Because summer has popped in again (maybe only for a quick cup of tea, maybe she’s staying for the weekend) so let’s make the most of it with this fabulous two bedroom apartment arranged over two floors with a balcony overlooking the sea. That will do me nicely. In my imagination, for that is where ownership of this property lies, I will be out here every day come rain or shine. I will document the colour of the sea and the size of the waves and I will have fresh air and coffee for breakfast.
It’s on the market with Inigo for £850,000 and it probably won’t surprise you to know that it’s owned by an interior designer who has created a lovely light-filled space of dreams. Played in the film, perhaps, by Jodie Turner-Smith, because when she’s not being Anne Boleyn she’s a captain on The Last Ship, which is an American tv series about a global pandemic with the crew being the last people left who must find the cure, stop the virus and save humanity. And after that, with the world saved, she retrains as an interior designer because she feels strongly that as well as global kindness and good health, the world needs good cushions as mood improving device.
Also she can sit on this balcony and either, a la French Lieutenant’s Woman keep an eye out for her lover to come sailing back into view, or another virus, while drinking coffee and having a rest.
The apartment is part of a terrace designed in the 1840s by Thomas Cubitt, who as well as creating much of Brighton also designed Eton Square in London as well as the East front of Buckingham Palace. His son later turned out to be the great great grandfather of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
So plotwise where are we going with this. Will our heroine discover she is also a long lost descendent and find she owns the whole terrace or will she save the world from another pandemic? Because, as with all good thrillers, she must come out of retirement for one last job. Which is a common plot device but one we haven’t yet tangled with here. So the cushions will be cast aside as she returns to her ship and her secondary job as a virologist.
Leaving us, in the meantime, to admire these fabulous windows and high ceilings. The antique furniture which brings so much character and the vintage rugs.
I have spoken before about the current fashion for the unkitcheny kitchen and this is a great example. Rather than force a cooker into the fireplace, it has remained as a fireplace with units each side. This means you can use one alcove for breakfast, for example, and another for food prep. If you can work with original features you will create something much more individual and characterful than if you fill a room with units and storage. That said, this is a big room so there’s a lot of kitchen space.
This apartment also shows that if you have a few well chosen pieces – art and furniture – you can keep it all really simple and create interest and personality. Note how the two lamps at either end of the sofa are different shades of the same colour, and the tables are of similar design but not a matching pair. This looks either like a decision was taken with this look or that the owner didn’t have matching pairs and decided that it would look more personal to work with what they had rather than dump them for a matching pair. The point being that you should make a decision and own it.
Upstairs there are two more square rooms as on the floor below but one has been divided to create a bathroom which may be long but it’s not that narrow and it still has room for a bath and, as my builder would say, for a dance in the middle when you get out of the bath.
It’s also all about the floor tiles here. Yes it could have had painted walls and a plain floor but sometimes it’s fun to have fun. These tiles will go with lots of colours so you could always paint the walls if you get bored which will ring the changes for the cost of a tin of paint. Or, you could paint the ceiling to match the blue of the tiles – it’s high enough to get away with using a strong colour in here.
So back to our film – who’s sailing the ship over the horizon to our interior designing virologist? Are we looking at Sigourney Weaver – as, let’s be honest, with a film of this nature I wouldn’t be entirely surprised if the virus was brought by aliens? Or Clooney, who has not only been to the moon but also ran into some zombies in From Dawn to Dusk.
As always it’s over to you lovely lot for the details of this film. And we better have some series ideas as I feel she could be coming out of retirement for one last job about eight times – they often do.
Wow this is the dream property! x
It’s stunning. I love everything about it. Including that beautiful location of course!
I would go with Noomi Rapace instead of Sigourney Weaver for anything alien related…
But love Jodie Turner-Smith for the virologist role! She is called back to work on this super-virus that mutates and has a delayed reaction time. Sleeper-Virus. Gets activated once a hell of a lot of people are infected already. No way of containing it. Of cause with both aliens and virus there has to be some military involved? She should probably need to work with her ex boyfriend on this? He is probably a military man? Played by Theo James (because he is just lovely and I could look at him all day long).
Couldn’t aliens just be good for this movie? Like their DNA saves the day? That never happens.
And couldn’t the love match be Jodie and Noomi?
I can keep Theo for me and me only 🙂
If I were the fortunate buyer for this home, I would negotiate to buy the sophisticated furnishings as well. The rooms are light filled with just enough architectural detail, and the furnishings in place complete a home which is both elegant and comforting for this space.
Beautiful! I love the white walls here. The fun yet sophisticated flower floor tile looks very similar to the custom hardwood floor tiles from Mirth Studios, in case anyone is looking for something similar. I did an article for this on my blog also.
Love this beautiful apartment but cannot imagine coming home from the beach with sandy feet! It is gorgeous but does not feel “beachy” in any way. Would love to see one of these beautiful spaces done with materials that say “casual, beach living”. But I am American. Perhaps the Brits are not so much into that genre! Gorgeous space!
Fret not: the beach in Brighton is pebbly so no risk of sandy feet!
No no no there really is no interest in saving the world, more importantly can she some how prove, she owns the whole terrace!!
Stunning example of thoughtful interior design.
Oh my goodness Kate (I feel we are one first-name basis sorry) you are hilarious. Laughing too much to think beyond what you’ve set up already. Love it all. Made my day. Again!
‘the world needs good cushions as mood improving device’ many a true word spoken in jest! I am imagining myself on that balcony with my morning coffee now.
Love this too!
I have already grabbed my bucket and spade!!
Dr Lili-The-Pink Fakenham (played by Amy Adams wearing large hornrimmed glasses) is a renowned virologist and has been contacted by Prof Jean-Pierre de L’Ail Sauvage (known as J-P and played by Louis Garrel). The Mummy Virus is on its way up France and it is rumoured that a more dangerous and speedy strain has hived off and already hit Brighton. He needs to get there with his team in all urgency. Only they can save the day. It is Pride Week in Brighton so there are a lot of people around. The symptoms are blue vomit, huge glandular swellings on the neck and loss of voice. People have to communicate in squeak Morse Code. This virus is carried by an unknown breed of flying beetles which have survived in the Pyramids in Egypt living off embalming fluid (this particular type known as Mortus Sucus Nectare). The need of Colonel Smith-Duck-Slythe (played by a younger Harrison Ford) to open up the Pharoh’s tombs (not for raiding purposes you understand but to further man’s knowledge of Egypt) has caused these bugs carrying the Mummy Virus to swarm and disperse. He of course has disappeared and is sheltering chez Dr Lili in her delightful white spare bedroom. It would appear he has a touch of the virus but, since the chunder is blue, you can’t see where he has not made it to the loo. Well Lili-The-Pink didn’t see it, she stepped in it and her foot has turned blue. It clashes with her green sandals which she is wearing to go and meet J-P and team on the beach. They meet up and go along the seafront of Brighton and there is a large number of very glamorous transvestites sipping cocktails (every time the waiter says “cocktail” they fall about squeaking). It is clear that one or two already have the virus. There are huge swellings at the bottom of their necks and a couple have painted nipples on them. J-P approaches one and ask if he may examine their “breath” (he’s French he can’t say “breast”). The reply in Squeak-Morse is rapid and not terribly friendly. So the Colonel and Lili to the rescue. All those with symtoms are herded onto the moored ship that J-P and team came in, where they are quarantined and treated for a full month. All that can be heard at night is loud music and animated squeaking. Some of the ship’s deck boards are creaking due to the revival of the Lambada. Several reporters tried to swim out to do interviews but are told in chorused morse code to do the other. Emerald Fennell and Phoebe Waller-Bridge are nominated for an Oscar for the script-writing . They appear on the red carpet bare footed. Their feet are blue of course