9 minute read
Blending Old With New
old with new B l endin g
A Regency house with outbuildings proved to be love at first sight for creatives Julia Bostock and Ben Burdett
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With a shared passion for photography, Julia Bostock and Ben Burdett’s 1840s regency home can be found a few miles drive off the A12. Light and airy, every room is bursting with creativity and stunning imagery.
“We’re very lucky,” says Julia. “We found the house back in 2010 and it needed very little doing to it.”
Whilst both have strong working ties to London and travel extensively – Julia is a leading children’s fashion and lifestyle photographer, working for Liberty of London, Fendi and Harrods amongst others, and Ben is the owner of the much-respected Atlas photography and fine art gallery in Marylebone – a relaxed family home out of town was always what they imagined.
Ben explains: “Whilst London-based, our weekends were spent decamping to Osea Island on the Blackwater in Essex. We rented a very unfl ashy white clapboard cottage that had no heating and was cut off by the tide. It was complete freedom until Sunday afternoons when we had to head back to our proper lives.”
With the owners selling the cottage in 2008, the couple, along with daughters Molly and Ella, decided to settle permanently in Suffolk. Ben takes up the story: “We took a risk moving just as the banking crisis was starting and moved to Stutton for two years before we came across this place.
“For me, the house was love at first sight. It gave us the chance to live in an architecturally unspoilt Regency house but the outbuildings at the back of the property satisfied our urge to do a very modern build.”
With both Julia and Ben sometimes able to work from home, it made sense to rework the house’s outbuildings and granny annexe to create a space that was multi
functional. “Our initial plan was to take down most of what was existing and make a big open shed. But during discussions with our architect, the project evolved, and we decided to keep what was there but repurpose it to make an ultra-modern blank canvas perfect for location shoots and hosting workshops, whilst also doubling as a great Airbnb space.
“We installed large windows to bring in the natural light and used lots of concrete and other raw materials. We also took inspiration from various interior shoots Julia had been involved with, and our travels. The courtyard between the house and the Skyroom is now one of our favourite spots. Working as an outside room, it’s a great place to enjoy a drink on a summer evening.”
Recent photographic shoots at the Skyroom include French Connection and Zara Home, and as Julia adds: “We’ve also had the White Company and Clarks shoes here.”
Always keen to progress personal projects alongside their commercial commitments, Julia is particularly pleased with her recent campaign for Liberty of London: “We visit Arles in the south of France every year, as it hosts a fabulous annual summer photographic festival. Close to the Camargue region – and its famous horses – men and more recently women, known as guardians, have been tending the herds of horses and bulls in the unfenced region for centuries. Often wearing fl oral shirts as part of their uniform, it reminded me of the traditional Liberty of London fabric prints. Biting the bullet, I approached them to pitch a photographic campaign showcasing these stunning guardians wearing Liberty patterned shirts. Much to my delight, they loved the idea and so I headed back to Arles to do the photoshoot, which can now be seen in Liberty’s fabric magazine and in-store shortly.”
Passionate travellers, the couple love nothing more than a family holiday with their daughters. “We’re a very close family and the girls love to come home from university, bringing their friends. United as a family, I sometimes wonder if this would have been the case if we’d remained in London and lived in a much smaller property.”
Both Julia and Ben agree they’re not big planners but they’re happy dreamers. Ben continues: “Six acres and a property like this enables us to be king-size dreamers. Julia adds, smiling: “We’re always talking about our next little project.”
l To contact Julia, visit www.juliabostock.com To learn more about acquiring photography as an investment, contact Ben at www.atlasgallery.com
Local home owners… throw open their doors Child free zones?… meet the couple with the Parent Pod! Is grey just so last year?… Jojo Humes Brown on colours
YOUR BRAND NEW FREE HOMES & LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
Top: Mixing raw materials in the Skyroom: Middle: Regency splendour Bottom left: The courtyard featured in a recent photoshoot for French Connection Below left top: Existing outbuildings are used to create the Skyroom; Below left bottom: A blank canvas that doubles as an Airbnb Below: Julia’s latest campaign for Liberty Bottom right: Julia behind the lens
Pictures by Julia Bostock
Business as usual Latest success stories in the local area
fresh & clean
Press Gang is a familyrun laundry business in Hadleigh offering door to door collection/delivery with vans operating throughout much of Suffolk, and its latest route covering the Woodbridge area on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Amelia Kelly says: “Our collection services for residential and commercial customers has proved very popular and enables those further afield to benefit from our high-quality standards.”
Proud of its environmental credentials, Press Gang has invested in a range of energyand wastesaving innovations over recent years. Amelia continues: “Our revolutionary eco-friendly Electrolux Advanced Lagoon Wet Cleaning system is a modern, greener alternative for achieving fresher, brighter, softer clothes.
“The system is Woolmark approved and can clean most garments that have a dry clean label – banishing the use of harsh toxic chemicals, which can leave an unpleasant residue on clothing.”
l For more information, see www.pressganglaundry.com or call 01473 558448 for collection and delivery routes and times.
thin k gl obal, sho p loca l
With latest worldwide developments, it’s easy to overlook our wonderful businesses and small producers all over Suffolk who might be in for some challenging times. We’ve all witnessed how the surge in demand for goods has affected even the largest of supermarkets recently, but this gives us a fantastic opportunity to make sure we shop locally and support local jobs.
One company that prides itself on directly connecting us with producers is Big Barn. Set up by Anthony Davison (pictured with his dog, Mango), this inspirational Community Interest Company is now the country’s leading online food website featuring local produce. Anthony explains: “We’ve been helping build the local food industry for 19 years and are constantly adding initiatives to reconnect us with real, local food. The more we use it the better, and more sustainable, our food will become.”
Big Barn’s mission is to reconnect consumers with nearby producers and encourage local trade. As it stands, farmers only earn 9p of every £1 spent on food in a supermarket, and by shopping locally we can reduce the middlemen and retailer margins and ensure more money stays where it should do – in our local economy.
l You can find out more, look up recipes and place orders at www.bigbarn.co.uk
Tr ustee Appoint ments
While we may be in uncertain times, things are moving forward with Jetty Lane, the proposed community hub for Woodbridge and the surrounding area.
The organisation is delighted to announce the appointment of two new trustees. Carl Stickley brings 20 years’ television and marketing experience to help promote the charity. And with the appointment of Sue Gray, Jetty Lane benefits from a wealth of fundraising experience as Sue was instrumental in
Carl Stickley
Sue Gray An artist’s impression of Jetty Lane raising £5 million for the building of Quay Place, Ipswich.
A series of videos are currently in production promoting different aspects of what Jetty Lane will do for the community. The charity is also asking for suggestions for things that volunteers/fundraisers can do that don’t involve mass gatherings and being in public spaces. Please send your innovative ideas to info@jettylane.com or call 01394 383128.
Gote lee opens in Fra mlin gha m
The team at Gotelee is delighted to be extending its legal services to Framlingham.
Based at the Framlingham Technology Centre on Station Road, the full range of services will be offered to both business and private clients.
Managing partner, Andrew West, says: “Always looking at ways to improve our service, we know that convenience is a key factor for our clients, and so basing ourselves at the Technology Centre ensures an easy and convenient place to meet. “Clients across the region enjoy the personal service we’re able to offer and it’s important to us that we maintain this approach for clients in and around Framlingham.”
Competitively priced and offering fixed fees across many areas of law, simply call 01728 727005 with an initial enquiry and one of the Gotelee team will be on hand to assist and arrange an appointment to meet at the Technology Centre. l To find out more about Gotelee Solicitors LLP , visit www.gotelee.co.uk/ keep-in-touch Andrew West of Gotelee Solicitors
Christina Wilson
verita ble vani l
If you’re looking for inspiration this spring, look no further than Vanil on Church Street in Woodbridge.
Until Sunday, 19th April, photographer, artist and curator, Christina Wilson (wife of this edition’s Mover & Shaker , Robert Elms) will be curating a small selection of covetable wares and whatnots, alongside her own artworks. With all pieces for sale, Christina says: “Always with an enquiring eye, I am drawn to anything and everything that displays finesse and a lightness of touch, and hope the collection resonates with everyone who comes to say hello.”
The owner of Scandi-inspired Vanil, Mandy Leeson, has a range of workshops and events planned during the coming months – from garden open days with Swedish landscape designer Mia Whitman on hand for advice and top tips, to ceramic workshops with potter Nadine Samson from Home Folk Ceramics.
Mandy says: “Our workshops are always hugely popular and are a great opportunity to take time out, to learn, to make and to enjoy the moment.”
l Details of future workshops can be found on Instagram at _vanil_ or search for ‘Vanil Woodbridge’ on Facebook.
Vanil in Woodbridge will host garden open days
