Surrey Homes | SH16 | February 2016 | Wedding supplement inside

Above left: The carpets have been removed throughout, to leave characterful, marked floorboards which fit perfectly with the original panelling on the stairwell
Above right: The grey-painted hallway is naturally lit by an original fanlight window above the front door as well as more contemporary fairy lights and spots
Sea view or no sea view, it’s clear that guests love the atmosphere
at Belvidere Place, the homely touches and the romance of this
majestic building, in a quintessential English seaside town
statement. “It’s not a fancy Farrow & Ball colour. I
was doing some woodwork and liked the colour of the
grey undercoat I was using – then had a similar colour
mixed especially. I’ve thought of trying other colours
since, but few things go so well as they do with grey.”
Jilly also takes the same ‘unplanned’ approach with
furniture: “I just buy what I like.” Sunbury Antiques
Fair is one place she likes to visit, as well as Dolly Miller
in Margate and Spitalfields Market in London.
Other sources include boot sales, a doctors’ surgery
and even a skip: “A lamp upstairs was on its way to
the tip, before I rescued it.” The furniture just seems
to fit – rather like Jilly’s many happy guests.
“I don’t do internet bookings, only phone
bookings, as I like to speak to my guests when
they book,” she says. “I need to talk to them, to
find out if this is the right place for them.”
One thing she makes clear straight away, is that there
is no sea view – although the beach is only a short
stroll away. “If it’s not right for them, I point them in
the right direction. That way, everyone’s happy.”
Sea view, or no sea view, it’s clear that guests
love the atmosphere at Belvidere Place, the homely
touches and the romance of this majestic building
in a quintessential English seaside town.
“We get loads of proposals here,” says Jilly, with
www.wealdentimes.co.uk
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