Of all the Medway towns, Rochester wears the crown – actually it can choose to parade about in several – boasting a whole Norman castle, a truly ancient cathedral and a connection to one of our great novelists. In fact, references to this writer’s name and works feature so heavily as you walk along the high street that you’d be forgiven for wondering what the Dickens was going on. This is a town steeped in history, with a mix of architecture that goes all the way back to its Roman foundations.

The Wonky House is situated right in the heart of the town, a mere medieval stone’s throw away from both the castle and cathedral. The building is easily spotted as you approach, because, as you might have already guessed – it’s wonky. In fact, viewed from the outside, the building lurches at a precariously disturbing angle. It is the leaning drunk of the high street – a fitting home for the latest ground floor occupant, that happens to be a microbrewery.

Kit and Victoria, the couple behind the transformation of this 16th century building, have managed to turn a forlorn and fusty relic into a beautifully curated holiday home. And, once inside, the impression is definitely not one of wonkiness, but of its masterful colour scheme and decorative flair – all set off perfectly by the light that streams in through large Georgian windows. Paint has been cleverly applied to the walls and to the ceilings, so that each room is drenched in a different Farrow & Ball colour – and the result is confident and effective.

Period charm is infused with contemporary elegance here – the living spaces are a bold mix of classical outlines with mid-century infill, blending beautifully into a harmonious whole.
Kit has known this building for a long time. “I was brought up in the area and have walked past it so many times. I saw that there was a For Sale sign outside one day and thought it was just for the flat above the bar, but it was for the whole building. It was up for auction.”
In the end they were able to buy the place post auction via the estate agent – and then the hard work began.

The Wonky House is, unsurprisingly, Grade ll listed, but luckily applications to make changes were limited, because they were restoring the building, not making significant alterations. The outside had to be painted, but by keeping to the previous colour, it was a repaint, not a change to the outside.

“Twenty five years ago the previous owner had done a fair amount of structural updating,” explains Kit, but some of the work, although fairly competent, was definitely in need of modernisation. The Wonky House had hit hard times and needed a total revamp.

“It was very cold and damp when we first got the place,” says Victoria, “and painted cream everywhere.” They had to remove 5 tonnes of rubbish from the building before work could start – including a strange marble floor that was made from marble chips and off cuts. “It looked like a crazy paved marble floor,” says Kit. “The floor in the living room bowed by 18 inches,” he adds, “you felt like you were walking uphill. It’s still bowing now, but only by 6 inches.”

They are fortunate to have a trusted and talented builder Stewart Hart on board, who was excited to have the privilege of working on this iconic old building, understanding how to sympathetically restore and renovate, and to preserve as many of the original features as possible. “We get on really well, he’s worked with me on some of my other projects,” explains Kit. “He knows me well enough to anticipate what decisions I would make and can just get on with the work, which is great.”

All the services – electrics, plumbing, heating – went in smoothly – the different trades all worked in a cohesive team, and the project was completed without a hitch.
They installed restored cast iron radiators throughout, which provide beauty as well as the much needed warmth. Lighting has been a key focus too. “Much of the recessed lighting was already here, but we added more,” explains Victoria. “Lighting is so important, you want to feel cosy when you are inside in the evening. We use layered lighting – a combination of down lights and side lamps. It’s important to think about how each space is going to be used and make the lighting appropriate, I’m not such a fan of overhead lighting.”
The rooms at the top of the house have been well insulated – both the ceiling and floor. The old floorboards had to be replaced up here, but fortunately any intact wood was put to good use patching up those on the floors beneath. The top floor rooms were carpeted, making these lofts extra cosy.

The couple were at first doubtful about how two sets of single beds would work in the spaces under the eaves, “but it has turned out really well!” says Kit. “The rooms are long and the gap between the beds is not as narrow as we had anticipated. It works. There’s lots of space up here and fabulous views of the castle – and Rochester Cathedral too.” These two rooms are very similar in layout, twinned in more ways than one, but one is painted blue – Dix Blue – and the other is Preference Red, both by Farrow & Ball.
Victoria explains that they managed to secure the service of a talented interior design consultant, Karina Moore, to help them with the decoration. “She was worth every penny,” she says, explaining how the bold and vibrant colour schemes came about. “Karina chose colours that I might never have picked out – and they’ve worked out really well.” The pair meshed their skills seamlessly together – Karina sourced materials and fabrics, and Victoria made all the headboards for the beds and many of the soft furnishings throughout.

“We would go on expeditions to auction hoses and junk shops sourcing furniture and fittings – the radiators are all reclaimed and refurbished so that they work perfectly with modern plumbing. Kit confesses to being a collector of heritage paraphernalia and all around the house there are fabulous enamel signs, framed prints, objects and accessories – the couple have even uncovered some of the original wallpapers from the house and framed them to hang in one of the main bedrooms. “They are like time capsules,” says Victoria, an authentic and tangible link to the origins of this iconic building.
Descending down a floor, we find two generous bedrooms, each with a distinct yet complementary feel. One is painted in Sulking Room Pink, a dusky rose that exudes warmth and serenity, while the other is bathed in Light Blue, a soft and airy hue. Due to the narrow winding staircase, wardrobes were impractical, but this has worked to their advantage, creating uncluttered, tranquil spaces.
From the blue room there is another mesmerising view – you could almost step out of the window into the grounds of the castle from here. This bedroom also features a fabulous fireplace with an original wooden surround that Kit was at pains to maintain just as he found it – “with the patina of the years stamped into it.” The amazing staircase has also been left as it was, a sculptural wooden centrepiece winding up through the interior. The aged patina of the stairs resonates with the wonderful old beams that have been stripped back and waxed.

Instead of the ubiquitous kitchen island, there is a comfortable and cosy, but distinctly separate, dining area. “The house sleeps eight,” says Victoria, “so I needed to make sure that the table would comfortably seat eight too.” And due to the sensible combination of chairs – covered in the recognisable, but hard to place, London Underground Piccadilly Line fabric – and a comfy looking banquette seat it easily accommodates all guests without a problem.
Thanks to Victoria and Kit’s creative and colourful reimagining, this once bleak house has been restored to not merely its former glory, but a new level of finish. Anyone lucky enough to stay here will find that it offers more than just a base from which to explore this historic part of Kent. A whole new chapter has opened for the characterful and now very comfortable Wonky House.