Jean Hill and her late husband Douglas came across the property that became their London home a little over a decade ago, after many years of living in Mougins, France, where they ran a shop specialising in antiques and decoration. As well as antiques, Doug had also always been very interested in property.
Originally from South Africa, he first came to the UK in his twenties to further his studies in acting and dance. ‘Tall and rather attractive – like many an actor before and since – whilst “resting” between roles he would work as a photographic model,’ says Jean.
By the time he and Jean met on a photographic shoot, he’d managed to buy several rundown houses in Fulham. ‘I helped him with renovating, decorating and sourcing the furniture. After each house was sold we did another and then another, learning more about decoration and antiques with each project,’ she recalls. ‘There was no stopping us – decorative antiques had become our passion.’
The couple got married a year or two later and, while their two daughters were still quite small, they bought a ramshackle farmhouse in the south of France as a holiday home. Having renovated this, they sold it on and began to repeat the pattern they’d established in the UK.
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Soon they were living in France full-time, based in a 12th-century village house in Mougins, just north of Cannes, which became their much-loved home for several decades. They also opened their shop, which helped to fulfil their enduring passion for sourcing decorative pieces and antiques.
Travelling was always a big part of the couple’s life but eventually they were pulled back to London, where their youngest daughter was living with her family. ‘Friends had a flat in a newly converted development in Battersea, and when they invited us round for dinner we realised that it would suit us very well,’ says Jean. Dating from the end of the 19th century, the building – a former Victorian school – had large windows and high ceilings that appealed to both Doug and Jean.
Eventually, they purchased what had originally been the school hall. ‘It’s detached and has this wonderful sense of space and height with masses of light from the tall, dual-aspect windows,’ says Jean. However, the one thing that the couple didn’t much like was the kitchen. ‘Having been the showhouse for the development, for some reason the designers had installed a run of faux wood units that jutted into the room and took up a vast amount of unnecessary space.’
Years of experience designing interiors both for herself and for clients meant Jean lost little time drawing up plans, which centred around her treasured La Cornue cooker, while the extensive cupboard space was condensed to be more in keeping with life in a modest one-bedroom home.
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Understated, flat-fronted units supplied by Neptune hug the wall beneath the gallery bedroom, with washing machine and dishwasher tucked away behind the doors. ‘There’s enough workspace to prepare a meal, the pots and pans are in the cupboards below, and some of my more decorative pieces are displayed on shelves above the sink,’ explains Jean.
Furnishing their new home was a labour of love; the couple incorporated favourite pieces from their former homes with items acquired specifically for the school house. Their flair for the unusual has resulted in an unconventional, eye-catching mix of mostly European objects and furniture.
‘The first antique piece we bought was the rustic French dining table that I’d seen in France before buying the house. The seller had sold it on to another dealer, but he passed the name on to me so I was able to track it down,’ says Jean. ‘The look I wanted was informal so a simple elm bench along one side was ideal.’ On the other side, Jean uses a set of Swedish Rococo chairs that she bought from a Dutch dealer some years ago.
The centrepiece of the living area is a large wooden clockface fixed to the wall. ‘We bought that in France as well, soon after buying the school house. It must have formed part of a clock tower and it’s unusual that it’s made out of wood. It’s very heavy and is supported on some seriously robust brackets.’
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Beneath this sits a large three-seater sofa. ‘It wouldn’t come through the front door so the only way in was through the window – another advantage of having those huge windows.’ Jean had the sofa upholstered in a blue-grey C&C Milano design that fits well with the sophisticated, tranquil palette in this room.
Jean’s main focus these days is sourcing specific pieces for clients, whether they’re private individuals or interior designers. ‘I’ve been in the business long enough to have built up a “who’s who” of antiques dealers and bespoke craftspeople. I keep some of my stock at Lorfords’ warehouse near Tetbury, which I generally visit for a day or two most weeks to meet clients and take in new stock.
The Decorative Fair at Battersea is another fixture in my diary – there’s always so much to see and so many clients to catch up with. It’s virtually like working from home, too – just a stroll through Battersea Park and I’m there!’
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