Addington Square, Margate, Kent

Beautifully appointed, this two-bedroom house, formerly a church school building, lies moments from the pretty shopfronts of Margate's Old Town. Although it has been deftly reimagined inside, the building's timber frame and period features remind of its 19th-century origins. A crisp, predominantly white palette has been used throughout, pairing elegantly with the original timber floorboards that run underfoot. The beach is within easy reach, as is the town's station, where services run to central London in as little as 90 minutes.

The Tour

Part of a short terrace, the house is reached via a sweet courtyard planted with cascading wisteria and wildflowers. Formerly a Sunday school house, the building has a white rendered façade with elegant arched windows and a conical peak on either side of its pitched roof. Access is along the side of the building where the exposed brickwork is punctuated by wooden sash windows, their frames painted in a dramatic black.

Entry is into the main living space; bright white walls bounce light around this generously proportioned room. Wide floorboards run underfoot and complement the wooden handrail that runs up the stairs. This space is currently arranged to have a sitting area beside the hearth, which has been plastered and left open. A separate, designated dining space is to the front, beside the sash windows.

Beyond is the L-shaped kitchen, finished in a monochromatic scheme with white cabinetry and black worktops above integrated appliances.

At the front of the plan is a downstairs bedroom, currently used as a study, which overlooks the courtyard. A shower room with WC can be accessed via the study/bedroom, functioning as an en suite when used as the latter, or via the kitchen.

Upstairs there are two double bedrooms. Both are voluminous spaces, with exposed beams and a ceiling that rises to the roofline. A wonderful quality of light is drawn in through slim-framed skylights set into the roof. There is a family bathroom off the landing with a bathtub, WC and basin.

The house uses an electric heating system, forgoing the need for fossil fuels.

Outside Space

The front courtyard is a thoughtfully realised space with shared access to the terraces. Brilliantly fitted automated down-lighters provide an ambient setting for outdoor dining. The south-facing aspect benefits the blooming wisterias and the borders planted with wildflowers, including edible plants such as Jack-by-the-hedge and rhubarb. Other parts of the courtyard have native ferns and fruit trees planted with guilds, such as comfrey and strawberry.

The Area

Margate is a wonderful seaside town renowned for its creative community, exemplified by Turner Contemporary. Synonymous with the town and visually unmistakable, the building was designed by architect David Chipperfield. It is a brilliant art space, with far-reaching views over the sea, named after landscape painter J.M.W. Turner, who went to school in Margate and would later return to the town throughout his life. He called its skies and sunsets “the loveliest in Europe”.

Addington Square is in the heart of Margate’s progressive art scene, bookended between the Carl Freedman Gallery and The Tracey Emin Foundation/TKE Studios a few short steps away. Beautiful Dane Park with its ornamental fountain, trees and wide open green spaces is 5 minutes on foot. Equally close by is Margate Old Town and its host of numerous restaurants, including Angela’s, a sustainable seafood bistro and its fun-loving sister Dory’s. Sargasso is a fantastic wine bar with a seasonally changing menu, and the newer HIGH DIVE is the go-to for delicious LA-style tacos.  For live music, Where Else? is a highly regarded music venue. Margate is also famous for Dreamland, a vintage theme park with rides, musical events and a drive-in cinema.

Margate is home to many independent shops such as WerkHaus, the Margate Bookshop and the Margate-born sustainable beauty brand Haeckels. The house is minutes from the beach and from numerous walks such as the Viking Coastal Trail, an eight-mile trail that links the towns of Ramsgate, Broadstairs and Margate along Kent’s cliffs and beaches.

We've written more about our recommendations in Margate over in our Journal.

The nearby coastal towns of Broadstairs and Ramsgate are also well known for their array of pubs, restaurants, and independent shops, as are Herne Bay and Whitstable, which are just slightly further afield.

The town has excellent links to London, with trains from Margate to London St Pancras in under an hour-and-a-half or London Victoria in an hour and 45 minutes. There are trains to Canterbury in half an hour. Connections to Europe are also very good, with the Eurotunnel motor rail service running to Calais from Folkestone (also 50 minutes away).

Council Tax Band: B