Dream Home: Lofty aspirations
Inside the home of property developer Ed Deedman
When a property comes on the market that has been created by a property developer and expert builder to live in himself, you might expect a high level of finish. That is exactly what you get in this stylish three bedroom apartment close to fashionable Seven Dials.
Owner Ed Deedman has completely refurbished and quite simply re-invented the upper floor space in this large late Victorian property, and the effect is impressive. When you open the front door your expectations are more than fulfilled, and his clever use of the space and creation of new space is impressive.
The main door opens into an entrance area which in turn opens out into the main living space. Originally, he had devised the main part of the apartment as one vast loft style living unit, but more recently he has re-configured it to provide a separate kitchen and large living room. “I love cooking and entertaining and I found more and more that I wanted a separate space in which to cook.” This process has in no way diminished the sense of space here and the remaining living area is still more than generous. Large windows look north and the room is given a warm glow with the inclusion of a large working period fireplace, and large expanses of clean, open brickwork retain that loft styling. Colour has been introduced by use, on two walls, of striking contemporary designer wallpaper. The effect is stunning and a cohesive element is introduced by the use of high quality real oak veneer laminate flooring. There is also a full wall of cupboards that offer that much-needed storage that is so often missing.
The kitchen is reached through glazed doors and inside, top quality fixtures are housed in stylishly minimal units that use steel, solid wood and dramatically figured marble. It’s quite obvious that this is a cook’s kitchen.
The bathroom is equally impressive, with a range of sleek designer fixtures that include a glass basin and smart white fixtures. It is also generous in size, again demonstrating the owner’s clever management of the space available in the property.
The master bedroom is further proof of this, and a door that I open expecting to find a wardrobe turns out to be a smart and compact en-suite shower and WC. The room is once again a good size with a large double bed only using half of the available space.
There are two further bedrooms. The first that I look at is currently being used as a home office but it is easy to see it being a smart and well proportioned double bedroom. That said, I can easily see it being a smart dining room too.
The final bedroom is perhaps Ed’s cleverest invention. After years of applying for permission to create a roof terrace off the main living space and constantly being turned down, he applied for permission to create an extra room. To his surprise this was granted. He quickly created an extra bedroom which is reached from the main space and is unexpectedly large and very attractive. Once again he uses smart contemporary wallpaper to lend an air of luxury and the atmosphere of a boutique hotel.
Ed has created a strikingly modern home – a three bed apartment that offers versatile accommodation that could suit a wide range of occupants, from a young family to a busy working couple in need of home office space, or a single person who enjoys the luxury of extra rooms.
Throughout, the ceilings are remarkably high for a top floor apartment, one of the original features that initially drew Ed to want to convert this property.
Davigdor Road
£305,000
Austin Gray
123 Dyke Road, Hove
01273 232232
www.austingray.co.uk
926 East
Ed Deedman is managing director of 926 East. The company specialises in major renovations and listed buildings in particular. They also build new houses for developers to NHBC standard. There are currently between 15 and 35 people employed by the company, many of whom are experienced building and decorating specialists.
“Working as the company does in the area of period properties and listed buildings, it is essential that we employ skilled craftsmen who can bring to life some of the finer elements of these buildings. Over the years we have worked on some of the finest properties in the city and the one thing that we have learned is that an eye for detail is essential. When you work at this level there is no room for skimping at all. We have worked in every crescent in the city and we are currently working on the largest single house in Brighton at 15,000 sq ft. That project alone will keep certainly some of the team busy for much of 2008.”
That said, we are involved in a number of other renovation projects and we have also started work on a new build project, which involves four or five new homes depending on what permissions we are granted.
What is important to me is that we build a strong and trusting relationship with our clients. One in which, through consultation, their desires and our experience join forces to create their dream home. It is often a collaborative process and so far this approach has been one that has worked well for both us and our clients.
In restoring and renovating period properties, there is a fine line between creating a museum quality restoration and a livable modern home. We always like to find a solution that, while retaining the very best features and respectfully renovating and restoring what we can, allows us to also introduce the very best of modern ideas and contemporary technology. It is sometimes difficult to satisfy both needs and the people who monitor the restoration of period homes, but we do pride ourselves on being the right team to do just that. At the end of the day, 926 East is about creating working homes as much as it is about preserving history.”
With an approach like that, it is easy to see why clients keep on returning to 926 East.
Call 926 East on 01273 208468, email info@926east.co.uk
