COOL IN EVERY SENSE… Words: Kate Thompson. Photos: Fry & Kent
O
n the hottest day the UK has ever experienced, there was no cooler place to be than Sophie and Talbot’s glorious Southsea home.
Ornate plasterwork on the ceiling of the sitting room and a gorgeous over the top fireplace underline that this was an important home for an important man.
Their spacious garden flat with subterranean rooms below was cool in every sense. Crisp white walls teamed with an uncluttered approach to living and a confident sense of style, make for a perfect combination.
Sitting in the dining area, chatting to Sophie, my eye is continually drawn to the Lincrusta Walton raised relief wallcoverings that are the mark of a fine Victorian home. The detailing is delicate and sublime — a true mark of quality.
Far from being too clinical in their approach, Sophie and Talbot have embraced the original features of their home and ramped up the glamour to create a home that perfectly marries the best of Victorian craftsmanship with a contemporary feel.
Looking at Sophie’s petite frame it’s hard to imagine her navvying but that’s exactly what she did when she and Talbot took on the task of developing the basement area — where originally the servants would have slept.
Built in the 1880s for the architect who designed it and several other homes in this stylish corner of Southsea, he certainly didn’t stint on the finishing touches.
“When we bought the flat we could see the potential to extend the living space and were able to do so by opening up the ‘other half’ of the basement, with the
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