Lansdown terrace:Layout 1
26/9/13
13:58
Page 1
CITYinteriors
A very contemporary twist The owners of a classic listed Bath townhouse made a bold move when they chose to use their love of 21st century design and colour in the historic building at Lansdown. The finished results are striking
M
aking the classic move from London to the south west – as so many before them have – househunters Cedric and Joy Grosjean were looking for a home with character and good looks in Bath. They searched high and low, eventually employing the skills of a property search agent who found them No 1 Lansdown Terrace, tucked away halfway up the slopes of Lansdown Road. The couple were fortunate as the bare bones of the Grade II listed building had been repaired and modern facilities such as bathrooms and a kitchen installed by the previous owner. Those owners had also taken care to work with heritage experts to see that items that had been lost or damaged during the house’s history, such as ceiling roses, cornices, door furniture, were all restored. The house had enjoyed a chequered past as both a complete family home and, later, divided to include letting rooms, so it had suffered a bit of wear and tear. But it was lucky to escape much damage from the war-time air raids of 1942, which devastated the area opposite, where Ballance Street used to run down to Julian Road, but is now occupied by the Ballance Street flats. The Grosjeans say they were lucky that the hard work on the house had already been done for them. Frenchman Cedric, said: “We both love design, so it was great to be able to go in with our ideas. We fell in love with the house as it has such nice proportions and we loved the beautiful staircase. We also liked the fact that we could walk from here to the city centre and enjoy going out to dinner or to the cinema.” So, the classic lines of the house remain, with its big sash windows, dramatic staircase running through four floors, a stone terrace outside the front and gardens to the sides. The gardens have been laid out in formal style, with lavender bushes and potted topiary trees. From one lawn there are magnificent views 86 THEBATHMAGAZINE
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OCTOBER 2013
CONFIDENT APPROACH: main picture, the drawing room at No 1 Lansdown Terrace Left, the approach to the house off Lansdown Road Opposite, from top left, clockwise: magenta and black in the sitting room; a monochrome scheme in the dining room; and the very modern, well equipped kitchen
right over Bath. But on top of the history there’s 21st century design. The bold modern chandeliers and grey colour scheme in the first floor drawing room seem to enhance the original mouldings and features. The monochrome floral wallpaper in the dining room brings a sense of drama to the dinner table – and would look great by candlelight, while the spacious kitchen is fully equipped for the everyday modern lifestyle, including space for informal family meals.