A Queen-Anne Charmer

It takes a woman of vision to buy a neglected circa-1760 Queen Anne London town house and, within a year, transform it into an elegant family home. That its graceful architectural features were intact and its room proportions generous naturally helped, and finding South African interior decorator Grant White to assist her was kismet. “When I walked into this magnificent period property,” says owner Georgie Penn, “I knew I need never move again.”

A nineteenth-century French crystal chandelier, pictured above, drapes beautifully over the Georgian English mahogany dining table.

The curtains, shown above, were custom-made for the owner in Italy. She chose from a selection of antique silk damasks, which were then sewn into a patchwork design. The white-painted table has its origins in nineteenth-century France.

Above: The homeowner opened two existing rooms to create separate sleeping and sitting areas in the master bedroom. In front of the window seat, two buttoned English nursing chairs don updated, floral-print upholstery.

The first-floor conservatory, above, just off the drawing room, captures brilliant sunlight. Potted orange trees and antique deck chairs add to the relaxing ambiance.

In the master bedroom, pictured above, the walls have been battened in Bennison’s Faded Rose linen, with curtains and a silk eiderdown to match. The drapes are lined with a green Chelsea Textile small check. Beside the bed, an English mahogany chest of drawers is elegant beneath a floral bouquet.

Photography Jan Baldwin

To discover more English elegance, see “A Queen-Anne Charmer” on page 9 of the English Cottage 2017 special issue from Victoria Classics.