Surrey Homes | SH43 | May 2018 | Restoration & New Build supplement inside

Above: The peacock light on the half landing is by local lighting artist Philip Oakley. An original piece from Blackpool Illuminations,
the lights come on in moving sequence as you walk past
twenty years ago, I visualised where I wanted to end up
living and I knew it would have to be by the seaside,
but I also knew it would need to have trees and nature
nearby, but I wasn’t sure how that could ever work.”
With a huge smile, she looks from her kitchen, across the
enormous open-plan living area, mesmerised by the waves
gently rolling at the front of her apartment. Behind her, to
the rear of the property a series of palm trees sway gently
in her sunshine-bathed garden. “I think I’m really lucky!”
Standing in the first-floor apartment, in a space
formerly known as the ballroom, you can’t help but agree.
Ignoring the advice of the local agents, who suggested
they create a three-bedroom flat, Ed and Moyra went
bold and chose to open up the space to create a larger
room for expansive living and entertaining, with one
small bedroom and wet room set to the back.
It was the nearby Art Deco masterpiece of Marine Court
that first attracted the couple to St Leonards/Hastings (the
towns are joined). Moyra remembered visiting as a child,
but it wasn’t until they bought their first flat in that iconic
listed building, that she did some digging and realised several
generations of her family had originally come from Hastings.
The couple, who are based during the week in
London’s Peckham (another area firmly on the up)
surrey-homes.co.uk
90