A tour of Ballart House
A beautiful 3-story Victorian town house turned guesthouse during the British seaside holiday heyday of the early 20th century and then converted into a house of multiple occupancy - it’s an all too familiar storyline woven into the fabric of Margate’s Cliftonville area.
But one such property, nestled amongst the terraces of Ethelbert Road, has been reinstated to its former glory and given a contemporary twist. Originally named by its then owner Isaac de Bock Kennard around 150 years ago; a short while after the industrial era, a period in which the UK textile industry boomed, Ballarat House was once the location for Kennard’s home and piano store. It is said that Kennard named the house after the Australian city of the same name; a city transformed by the gold rush, the treasures of which Kennard travelled for by boat (entertaining guests all the way by playing on the ships piano.) Over the past 2 years, its newest owner, textile designer Amelia Gregory, has put her creative skills to good use and painstakingly restored the space with her own signature style. It’s an ambitious project and one that she spent much time in researching, both in terms of the buildings history and the fine design details applied within.
Apart from the bold black and white geometric patterned tiles that cover the stoop, the experience of entering the property is almost exactly the same as it would have been during Kennard’s occupancy in the late 19th century – and it’s a rather unique one. Margate’s own Hermetic Sign Company have lovingly reinstated the property name above the front door in gold leaf, using a font inspired by those of the Victorian era. Next to it, an enormous square-windowed bay dominates the upper ground floor and once through the door, a full-length glass window directly to your right invites a look into the living room - which would have originally showcased Kennard’s pianos. By passing through the next original door, this one embellished with engraved glass panelling, you enter a space that is alive with colour and brimming with sumptuous features.
The interior decoration is drawn from a mixture of Amelia’s own designs and intuitive colour selections, dashes of Art Deco inspired forms and imagery that references nature - the culmination of which creates a luscious and intriguing environment throughout. Indeed, to understand and fully appreciate the house, one must first recognise the style of its host. Amelia studied printed textiles at Brighton University, with which comes the ability to comprehend and control the subtle interplays between colour, light and form. Between 2004 and 2009 she also edited and published her own collaborative magazine called Amelia’s Magazine, which championed art, fashion, music and earth. The latter section covered creative environmental and ethical projects; things that Amelia still passionately advocates here in Margate. Whilst the magazine has been on hold since she moved here and began work on the renovation, the house itself became a space in which to carry on her practice.
Drawing attention to the beauty and plight of local wildlife, Amelia has created textile designs for every single room. Adorning curtains and other soft furnishings are repeat patterns created from her own drawings of flora and fauna found at Hodge’s Gap, including brightly coloured Ragwort and Alexanders. Each design and colourway sets the tone for the scheme of the room, all of which have a distinct palette and name. Of the 6 bedrooms, Seascapes, with its floor to ceiling double window and balcony, is perhaps the most striking. The curtains are printed with dual toned imagery inspired by plants found in the local sea and as with all of the rooms, colour envelopes the walls and ceiling. In this case, it’s a vibrant emerald green reminiscent of the clearest of oceans, which is beautifully complimented by a royal blue scalloped headboard and flash of pink around the substantial original door frame. Elsewhere, Sunshine is entirely wrapped by bright yellow paint and has a seashell design upon the curtains, whilst Sunrise has been cleverly decorated with an ombre effect of vivid peach and coral shades. The same effect is used to paint the spindles on the staircases, each one a shape lighter or darker than the last.
The hallways, living space and kitchen have all been rendered in dark shades, which allows for the finer details to shine. Accent colours are considered and offer a pop of contemporary flair that might have surprised Mr Kennard, whilst luxury materials such as faux fur and velvet, not to mention an ample supply of cushions, make the house richly tactile and comfortable. Almost all of the furniture is second hand, with pieces found at R G Scotts and Pilgram’s Hospice, much of which Amelia has up-cycled (often involving gold paint) to tie in with room themes whilst giving the pieces a new unique quality.
Amelia’s thrifty approach, excellent eye for detail and confidence with pattern and colour is testament to the stunning results that you can achieve on a modest budget - Mr Kennard would be impressed!
This article was first published by Margate Mercury.