In an era when the humble Victorian terrace house can be barely recognisable from its original form, it is rare, and rather joyous, to find a house which has been so sympathetically restored and preserved…

In an era when the humble Victorian terrace house can be barely recognisable from its original form, it is rare, and rather joyous, to find a house which has been so sympathetically restored and preserved as this example on Beatrice Road in Margate. The owners' love of reclaimed and repurposed materials is evident throughout the house (notably the Iroko worktops and shelves which came from old school science lab tables), with vintage statement pieces, heirlooms and flea market finds creating a home that is both autobiographical and a celebration of a bygone age. Before the current owners this house had had one owner since the 1940s, and it shows. Every element of the house has been improved by the current owners; where original, they have restored and improved, and modern changes have been installed simply and in keeping with the Victorian sensibilities of the property. Externally the owners are in the process of building a cedar-clad, fully insulated studio space with full electrics and cabled ethernet (planning permission pending) and whilst reclaimed wooden floors also feature here, this building stands as an unashamedly modern counterpart to the house. Beatrice Road is situated to the south of Margate's centre. It is convenient for the railway station, and is a 15 minute walk to the beach and Old Town. The road itself is very neighbourly: "It's a real mix of DFL'ers and people who've lived here forever". The owners shared vision is nicely summed up in their own words: "Our house is unusual for its dedication to preservation. We love that much of it remains as it was when it was built in the 1890s. We have always tried to let the house be what it is, rather than imposing something on it and, because of that, it really feels like it has its own soul.