ARTIST'S IMPRESSION

Prominent colours and a stylish sophistication meet in this historic townhouse, which has been a decorating dream for artist Anna Toppin

- CIARA ELLIOTT

With its original panelling, sash windows and wide wooden floorboards, artist Anna Toppin was immediately captivated when she first viewed this Grade II-listed house in Essex. And when she saw the garden annexe that would become her studio, she was sold.

‘Some of my oldest and dearest friends lived just across the street, so when the house went up for sale, I was one of the first to view it,’ says Anna. ‘It had been done so tastefully by the previous owners – I just wanted to put my own stamp on it.’

While the decor had been carefully considered, it needed to be freshened up. One of the first things Anna did was repaint. ‘The previous owners loved dark colours and fabrics, and the house was very cosy but also a little bit claustrophobic,’ she says. ‘The first weekend I moved in, I repainted all the walls in lighter colours, which instantly felt fresher and more me.’