A Former General's Townhouse

One of our most exciting projects over the last couple of years has been working with the new owners of an incredible property in Montpellier, Cheltenham. The Grade II Listed Building dates back to 1824 when the Lansdown Estate was developed by the Delabere family. The house has incredible original features such as sash windows, classical porch and deep Italianate eaves, some of which you will find in the photos below. The architects who designed the house originally were R W and C Jearrad and the houses were developed by local builder, George Dover, who also worked on other building plots on the Lansdown Estate.

During its near two-hundred-year-old history, the house changed hands numerous times. It has been suggested that early residents of the home were likely to have had military, naval or Indian connections in line with the demographic of Cheltenham in the nineteenth-century. The earliest census record for the home is March 1851, which reveals that a Major General lived in the residence with his wife and two daughters. The family enjoyed a resident cook, housemaid and parlour maid. By 1861 that family had left and the head of the household according to the census for that year was now a retired Bombay civil servant who had been born in Madras. He was a widower and lived in the home with his daughter and niece, alongside a butler, cook, lady’s maid and housemaid.

Neglect and Restoration

By 1873, the home was yet again in different hands. From there on, the house changed owner frequently and eventually was turned, at some point, into flats. In 1972 the building was nearly converted into a nursing home, a status that the building retained until 1999 when planning permission was applied for in order to turn the building into a family home once more. The planning application from the time reports that the building had been ‘unsympathetically subdivided into flats several years ago’ and that they wished to ‘sympathetically revert the property more to its original form’.

The residence embarked on a renovation project, which has seen the home transform radically. The architects leading the work on the home were Yiangou Architects and the kitchen, pictured below, was designed by Daniele Brutto of Onesta. The pièce de resistance of the room is the Italian mid-century lighting arrangement was carefully restored and assembled crystal by crystal by our in-house team.

The Clarence Round Chandelier in Antique Brass was so admired by the owners that they ended up ordering a few, creating a sense of connectivity and flow through the house linking the dining room to the sitting room.

A Bright Future!

One of our favourite spaces in the home is the Grand Hallway, which features original tiles from the nineteenth-century. The white and black tiles were carefully removed, sent away to be restored and then put back into position. However, the proprietors made a tasteful nod towards Japanese Kintsugi by leaving an original crack in the tiles exposed to highlight the history of the home. The period floor sits alongside an eclectic mix of antique furniture, such as the hall bench, which was upholstered in GP & J Baker fabric, contemporary art and our Regency Crystal Chandelier Douro.

Bespoke services 

An usual lighting arrangement, such as a large chandelier (modern or classic) is a brilliant way to create an unforgettable first impression when people arrive at your property. And when it comes to parties, chandeliers are also a great way of breaking the ice by getting your guests talking the second they arrive in your home, as well as being a fantastically beautiful lighting source in your home.

We loved helping this couple breathe new life and a unique sense of their style and personality into their new home through their lighting arrangements. And, here at Regency Chandeliers and Interiors, this is something that we can do to help you too. We are able to advise and assist you in your decision-making in one of our specialise consultancy appointments. We can give you our expert opinion on choosing the most appropriate lighting arrangements for your home, both internal and external, as well as discussing whether you should opt for classical pieces or more contemporary ones. We are happy to discuss what works best for you and your property.

Email us at contact@regencychandeliers.co.uk to speak to us about how to illuminate your home!

Bibliography:

With thanks to the owners of the property for supplying the history, which was written by Jane Root.

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