Island life

Jack Rebours and Marc Thompson are no strangers to refurbishment and so when they discovered a run-down house on the Isle of Wight, they set about putting their unique stamp on it

- AMBER BEARD

Imagine opening an old-fashioned doll's house, one room deep, to reveal a central staircase rising three floors, with a room on either side. Enter through the front door of Harold House and you will find the full-sized version - a classic townhouse in the heart of old Cowes that has been beautifully restored by Jack Rebours and Marc Thompson.

The couple had worked together in India, training crew for a cruise line, then settled in London before deciding they wanted a 'lifestyle move' somewhere that would anchor them to a less frantic life after almost constant travelling. 'We both had a special love of Cowes through friends who lived here,' Marc explains. 'As we explored the area more, we knew this was the ideal place for us to live; a balance of a picturesque coastal village combined with great accessibility for travel connections to London and beyond.'