The colourful history behind Juliet Maingay-Cooper and Jake Mintrim’s Hastings home, part of a mansion built by eminent Victorian travel writer Augustus Hare, saw it once serve as a convent and school before its current incarnation as a chic and spacious family home.

When you’ve lived somewhere for a while there are certain buildings you drive past frequently that always catch your eye and make you wonder: what’s it like in there?

A cosy sitting room, used as a games room, features the original Delft tiles around the fireplace and stone-mullioned windows; opposite the fireplace, a refectory table provides the perfect place to set up a Monopoly board

A cosy sitting room, used as a games room, features the original Delft tiles around the fireplace and stone-mullioned windows

A cosy sitting room, used as a games room, features the original Delft tiles around the fireplace and stone-mullioned windows; opposite the fireplace, a refectory table provides the perfect place to set up a Monopoly board

Opposite the fireplace, a refectory table provides the perfect place to set up a Monopoly board

At the other end of the house, a huge sitting room with French windows provides views of the lovely garden

At the other end of the house, a huge sitting room with French windows provides views of the lovely garden

An unusually long corridor is strung with coloured corded lighting cables from Dyke & Dean in Hastings

An unusually long corridor is strung with coloured corded lighting cables from Dyke & Dean in Hastings

An usually long corridor is strung with coloured corded lighting cables from Dyke & Dean in Hastings

An unusually long corridor is strung with coloured corded lighting cables from Dyke & Dean in Hastings

In one corner of the kitchen a funky bright-red vintage chair and lamp with a 1970s psychedelic print lampshade sit below a boldly coloured painting by Juliet’s mother on the wall

In one corner of the kitchen a funky bright-red vintage chair and lamp with a 1970s psychedelic print lampshade sit below a boldly coloured painting by Juliet’s mother on the wall

In one corner of the kitchen a funky bright-red vintage chair and lamp with a 1970s psychedelic print lampshade sit below a boldly coloured painting by Juliet’s mother on the wall

The tiles on the kitchen floor are from Material Plans in Lewes

The working part of the kitchen is confined to one wall with cupboards painted a dusty pink, some with a geometric pattern in copper. The worktop is poured concrete and the wall lights are from eBay

The working part of the kitchen is confined to one wall with cupboards painted a dusty pink, some with a geometric pattern in copper. The worktop is poured concrete and the wall lights are from eBay

The lofty stairwell opens up to a gallery on the first floor, where more coloured cables from Dyke & Dean are strung across the void. Two extra large frames, one containing an old film poster, the other a collage of Cuban posters from a book, hang on the walls

More coloured cables from Dyke & Dean are strung across the stairway. Two extra large frames, one containing an old film poster, the other a collage of Cuban posters from a book, hang on the walls

The lofty stairwell opens up to a gallery on the first floor, where more coloured cables from Dyke & Dean are strung across the void. Two extra large frames, one containing an old film poster, the other a collage of Cuban posters from a book, hang on the walls

The lofty stairwell opens up to a gallery on the first floor

A generously proportioned room is now used as a guest bedroom. Translucent linen blinds keep the space light and airy and accents of black, pink and gold contrast with the pale walls and carpet

A generously proportioned room is now used as a guest bedroom. Translucent linen blinds keep the space light and airy and accents of black, pink and gold contrast with the pale walls and carpet

A generously proportioned room is now used as a guest bedroom. Translucent linen blinds keep the space light and airy and accents of black, pink and gold contrast with the pale walls and carpet

A generously proportioned room is now used as a guest bedroom. Translucent linen blinds keep the space light and airy and accents of black, pink and gold contrast with the pale walls and carpet

'We love how close the real countryside is and the beach'

A delightful cosy kid's room

A delightful cosy kid's room

A corner of the master bedroom

A corner of the master bedroom

Doors from the kitchen lead out into the garden, where a lovely magnolia tree grows next to the wellhead

Doors from the kitchen lead out into the garden, where a lovely magnolia tree grows next to the wellhead

Doors from the kitchen lead out into the garden, where a lovely magnolia tree grows next to the wellhead

A relaxing seating area by the magnolia

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