Colorful Design and Historic Features in a Charming English Home
Behind a black clapboard-clad facade of an 18th-century house in Rye, East Sussex, you will find an explosion of color paired with historical features. The house has a rich past, having been used as a home, an ale house, a grocer’s, and a haberdasher’s.
The late 18th-century building is now a home again, where color, pattern, and textures are combined with historic elements like exposed wooden beams, rustic wooden floorboards, and exposed brick.
The Old Stout House was built around 1770 and stands on a historic street in the port town of Rye.
You enter the home straight into the coral-painted kitchen with gray-framed French doors leading to the garden.
The coral shade on the walls is paired with classic gray kitchen cabinets with a wooden countertop, brass fittings, and a butler sink. Pearly glazed tiles are used as the backsplash, topped with a rustic wooden shelf.
The glass front door, French garden doors, and a large skylight flood the kitchen space with natural light. The vibrant use of color also continues into the flooring, which is laid with colorful terrazzo tiles.
Beyond the kitchen lies the dining room. The room shows the historic bones of the house with white-painted brick walls, exposed wooden beams, and a large brick fireplace. Patterned floor tiles and a painted cabinet add a pop of color.
A wooden staircase leads you to the ground floor, where you will find the living room, a bedroom, and a bathroom.
A celebration of color awaits you in the sitting room. The walls are adorned with a colorful design by April Mawhinney and this pink-hued wallpaper pairs beautifully with the rustic wooden floorboards.
A large window with sky-blue shutters floods the space with natural light. And in one corner stands a cast-iron fireplace with a green-painted surround.
On this floor, you can also find the first of four bedrooms. The paneled walls are painted in a cheery yellow hue. The room has an L-shape, creating a cozy niche for the bed, and the spare space is used as a charming sitting area.
The en-suite bathroom is magnificent, with vertically laid glossy green tiles, a freestanding bath with brass fittings, and a separate shower.
Geometric tiles in blue and green are laid on the floor and on the double shower walls.
The yellow bedroom has a charming sitting area with a white-painted fireplace.
On the first floor are two bedrooms. The largest one has a beautiful tripartite bay window with lavender shutters.
The walls are decorated with the colorful “Wonderlust Tea Story” wallpaper by Clarke & Clarky, which pairs beautifully with the original rustic wooden floorboards.
The family bathroom pairs lilac walls with mustard-yellow tiles. Rustic floorboards and exposed wooden beams add a historical touch.
The attic space features another charming bedroom with exposed wooden beams, exposed brick, a coral-pink wooden door, and a velvet green headboard. It has an en-suite bathroom with pink tiles and black fittings.
The south-facing garden features a wooden terrace with large, potted olives and palms. The borders are planted with mature palms, climbing roses, and a rare, mature Gingko tree.
The house is listed for £560,000 at Inigo.
