Wealden Times | WT186 | August 2017 | Wedding supplement inside

This page: The spare room’s vintage arsenic green shelf has been
a feature of all Helen’s homes
It’s from this wonderfully diverse collection of
vintage and personal objects, where all the colour in
the house comes. No feature wallpaper walls here.
“I love colour,” says Helen, “but not painted on walls.
I like all white, or all grey – walls, ceilings, windows,
woodwork. I like everything the same colour.”
Up one floor in the main room, the theme of white
walls and – mainly vintage – items in bright and pretty
colours creates a space that is both intriguing, with so
many interesting things to look at, and very tranquil.
The squashy old Heal’s sofa, covered in ecru linen
and scattered with interesting cushions, beckons
you to curl up and would be equally appealing in
winter, sitting across from the wood burner which
Helen put in to replace the old open fire.
The cupboards on either side of the fireplace are original
to the house. The stunning front window, which all the
houses in the terrace have – redolent of Jackanory’s arched
window – was rebuilt using traditional methods.
But while the overall feel is wonderfully peaceful,
looking towards the back of the room, it’s easy to
imagine lively dinners around the table, with more
IKEA ‘Greek’ chairs where Helen entertains.
On the wall at one end of the table is a striking Hindu
mask, found at the antiques market in Covent Garden
in the 1980s and to the side another brilliant find, this
one local to her current residence – a 1960s tourist
poster for St Leonards. More than just a lovely thing,
reproductions of it are a staple down the road in SHOP.
Further along the same wall, over the sofa, is another
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