When curtain maker Annette Poole decided to move from Battle to Hastings, she researched lots of properties before finding a hillside home to suit her family. After three years of renovation work, she has created a unique interior to reflect her creative eye and passion for soft furnishings.

TEST Inventively displayed plants are a feature of most rooms in Annette’s home. On the kitchen table she has planted a selection of old trophies with succulents

Inventively displayed plants are a feature of most rooms in Annette’s home. On the kitchen table she has planted a selection of old trophies with succulents

TEST Annette has chosen a striking print of a woman in sunglasses which serves as a splashback for the cooker. The idea works very well as a replacement for tiles, especially as there’s never much wall space in a kitchen. The lockers in the dining part of the kitchen were originally destined for one of the bedrooms upstairs

Annette has chosen a striking print of a woman in sunglasses which serves as a splashback for the cooker. The idea works very well as a replacement for tiles, especially as there’s never much wall space in a kitchen. The lockers in the dining part of the kitchen were originally destined for one of the bedrooms upstairs

TEST Grey is a predominant backdrop, blending into all the individual schemes within each room and seamlessly uniting the whole house together

Grey is a predominant backdrop, blending into all the individual schemes within each room and seamlessly uniting the whole house together

TEST The walls above the stairs are very high, which also happily means that there’s lots of space to hang pictures on the landing and plenty of room for some enormous, and enormously stylish, chandeliers, sourced from Robert Amstad at Hastings Antiques Centre – not far away in Norman Road, St Leonards

The walls above the stairs are very high, which also happily means that there’s lots of space to hang pictures on the landing and plenty of room for some enormous, and enormously stylish, chandeliers, sourced from Robert Amstad at Hastings Antiques Centre – not far away in Norman Road, St Leonards

TEST The hallway has been painted a deep shade of grey with accents of gold and sparkling glass provided by the beautifully shaped chandelier, another find from Hastings Antiques Centre

The hallway has been painted a deep shade of grey with accents of gold and sparkling glass provided by the beautifully shaped chandelier, another find from Hastings Antiques Centre

TEST Curtain findings and artworks grouped over the fireplace in Annette’s workroom

Curtain findings and artworks grouped over the fireplace in Annette’s workroom

TEST Annette’s artwork ‘Waste of Money’

Annette’s artwork ‘Waste of Money’

TEST This was a large project, because the landing upstairs is huge. The walls above the stairs are very high, which also happily means that there’s lots of space to hang pictures on the landing and plenty of room for some enormous, and enormously stylish, chandeliers

This was a large project, because the landing upstairs is huge. The walls above the stairs are very high, which also happily means that there’s lots of space to hang pictures on the landing and plenty of room for some enormous, and enormously stylish, chandeliers

TEST Annette’s daughter’s room is beautifully tidy. The treatment in this room is simple, but effective. The original fireplace is set off well in a wall covered with ‘Pavilion Birds’ wallpaper by St. Leonards designer Louise Body

Annette’s daughter’s room is beautifully tidy. The treatment in this room is simple, but effective. The original fireplace is set off well in a wall covered with ‘Pavilion Birds’ wallpaper by St. Leonards designer Louise Body

TEST A corner of the landing

A corner of the large landing

TEST On the first floor, the family bathroom and loo are painted a mossy green and nautical blue, lined with off-white wood panelling

On the first floor, the family bathroom and loo are painted a mossy green and nautical blue, lined with off-white wood panelling

TEST Nautical blue paint in the bathroom

Nautical blue paint in the bathroom

TEST The marble fireplace in one of the spare rooms

The marble fireplace in one of the spare rooms

TEST Complete with a marble fireplace, one of the spare bedrooms is painted a pale, creamy gold which complements the honeyed floorboards and furniture

One of the spare bedrooms is painted a pale, creamy gold which complements the honeyed floorboards and furniture

TEST A mirror sits above the fireplace in the master bedroom

A mirror sits above the fireplace in the master bedroom

TEST In the master bedroom at the front of the house, the bed is tucked into the bay of the window, maximising the space available and allowing space for the en suite bathroom

In the master bedroom at the front of the house, the bed is tucked into the bay of the window, maximising the space available and allowing room for the en suite bathroom

TEST The scheme in this room is dominated by a large wardrobe – a cloak cupboard from the House of Lords that was given to Annette by an aunt. Annette has painted it bright green. “I was going to paint the whole room that colour but I chickened out and just kept it to the cupboard.”

The scheme in this room is dominated by a large wardrobe – a cloak cupboard from the House of Lords that was given to Annette by an aunt. Annette has painted it bright green. “I was going to paint the whole room that colour but I chickened out and just kept it to the cupboard.”

TEST The cool grey master bedroom en suite

The cool grey master bedroom en suite

TEST A grouping of spiky ceramic sculptures, reminiscent of sea anemones, from Myung Nam An are mounted on one wall

A grouping of spiky ceramic sculptures, reminiscent of sea anemones, from Myung Nam An are mounted on one wall

TEST Putting her love of Gardener’s World to good use Annette has created a garden using a refined and careful palette of colours

Putting her love of Gardener’s World to good use Annette has created a garden using a refined and careful palette of colours

TEST Putting her love of Gardener’s World to good use Annette has created a garden using a refined and careful palette of colours. It’s brimming with seasonal colour, offset by an effective combination of pebbles, wood and Indian sandstone and packed with an exuberant planting of agapanthus, allium sphaerocephalon and campanula

The garden is brimming with seasonal colour, offset by an effective combination of pebbles, wood and Indian sandstone and packed with an exuberant planting of agapanthus, allium sphaerocephalon and campanula

TEST Annette has created a lovely entertaining space in the garden

Annette has created a lovely entertaining space in the garden

TEST Rounded pebbles have been cemented into place on the wide steps that ascend to the back garden

Rounded pebbles have been cemented into place on the wide steps that ascend to the back garden

TEST Annette has created a symmetrically stylish front garden to welcome visitors to her home

Annette has created a symmetrically stylish front garden to welcome visitors to her home

  • words:
  • pictures: David Merewether
  • styling: Lucy Fleming

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