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Thursday, February 13, 2025

Anne of Cleves Home – Mad About The Home


As a historical past nut who loves the Tudors I needed to submit this home this week. I noticed it on Twitter a few weeks in the past however by the point I tracked it down it was now not out there however now it has popped up on Inigo so I assume the distributors modified brokers. I believe it’s a captivating place and whereas there’s no proof that Anne of Cleves (the second divorce and, hearsay has it, the one one who remained on cordial phrases along with her tyrant of an ex-husband – nicely of those that survived and that’s three out of six) ever visited it some historians imagine it varieties a part of the manor advanced granted to Anne following the divorce. He had beforehand granted it to Thomas Cromwell after taking management of it following the dissolution of the monasteries.

It has additionally belonged to Jamie Theakston and I believed I had written about it when he offered it in 2015 but it surely appears to have vanished. You possibly can see some footage right here. Curiously he decreased the worth from £2m to £1,85m again then and it’s now on for £2,250,000 so it hasn’t elevated a lot in that point. That might be a mirrored image of the present housing market, or that it’s not in London or, merely – and maybe greatest – that the market has topped out and costs could slowly develop into extra inexpensive. I respect this isn’t but it surely’s a degree to notice. London costs have gone capturing up in that point and would nonetheless be appreciably greater than they had been eight years in the past.

So right here we’re for a little bit tour and if darkish beams, character and whitewashed partitions are your factor you’re going to adore it. I’m instantly fascinated by the excessive window in what would historically have been a constructing with low ceilings. I ponder if there was a staircase right here initially which could account for the marginally stepped impact of the home windows.

One factor that anybody who does reside in an previous cottage like this (and I grew up in a single) is that between the low ceilings, darkish beams and leaded home windows they have an inclination to the darkish. Right here the homeowners have stored the partitions white and added pale rugs and furnishings to mitigate that.

I’m usually requested if you need to use color in previous homes like this and I’ve proven loads of examples over time the place color – assume the muted palettes of designer paints like Farrow & Ball and Paint and Paper Library – works very well – smooth blues, greens, ochres and pinks for instance. Wallpaper is trickier for apparent causes however that is in all probability one instance the place a white background with the color within the furnishings will maintain the constructing as mild as it may be.

When you are inclined to retreat to the sitting room within the evenings to observe tv then that, as in some other home of some other interval, may be a spot you need to paint darkish to make it cosy and extra cinema like. However you possibly can see above that there’s color within the furnishings, curtains and rugs in order that may be the way in which you like to do it.

One other query that comes up quite a bit for beamed homes is the way to cling the photographs. Above you possibly can see they’re overlapping the beam – in all probability as a result of they didn’t match contained in the field. You possibly can stick to at least one image per beam field in case you like however I believe it additionally works in case you simply ignore them and cling stuff the place you need. It is going to come all the way down to your style – tidy or extra eclectic. I additionally assume you would possibly drive your self mad attempting to hold solely issues that match – particularly if, like right here, the beams aren’t in common shapes.

For me this room feels vibrant and cosy and there’s no want for color on the partitions. For probably the most half the furnishings is mild in an effort to brighten the house. Sure the curtains are brief – I’d nonetheless have them lengthy and convey the bookcase ahead a little bit.

The opposite factor you are able to do and sure you might be allowed to  – is paint the beams. They don’t need to be darkish wooden and there’s no rule that claims you possibly can’t change them. It’s completely authorized to color them white to match the ceiling if you want. This may make them recede a little bit and the ceiling seem increased. That mentioned it should make them visually disappear not really disappear so in case you are tall chances are you’ll favor to maintain them darkish so that you see them and bear in mind to duck. My grandmother had bits of froth glued to a number of of her doorways as a warning, and softening, reminder.

The kitchen has been modernised since Jamie was right here and, attention-grabbing structure level right here. He had the kitchen proper up by the window within the extra conventional structure – gaze on the backyard whereas washing up situation. However many people have dishwashers nowadays and really it makes extra sense to place the desk by the sunshine and maintain the working a part of the room on the again.

One factor previous homes like this have is numerous nooks and crannies and half landings. I spent years in search of a priest gap at my Grandmother’s home however sadly there wasn’t one. Nonetheless, like this picture beneath, she did have numerous odd little areas that work nicely as working corners and even as nice areas to sit down with a cup of tea for the 20 minutes the solar shines by means of that individual window.

We zone our open plan areas to create totally different working, sitting and storage areas so relatively than feeling pissed off by the odd angles of interval homes take into consideration how you need to use them to their greatest benefit. This could make an awesome baby’s desk space or perhaps a small play house when you don’t have to fret about them falling downstairs.

The loos are all very photogenic and characterful though they might not be the best to make use of. Sloping ceilings and odd corners could make showering tougher than bathing and standing as much as get out of the tub may be difficult beneath a low ceiling. However hey we reside within the age of instagram so the photographs look good!  That is Grade I listed which suggests you might have a battle in your palms to maneuver or add a toilet so this can be a dealbreaker for you.

Right here the tub has been added in a bed room beneath a window so there’s extra headspace. However it’s within the bed room which was a really 90s style factor to do however there’s no manner you’d dare have a bathe there.

This bed room could be very fairly – notice once more the pale rugs and bedding. Additionally the curtains are lengthy right here. There’s usually a sense that small home windows in cottages want brief curtains however I don’t subscribe to that idea.

One level that’s nicely illustrated right here is the positioning of mirrors to bounce mild round and right into a darkish room. This has in all probability been angled particularly for the shot however the level stays that it’s a simple technique to benefit from any pure mild you’ve.

So who fancies this? Or a interval beamed cottage. This has made my fairly nostalgic for my Grandmother’s home with its wonky flooring and low beams.

Kate Watson-Smyth

I am a journalist who writes about interiors primarily for The Monetary Instances however I’ve additionally written commonly for The Impartial and The Every day Mail. My home has been in Residing And many others, HeartHome and featured in The Wall Avenue Journal & Corriere della Sera. I additionally run an inside styling consultancy Mad About Your Home. Welcome to my Mad Home.



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