward to the area of Cliftonville.
Today, the streets and configuration of green space remains largely unaltered. This house lies mid-terrace, with Victorian floor tiles that pave the way to the house’s front door. A bay window juts out from the asymmetric yellowish brick façade, which is covered by a climbing wisteria. Above, white painted bargeboards add visual interest, as do the spiral pilasters that separate the sash windows. Illuminating the attic there is a porthole window at the top of the frontage that peeks out from beneath the gable roof.
The Grand Tour
An entrance hallway with intricate moulding above establishes the home’s period on arrival. Honey-hued floorboards run underfoot, spreading into the two reception rooms at the front of the plan.
At the fore is a delightfully airy living room, where pale pink walls pair beautifully with the light from twin sash windows set within a bay. A stunning cast-iron fireplace with original tiles provides a focal point, its dark surround offsetting the otherwise delicate scheme. Period picture rails follow the contours of the room, emphasising the tall ceiling heights. The room behind is currently used as a dining room, its walls painted in a vibrant yet distinguished orange. Here wooden panelled doors with brass doorknobs correspond sympathetically with the tone of the floorboards and walls.
Steps at the end of the hallway descend into the kitchen, which is formed of green cabinetry, a square-tiled backsplash and green countertops beneath which sits ample storage and the appliances. A door between two sash windows provides garden access, and there is a neat bathroom at the far end.
Each of the house’s three bedrooms has been finished in a similarly pared-back manner, with white-painted floorboards and tall ceilings. The main bedroom is on the first floor; it takes the same shape as the living room below and so also has a pair of sash windows within a box bay – a perfect spot to arrange a reading chair. An alcove to one side is fronted with sweeping curtains, providing plenty of wardrobe storage space.
The two other bedrooms are equally serene. One lies on a half-level between the ground and first floors, while the other, currently used as a study, is in the middle of the plan; both have built-in storage. In addition to the downstairs bathroom, which has a walk-in shower, there is a marine blue-painted bathroom on the first floor.
The Great Outdoors
Sweet gardens bookend the house and provide green views from the front and rear. The rear takes on a more tropical feel with its mature and towering species of palm trees. It is largely paved and has a run of trellis at the far end where the burgeoning sprigs of ivy have begun to grow. There is a gate at the bottom of the garden providing access to the land behind.
Out and About
Margate is a wonderful seaside town renowned for its creative community, exemplified by Turner Contemporary. Synonymous with the town and visually unmistakable, the building was designed by architect David Chipperfield. It is a brilliant art space, with far-reaching views over the sea, named after landscape painter J. M. W. Turner, who went to school in Margate and would later return to the town throughout his life. He called its skies and sunsets “the loveliest in Europe”.
Dane Hill Row is in the heart of Margate’s progressive art scene, close to the Carl Freedman Gallery and The Tracey Emin Foundation/TKE Studios. Beautiful Dane Park with its ornamental fountain, trees and wide open green spaces is 8 minutes on foot. Equally close by is Margate Old Town and its host of numerous restaurants, including Angela’s, a sustainable seafood bistro and its fun-loving sister Dory’s; Sargasso is a fantastic wine bar with a seasonally changing menu and newly opened HIGH DIVE for delicious LA style tacos. For live music, Where Else is a highly regarded music venue. Margate is also famous for Dreamland, a vintage theme park with rides, musical events and a drive-in cinema.
Margate is home to many independent shops such as Werkhaus, the Margate Bookshop and the Margate-born sustainable beauty brand Haeckels. It is a stone’s throw from the beach and from numerous walks such as the Viking Coastal Trail, an eight-mile trail that links the towns of Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate along Kent’s cliffs and beaches.
The nearby coastal towns of Broadstairs and Ramsgate are also well known for their array of pubs, restaurants, and independent shops, as are Herne Bay and Whitstable, which are just slightly further afield.
The town has excellent links to London, with trains from Margate to London St Pancras in under an hour-and-a-half or London Victoria in an hour and 45 minutes. There are trains to Canterbury in half an hour. Connections to Europe are also very good, with the Eurotunnel motor rail service running to Calais from Folkestone (50 minutes away).
Council Tax Band: B
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