The art of HOMEMAKING

Kathy Crisp and Russell Sherry have used their Sussex home to express their creativity, as well as their love of art and antiques, while staying true to the building's original features

- ALICE ROBERTON

Making a home a true reflection of oneself takes patience and vision, says designer and maker Kathy Crisp. And her home, a pretty Victorian redbrick villa in Sussex, which she shares with her partner Russell Sherry, is testament to their creativity and dedication.

The house was in a sorry state when they first saw it back in 2003, yet the building's sense of history really appealed to the couple. They found themselves drawn to the stories of the previous occupants, in particular Mr Charles Mathews, who established a small nursery business that he ran from the house and the surrounding land. He later founded a chapel from which Kathy's business, Chapel House Studio, takes its name. 'We have some wonderful old photographs of Edwardian workers picking asters here,' says Kathy, who is a keen gardener and passionate dahlia grower. She particularly delights in the fact that the double cellar beneath her home was once used to store dahlia tubers.

From the outset, Kathy and Russell were determined to tackle the restoration of their home slowly and thoughtfully, in order to preserve the period details and honour its history. 'We've shown respect for its original features, all of which have been left in situ,' says Kathy, of the work they have done. When it came to furnishing their home, the couple, who are not fans of buying new, preferred to trawl auctions and antiques shops for pieces to complement furniture passed down from their families. The kitchen cupboards are a case in point. Spotted on eBay, Kathy revamped them with a fresh coat of paint and a new worktop, which she commissioned from Earthy Timber, a local company.