“Percy is such an easy-going dog with only one foible—he won’t lie on hard floors. Percy loves everyone.”
PERCY—HERITAGE HOME
Percy is a rather elegant young Whippet, 13 months old at the time these photographs were taken. When his owners were ready to get a dog, they contacted the owner of a black Whippet they had met a few years earlier; fortunately her dog had sired a litter that had been born just days earlier. This is the first time they have owned a dog, but it was love at first sight and they have never looked back.
Percy’s home is in Hastings, a town on England’s south-east coast, famously known for the Battle of Hastings fought in 1066 on a nearby field, where Battle Abbey stands. The Norman ruins of Hastings Castle overlook the waters of the English Channel.
Percy doesn’t like early mornings and takes a while to get going. He goes for a short walk after breakfast and then follows his owners around the house, with short bursts of rough and tumble with toys. At lunchtime he has a longer walk, on the east hill or on the beach at low tide. As Hastings is so dog-friendly, he has many canine chums, including Bonnie the Greyhound and Pablo the Italian Greyhound. They meet up and play frequently and he is well known in town. His favorite pub is the First In Last Out, because they have an open fire. Around 6pm Percy eats dinner and afterward lies on the couch, spending the evening relaxing with his owners.
Percy lies languidly on the rug, sun streaming through the window, in the skilfully designed new kitchen installed by the owners, with bespoke worktops and a deep butler’s sink with brass taps.
The main living space is found upstairs, and is a huge bright room looking out onto the old High Street. The two dark green velvet sofas provide a chill out space for the family. Striking, beautifully pleated yellow velvet curtains illustrate the owners’ unique use of color.
In the dining room, Percy’s bed is strategically placed against the radiator. He likes to be wherever his owners are. Painted floorboards, warm colored walls, and retro dining chairs with bright seat covers create an eclectic space.
Percy’s owners, a fashion buyer and a property restoration specialist, found this spectacular Regency/late Georgian house in the old town of Hastings, which has one of the most diverse ranges of housing stock in the country; Georgian town houses sit alongside medieval timbered houses and fisherman’s cottages, and no two houses are the same. Their house was listed as a gentleman’s residence, and has four floors.
Percy relaxing on the couch in the living space, where everyone gets together at the end of the day. A warm mix of textiles, a vintage coffee table, and gilt-framed art make a unique statement.
Percy’s favorite spot in the home office—as long as there is company. This space functions well for working from home: the Vitsœ shelving system, designed by Dieter Rams in 1960 and still manufactured today, provides order and there’s an authentic Eames office chair, bought on eBay.
The master bedroom is on the top floor of the house. Percy will come up here to stand on the couch and do his “nosy neighbor” impersonation, watching the activity on the busy street below.
They bought the house five years ago, and it soon became apparent that the roof was leaking. All the plumbing and electrics had to be replaced, two new bathrooms and a new kitchen were installed, and the floorboards were sanded and painted, before the house was ready for some serious interior design. Now it has a very tasteful and comfortable feel, with a clever use of paint color and textiles, plus art and objects collected from a year spent living in Paris.
Percy lives harmoniously with his owners in the house and is allowed to roam freely throughout. Like so many of our dogs, he is the heart of this home.
“Joe and Jarvis often go to watch Hastings United football team; they were official match sponsors this season.”
JOE AND JARVIS—VIBRANT CONVERSION
Joe and Jarvis, named after Joe Cocker and Jarvis Cocker, are both obviously Cocker Spaniels, born on Halloween nine years ago. They came from a breeder in Barnstaple, Devon in the southwest of England, and now live in St Leonards-on-Sea with their owners, Philip and Olivia. St Leonards is on the south coast of England. Each morning they have a stroll along the promenade, but are always on a leash, as otherwise they go straight into the sea and swim toward France. This did happen once, and thankfully the beach patrol and coastguard rescued Joe and Jarvis when they were a mile out to sea.
Although they are siblings, they have very different characters. Joe loves food and to play, and always carries a toy with him on a walk. Jarvis is less interested in food and more of a diva—he’s the first to complain and always wants to be picked up and cuddled. Both dogs love meaty bones, chicken, rice, and minced beef, but never eat canned food. They are orange roan in color and are extremely attractive dogs. Originally bred as gun dogs, they are good-natured and make perfect pets.
This huge room, formerly the billiard room, has a large light well that floods the space with natural light. Joe and Jarvis bask in the warm glow of the lights from the neon sign, one of the many bespoke signs created by the owner.
You can just see the light well above the living room—this gives a sense of the height of the room. A neon hangman’s noose adds humor. A vintage gurney provides a base for the dining table and the circus stands act as seats. These are the original herringbone floorboards.
Joe and Jarvis sit rather elegantly in their bespoke doghouse. This is such a wonderful image—they seem unfazed by all going on around them and are sitting patiently, waiting for the picture to be taken.
This far side of the living room features a collection of vintage finds, including an illuminated exit sign and layers of rugs on the floor. The chair, like the sofas, was upholstered by Bruce Robbins using vintage tapestries found in thrift shops. The door opens out onto the hallway.
Philip and Olivia have lived at The Admiral Benbow for ten years, a converted pub. It started its life as the Saxon Shades public house in 1833, latterly became the Yorkshire Grey, and finally The Admiral Benbow in the 1990s. In 1800, it housed horses in its stables in the yard which regularly pulled carriages to Folkestone, another coastal town. In 1901, the stables were built over with a billiard room. The first game of billiards that took place there was played by world champion George Stephenson in 1901. The billiards room was also used as a druids’ lodge, a meeting place for an English fraternal organization, and eventually in the 1980s became Blades, which is believed to have been the first gay club in Hastings and St Leonards. The pub was closed for good in 2008, after which it was purchased and became the extraordinary live/work space it is today.
More characterful style with original old cinema seats and a vintage children’s horse ride. The authentic neon signs add a glow to the space. The red painted door leads through to the long hallway.
Without doubt, from the outside it still looks as if it was originally a pub, but now it is painted in a dark color and the windows are obscured, which disguise the fact it is a home. When first walking into the space you cannot imagine what lies ahead—it is both unique and overwhelming. You might expect that it will be dark, but on the contrary it is both light and colorful. On folding the shutters back in the corner room there is an epic view of the sea and the light floods in, making it a space for Joe and Jarvis to chill while soaking up the sun.
Philip makes neon bespoke signs, hence the collections we see in the pictures, which sit alongside vintage circus items and many other unusual items. He and Olivia have an eye for the extraordinary, making this home one in a million; at every corner you turn there is something intriguing. Among other things, they have built Joe and Jarvis their very own two-tier dog hut.
The quirky little staircase which leads up to the office. Note how the door has a curved bottom in line with the opening. The handrail is made from a vintage metal measuring tape.
This is the upstairs corner room, which looks directly out to the sea. The wallpaper is by Deborah Bowness and the two-seater sofa is Danish midcentury. A vintage amusements sign leans against the wall in the corner of the room.
In the main living space there is a huge light well, along with comfortable sofas and chairs, making it ideal for relaxing, dining, and sitting. Velvet-covered old cinema seats, bright colors, and interesting art made this such an interesting and inspiring home to photograph.
Joe and Jarvis have landed on their feet.
The long upstairs hallway, with its original herringbone parquet floor, is illuminated by swirls of neon. Doors to the left lead off to the bathroom and kitchen, and the large living space is off to the right.
A walk along the seafront promenade is a daily ritual. Joe likes to take his favorite toy rabbit with him on walks, and has been known to carry it for miles at a time.
In the spare bedroom, an old advertising poster for Hastings and St Leonards and an impressive trio of illuminated flying ducks are typical of the delightful surprises to be found in this house. Joe and Jarvis sit on the vintage bed, next to the shuttered window which overlooks the street below.
The main living space in the apartment. The original fire surround has been painted white, as have the floorboards. The Louis XV mirror was found at furniture supplier The French Depot, and the art is by Harland Miller and Julie Verhoeven.
“Sid and Pip both sleep on our super-king-size bed every night, where there is room for all of us.”
SID AND PIP—TOWN HOUSE APARTMENT
Sid and Pip live with Wayne and Adam in St Leonards-on-Sea, which is in the borough of Hastings in East Sussex. Sid is a Pug and is ten years old. Born in Essex, his show name is Prince Ebony and his father was from the Pugaran family, a Kennel Club assured breeder. His hobbies are sitting in the kitchen waiting for dinner, and eating small stones on the beach. Pip is five years old, born in High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire on Christmas Eve, and is a crossbreed of French Bulldog, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and Pug. She likes to hunt squirrels by day and bark at any dog or animal on the television in the evening.
The dogs love living by the sea and are often taken to the beach for walks, or there is a lovely park opposite their apartment where they meet all their local canine chums for a play.
Wayne and Adam moved to St Leonards from London two years ago. Wayne owns and runs a pub, while Adam is a fashion lecturer. Their apartment is a conversion in a large Victorian town house by the architect James Burton. It is spacious with a garden and enormous bay windows looking out onto the park opposite. They have furnished it mainly with flea market and vintage finds from local stores, and they have displayed an eclectic mix of art by great friends of theirs.
Pip and Sid often go with Wayne to his pub, The Fountain; they attract lots of attention and fit right in with the decor.
This is Sid’s normal sleeping position—chin down, paws out—while Pip poses with great elegance. The chest of drawers displays art by Sue Tilley and owls from the thrift store.
Pip and Sid sit comfortably on the church pew inside the pub owned and run by Wayne. It is tastefully decorated with shelves filled with vintage finds.
“Albert and Raf are firm friends and play all day, from the moment they wake until sundown.”
ALBERT AND RAF—MODERN BUNGALOW
Albert and Raf are Cavapoos, also known as Cavadoodles—a cross between a female Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a male Poodle. The breed is super friendly and the big bonus is that they are hypoallergenic and shed no hair whatsoever, which is great for black carpets. They live together with Richard and Graham in West Sussex on the south coast of England, just on the edge of the South Downs.
Albert is eight years old and was born in September 2011. Richard and Graham, who used to work in the fashion industry, named him after Alber Elbaz, the designer at fashion house Lanvin for a number of years. They got Albert when living in an apartment in Hove, also on the south coast, so he was brought up with daily trips to the sea and promenade at the end of the road. From an early age Albert loved the sea, mainly to cool off after a very hectic game of ball on the seashore. Six and a half years ago they moved to their current home, where they enjoy sea views and still have easy access to the coast by car.
Albert and Raf pose obediently with the vintage midcentury chairs. The light that comes in from the skylight above gives the dining space a great amount of energy. The sliding doors lead out to the sloping garden and up onto the Downs.
The door opens out to the front garden. The dogs are rushing in for dinner after a hectic day tearing round the garden. The pristine white kitchen with black highlights also has a skylight.
Raf joined them as a puppy two years ago. Although he is also a Cavapoo, the mix in him seems more Spaniel than Poodle. He was born in south Wales in August 2017. Graham and Richard saw his puppy picture online while away on vacation, and on arriving home they drove five hours each way to collect him. He is also named after a favorite fashion designer of theirs, Raf Simons. Raf especially loves the water and took to swimming like a duck to water.
Albert and Raf bonded very well and are firm friends—having a canine companion has really energized Albert. Getting Raf was an excellent decision—bringing him all the way from Carmarthen was worth it.
One of Richard’s paintings, entitled “Tangle,” hangs over the console. Pots and artefacts sit side by side, having been collected over the years and fitting in with the white and earth tones palette. The cream vase holds some dried grass picked up on the beach.
Albert steps down from the black carpeted staircase. Another piece of Richard’s art hangs on the black painted wall, creating a striking first impression when entering the house.
Raf relaxes, elegantly contrasting the cream Egg chair by Arne Jacobsen. The sun streams through French doors, adding yet more light to this room.
Richard and Graham, who used to work in the fashion industry, live in this bright mid-20th century bungalow, which they have completely refurbished and modernized over the past few years, creating more space and adding sky lights. The white and neutral palette also fills the house with natural light.
The garden has been completely redesigned all around the house to create various seating and dining areas with distant views of the sparkling sea. Albert and Raf are completely safe within the garden and use it as a constant play and excavating area. When it’s dark and Richard and Graham look down at the twinkling lights in the village below; it reminds them of Los Angeles, inspiring them to nickname the house “Chaletfornia.” With the natural beauty of the South Downs outside the back door, and the vibrancy of Brighton close by, they feel they have the best of both worlds.
Above the sofa is “Message,” another painting by Richard. The pillow is made from turn-of-the-19th-century German grain sacks. The tall African sculpture is part of their collection that they’ve moved from home to home; they’ve owned it for 25 years.
Staying true to the neutral palette, this is another iconic design piece, the lounge chair by Charles and Ray Eames. The chair and ottoman are made from plywood and leather.
As Richard now spends a lot of time painting, he has a studio with windows facing the sea, which provides the perfect bright, tranquil environment for his work. The house is filled with his art and is constantly evolving as his inspiration and paintings change and as they are sold.
Many of the artefacts in the house have been with them over the years as they have moved from location to location; they are items that have meaning for them and provide the core of their taste and style.
Bringing the dogs into their lives has been the best thing they’ve done; Albert and Raf have provided companionship, laughter, and joy.
Albert sits on the vintage Bergère chair under the painting by Richard, “Mask with Bird.” Raf relaxes on the bed with a “hippy” bedspread they’ve had since the 1970s.
Albert and Raf run across the Downs with a ball; they love to play in the freedom of this magical space.
The kitchen, positioned at the front of the house, steps down directly onto the marina. It has recently been remodeled with stainless steel cupboards and gilt handles. George can be seen just finishing his lunch.
“George is the legend of the lagoon that’s behind the house; people love to watch him swim for hours.”
GEORGE—HOUSE BY THE MARINA
George is a German Wirehaired Pointer, bred to hunt, point, and retrieve. He is 11 years old and lives with Judy and Peter in Poole in Dorset. A large town on the south coast of England, Poole is popular for wind and kite surfing. George’s Kennel Club name is Muntjac Jack and his mother was born and bred from a line of hunting dogs in the New Forest and Wareham Forest. He uses his hunting abilities to watch the sea bass feeding and jumping in the lagoon behind the house.
He loves people and greets them when on his daily walks in the New Forest—he is definitely a local celebrity around the area. Judy says he has been the best companion and the most wonderful dog.
Judy, who works in retail, and Peter, an architect, have lived in Salterns Marina for many years. The marina is one of the most expensive and is the closest to the mouth of Poole Harbour, which is one of the biggest natural harbors in the world. Salterns was a former landing stage for passengers from BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) sea planes—they would be taken from there to the Harbour Heights hotel. The sea planes were moored in the lagoon.
The group of houses that Peter and Judy live in was formerly part of the marina and built some 20 years ago. Their house has stunning views across the harbor to Brownsea Island, a beautiful area with a wealth of wildlife, and boasts breathtaking sunsets. The water can be accessed directly via a private dock on the lagoon. The house has four floors and four bedrooms, two of which have balconies with amazing views of the lagoon.
George is taken to the local beaches, including Branksome Dene, which is a beach that dogs are unusually allowed on all year round. He loves to swim and runs into the water all the time. He is extremely well trained and obeys the whistle signal, making it easy to take photographs of him, but like all dogs he is also motivated by food. He is a handsome, well-behaved dog that lives a truly active life in this environment.
Each balcony, like the one George is sitting on, looks straight out onto the lagoon, making this one of the most desirable views in Poole. The houses are purposely designed to fit in with their surroundings.
A large printed cowhide rug covers the cool tiles on the living room floor. George is taking a rest after hours of swimming in the lagoon. The double doors open out onto the patio, which has steps down to the lagoon.
The row of houses with striking rooftops look out over the lagoon and beyond onto the open sea.
George runs along the beach at Branksome Dene. It is extremely popular with dog owners as dogs are permitted all year round. The deck is George’s favorite spot for surveying the lagoon, on the lookout for signs of life.
The dock with a small boat gives direct access to the water, which is George’s favorite place. George’s love of water is common knowledge amongst the residents of the houses surrounding the marina.
