Art collector Rose Knox-Peebles’ concrete coastal home in East Sussex
When Rose was growing up, her mother yearned to be by the sea. Over the years, the family – who were originally living in Warwickshire – moved closer and closer to the water. When they reached Tunbridge Wells in Kent, Rose’s mother struck up a friendly relationship with a delivery man from Shoreham Harbour in East Sussex. When he informed her that a house there was up for sale, the family took the plunge, finally making it to the seaside. Crucially, it came with an unassuming garage, which in years to come would cleverly be transformed into this inventive home, which we’re now delighted to be selling.
Fast forward to today and The Narrow House has been standing for eight years. Given the restrictive size and tricky shape of the plot – sandwiched between two villas constructed in 1911 – the architects have maximised the space. Crafted from a palette of concrete and steel, they built a three-storey structure topped with a roof terrace, with has far-reaching views of Brighton in one direction and Worthing in the other. In fact, each level embraces the surrounding scenery through the expansive glazing that also prevents the footprint from feeling small. All materials have been minimised – there’s not a skirting board in sight – while, the staircase’s open treads, cut with Morse code renderings of the shipping forecast, allow light to flow across each level of the home.
As a life-long collector of paintings, drawings and sculptures, Rose needed a place to keep her art, which led her to have something of a lightbulb moment. “I remember seeing a heist film,” she explains, “where somebody pinched art from a gallery, which was stored on wonderful panels. So, I thought, let’s do that.” The resulting steel mesh walls are one of the most innovative elements of this home. “Collectors don’t stop collecting,” she says. “The house has been able to absorb more and more.” But they are more purposeful than Rose first anticipated; she also uses them to hang other items, such as her umbrella and shoehorn, so that she doesn’t lose them. “It’s very useful,” she smiles.
“It’s a wonderful concrete shell,” Rose says about the house. “Take the art out and you can do what you like with it. Hang your motorbikes!”. Watch our Open House film now for a tour and to discover why it’s such a lovely place to live. As always, happy watching. And don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you never miss a new episode.
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