INSPIRING
Delighted to have eventually found a home within sight of the beach, the owner of this pretty listed property didn’t initially consider the less-than-desirable state of the interiors. But thanks to his talent – plus hard work and lots of time – he has designed considered spaces that reference their heritage and work beautifully for modern living
HOME PROFILE
WHO LIVES HERE Russell Loughlan, an interior designer and illustrator with his own interiors practice, The House on Dolphin Street; his partner Carl, head of creative and product design for sustainable furniture brand Goldfinger; and their miniature dachshund, Mr Big
THE PROPERTY A Grade II-listed Georgian terrace in the seaside town of Deal, Kent
explains Russell Loughlan, an interior designer whose Georgian terrace on the Kent coast has gained its own fan base thanks to his Instagram account @thehouseondolphinst. While the town has seen an influx of Londoners in recent years – drawn to its seafront promenade and growing numbers of independent shops, antiques stores and quaint pubs – Russell insists it still has a ‘salty old sea dog’ ruggedness about it.
So great is Deal’s allure for Russell, in fact, that this serial renovator has moved within the town no less than four times in the past 16 years. ‘I love a project, and my ultimate aim was to get that all-important sea view,’ he explains. ‘Four renovations later and here I am, seconds away from the beach – 15 steps, to be precise.’
When he found the house, Russell didn’t waste any time, managing to view it, put in an offer and have it accepted before it even hit auction. ‘I’m a pest with the local estate agents!’ he laughs. The reward for his persistence is now clear to see: nestled among the other higgledy-piggledy houses on Dolphin Street – arguably the prettiest street in town – his terraced home is the traditional seaside dream.
But it was far from plain sailing. ‘I was so excited by owning such a beauty t
