The Art of Design Issue 50 2021 | Page 48

Our overseas clients purchased this home in March 2019 after a single viewing ; they intended to make the move from Australia to Edinburgh in time for Christmas . They enlisted the team at Jeffreys Interiors to take on a full overhaul of the house in time for their arrival making their transition to a new country as seamless as possible for them and their children .

ANN STREET ; EDINBURGH

TOWNHOUSE BY JEFFREYS INTERIORS

Designer Kimberley Bremner , one of a team of seven at Jeffreys Interiors , rose to the challenge , liaising remotely with the clients to establish their brief and commence design . This was pre-pandemic ; many of the distanced working skills we established during this project prepared us for the adaptations required with home working throughout 2020 . There is always a silver lining !
The townhouse is located on Ann Street in Edinburgh , a place with a storied history – it was beloved by the Queen Mother , who always insisted driving along it when visiting Edinburgh ; it was the inspiration for JM Barrie ’ s Quality Street ; and to this day it stands as a well-preserved example of Georgian architecture with the unusual addition of long front gardens to encourage a more elite community feel .
This rich history stands in stark contrast to the clients ’ existing home in sunny Australia ; an ultra-modern glass box . For their move to Edinburgh , they decided that a complete contrast was in order – somewhere with original character ; a chance to embrace a dark , layered , and cozy interior ; a place maximized for indoor living .