Coastal Townhouse
Jack Rebours and Marc Thompson are no strangers to refurbishment, so when they discovered a rundown townhouse on the Isle of Wight, they set about putting their unique stamp on a new project
Imagine opening an old-fashioned doll’s house, revealing a central staircase with a room on either side on three floors, each one room deep. On opening the front door of Harold House, the full-sized version proudly reveals itself; a classic townhouse in the heart of Cowes that has been beautifully restored by Jack and Marc to become a smart gentleman’s residence.
While working for a cruise line, the couple had spent time together training crew in India. They eventually settled back in London before joining the ever-increasing number of Londoners looking for a ‘lifestyle move’ to somewhere that would anchor them to a less frantic life after almost constant travelling.
‘We both had a special love of Cowes through friends who lived here and as we explored more, we knew this was the ideal place to live,’ says Marc. ‘It has the balance of a picturesque coastal village combined with great accessibility that we needed for travel connections to London and beyond.’ So in 2014, the pair made the move to the Isle of Wight, buying and renovating their home.
Fast-forward to mid-2020 and the pair had just started looking for a second renovation project when Harold House came up for sale. ‘We knew that this was the project we’d been searching for,’ says Marc. ‘It had been a crew house for some local chefs and, because it was in dire need of renovation, it was also within our budget. This meant that we would be able to make our mark on the interior, too. We snapped it up.’
The couple stripped the house back to basics. The windows were repaired, they reinstalled the missing boards on the ground floor and they were delighted to discover antique floorboards upstairs. On the top floor, the bedrooms were carpeted for a cosier atmosphere. Most of the walls throughout the house have been battened and lined with tongue-and-groove panelling, which Jack took upon himself to paint. ‘I don’t think I want to paint tongue and groove ever again,’ he laughs, ‘no one tells you just what a long job it will be!’
The result is a beautifully considered house with furnishings that reflect its age, but also give it great comfort and style. The couple had a distinct advantage in the d
