8 minute read
A Pop Of Colour
KITCHEN The huge long breakfast bar was just crying out for a line of bar stools where friends could sit while I was cooking, and I’ve used the top of the units to display all my pieces of coloured glass and my funky flamingo
Taking on a house with every room a plain white shell was a blank canvas for tv producer and painter Tania Fallon
HOME TRUTHS
LOCATION: Near Hastings, East Sussex
THE OWNERS: Tania Fallon and husband Bruce, with frequent visits from their six grown up children and dog Fraser
THE PROPERTY: A six bedroomed detached 1960s house built into the hillside
Because we’re not overlooked, I have resisted any temptation to have anything fussy or bulky at the windows as the views to the fields and sea beyond are why we love it
The light, space and intriguing shapes were three of the reasons that Tania Fallon fell for her 1960s house, set into the hills above the East Sussex coast when she decided to make the move from London six years ago. “It had the most fascinating history, as it was originally built as a two-bedroom house, but in the 1980s the family who moved here added various sheds, a sauna, hot tub and a large swimming pool with retractable solar powered roof.”
Thereafter, a local property developer transformed it, giving it the look of a modernist villa, and having decided to move on, put it on the market in the winter of 2014. “It’s quite odd to think where my kitchen is now
used to be the swimming pool and you can still see the curve of the edge of the pool outside on the patio area,” explained Tania.
Living in the Hastings area had long been on the wish list for the couple who wanted to enjoy the coast and countryside of East Sussex. “I had been living in a Victorian house in Clapham, but for a long time I had thought about moving here as I have always wanted to live by the sea. This house really appealed to me. It has the most amazing far reaching views across fields of sheep to the sea. I just had to have it,” smiled Tania.
HALLWAY Looking down the landing was all a bit too white, so I’ve added a handy wooden desk for texture, and put up a set of my own prints on the wall
Having sold her London house quickly, Tania finally moved in June 2015, and she couldn’t wait to make it her own. “All the walls were painted white and all the floors a pale wood laminate. It was an invitation to fill it with bright, bold colour. My old house had walls in blues, greens, pinks, you name it. But I had to completely rethink my look here, as it just wouldn’t have suited it.”
Deciding to keep the basic walls and floors, Tania experimented with adding colour and mid-century inspired furniture, taking it slowly over the past few years and documenting her style on her Instagram @lifeatprospect. Tania said, “I found these fantastic enormous cow paintings for the living room, which cover one wall. I’m also an enthusiastic artist and printmaker myself, having studied at art college, so I’ve put up loads of my own canvasses in blocks on walls wherever there’s too much white.”
Sticking to primary colours plus orange as her basic palette, Tania has gone for strong tones in everything from furniture to furnishings. “I love seeing big blocks of colour leap out, like the orange sofas and the different colour dining chairs. I also prefer white
LIVING ROOM This is where we tend to gather in the evenings to watch television, play board games or just sit and look at the view, so I didn’t want it to be boring. There’s plenty of sofa space and hits of colour
Q A
In an all white house, it sounds simple, but you have to keep on repainting and touching up all the time, as it gets grubby very quickly so we always have a paint pot and brush ready at a moment’s notice
Yes, I love design from the 1950s onwards, people like Alexander Girard, Philippe Starck, Xavier Pauchard with his Tolix chairs. Unfortunately, I can’t afford the originals, but you can get such good reproductions these days and still get the look
Contemporary and quirky, with lots of original artwork, and a lack of clutter
It’s actually my bedroom as it’s got the benefit of the fantastic views at the back of the house plus its own terrace where you can sit out and have breakfast, plenty of wardrobe space and a smart en-suite
I found my coffee table with the pink and blue glass sections which light up through a local network where people offer things for sale, so it’s worth checking out if there’s one near you as I got an unusual designer unit for a really great price
I absolutely adore the huge cow paintings. They were the backdrop of a musical I went to see, and I knew the director. So, once it was all over I managed to do a deal with her as I knew they’d look amazing in my living room
OUTSIDE PATIO This is where you can really see the curves of the old swimming pool, so we’ve kept the furniture minimal and gone for something with curves to echo the shapes
ZONE YOUR AREAS When I can work from home, it’s nice to have a proper corner that is separated off, and I can still be distracted by the view
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bedding, with splashes of colour using bedspreads and cushions, and while the bathroom suite is white, I’ve got lots of towels in my signature colours.”
The proportions of the rooms have also led to a complete rethink. “There was no way I could have moved my furniture from Clapham into this house, as some of the spaces are so huge, they It was an invitation to fill it with bright, bold colour
DINING AREA Rather than go for one colour seating, I’ve tried to get in as many different tones as possible with my retro chairs to add a buzz of colours
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would just be lost.” Tania explained. “So, I’ve more or less started again, selling some of my old furniture to raise money to buy new stuff, and also buying some of the key pieces from the previous owners.”
Having finally settled into her new home Tania smiled and said, “The best thing about this house is that we have space for all our kids to bring their partners and friends to stay. I can’t wait until life gets back to normal post lockdown, as its lovely having a house full of friends and family, and luckily we don’t get under each other’s feet.” l
Text by: Stephanie Smith Photography: GAP Interiors/David Giles
GUEST BEDROOM The inherited marble topped side tables work in here because they’re teamed with a lot of contemporary pieces and light colours MASTER BEDROOM I tend to go for plain white bedding and then add layers of colour with bedspreads, cushions and accessories for a relaxing atmosphere
ENSUITE TO MASTER The en suite bathroom is tiled floor to ceiling so I’ve added my usual spots of colour with towels and toiletries
It has the most amazing far reaching views across fields of sheep to the sea
