No.10
Emer Gillespie renovated her terrace in a way that’s made it timeless and super stylish – and also full of good-looking storage
KITCHEN
‘Choosing bespoke cabinetry and working with a small business gave us the chance to be more involved in the design process,’ says Emer. ‘We could visit the workshop to pick materials.’
Bespoke kitchen, Wood Works Brighton. Rian metal stem pendant lights, Spark &Bell
WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING YOU DID WHEN YOU MOVED INTO YOUR HOME?
One of the first changes we made was to knock down the wall between the two sitting rooms. Previously, this was a guest bedroom but it had become a dumping ground. Now, the large south-facing window floods the space with light.
WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION FOR THE LOOK OF THE KITCHEN?
The starting point for our kitchen design was a striking, heavily veined Italian Calacatta Viola marble. Sourced from a local stone supplier, Margrasil, we decided to use it as a splashback to create maximum impact in our kitchen. Marble isn’t a highly practical material because of its porous surface, so rather than use it as a worktop, it was fitted to the wall so we can enjoy the beautiful natural pattern every day without worrying about damaging it.
DINING AREA
‘Our banquette seating is upholstered in green cord and the texture echoes the fluted wood,’ says Emer. ‘The artwork was created by Hove artist Shyama Ruffell, who happens to live on our street. Our large collection of plants were her inspiration. We were also able to turn an awkward space into a walk-in pantry unit. This curved storage unit frees up the kitchen cupboards for small appliances.’
Bespoke banquette, Lou Richardson. Carla spalted beech pendants, Spark &Bell
SITTING ROOM
‘For harmony, I used the same shade of green in both ends of the sitting room,’ says Emer. ‘I was a photographer for years, so enjoy collecting prints. I love the graphic colours and gold leaf of this set.’
Walls in Puck, Little Greene, and Setting Plaster, Farrow &Ball. Large metal plant pot; large bobble plant pot, both H&M Home. Sheepskin rug, Dunelm. Print, Geoff MacCormack. Six Women set of prints, Dan Hillier at Enter Gallery, Brighton
WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU FACE DURING THE RENOVATION?
Digging out the kitchen foundations left us with a narrow space that was sectioned off by a set of steps. I came up with the idea to fit in built-in seating and a walk-in pantry. This storage space frees up the cupboards and makes good use of dead space.
HOW
