Step Inside a Canadian Native’s Elegant Historic Home in England

When buying a home anywhere, the same phrase tends to come to mind: location, location, location. For interior designer Sean Symington, that word proved to be a driving force behind his purchase of a classic Victorian terraced house in Bath, England. “It’s a Georgian city, so it has gorgeous architecture, and there’s lots going on here,” the Toronto native says. That said, the house itself, which he admits “was nothing special” when he bought it, needed a lot of work. After all, it is former student housing for the nearby university, and taking it from dorm to home was hardly an easy feat.

The renovation took just over a year and required every kind of treatment, from digging into the foundation to create a slightly sunken living-dining space to building a loft above the primary bedroom. Now that Symington, his partner, and their dog Penny have moved in, though, the charming house shows no signs of its roots as a dormitory with too many bedrooms and only one bathroom. “It ran over budget and over time, but it was well worth it,” he adds.

 Photography: Chris Wakefield Photgraphy

The Kitchen With a Facelift

While this sizable space fits seamlessly into the historic character of the house, it originally occupied about half the square footage and received the most architectural updates. “In opening up this room, the real challenge was the lack of wall space for cabinetry,” Symington notes. So he built two identical alcoves flanking the range, and fixed bifold doors to conceal less-than-attractive appliances. He also custom-built a Carrara marble-topped island that stretches the entire width of the kitchen. “In order for the island not to feel too heavy in the room, I wanted it to be more open at the bottom, so we incorporated these columns to give it an airier feel.”

Symington attached a bar for hanging his collection of antique copper pots and pans above the range. The best addition to the kitchen, though, is the custom plate rack. “I definitely think the practicality of it is actually quite good, but I love what it provides: an opportunity to change.” Whenever he comes into a new dinnerware set, he will display them here and swap out the cabbage. For now, though, they are a welcome pop of color.

A Petite Dining Nook

If Symington is known for one thing, it is mixing pieces from various eras. That signature is on full display in his tiny dining room, which shares a floor and walls with the living room, which is just behind it. “I love mixing different eras, like the French antique chairs with the more modern table,” he notes. Though he can’t take credit for the design of the chairs and table, he can, however, for the banquette and its elegant scalloped edge. “Originally, I was going to put something fixed here, but I like that it’s a piece of furniture I can take with me.” The most clever addition, though, is the framed painting of a fish, which is actually not a painting at all, but rather it’s Samsung’s Frame TV.

Terracotta Sleeping Quarters

Swathed entirely in Farrow & Ball’s Red Earth, Symington’s primary bedroom is a celebration of his longtime favorite pattern, Schumacher’s Tiger Palm, which appears on the custom headboard. “The clay color is not the kind of typical choice for a bedroom, but I liked it because it appears so prominently in the fabric that ties the whole room together.” Plus, Penny, the doodle, loves it.

Jewel Box Drawing Room

The first room guests can see from the front door is the drawing room, which is covered in a teal-hued grasscloth. “Drawing room sounds a bit grand for a room this size, but nonetheless, it is a typical Victorian sitting room, in that it has the bay window opening out to the front of the house and a fireplace with a chimney breast,” Symington explains. The warm and cozy space is filled with sink-in vintage seating covered in fabrics from the likes of Osborne & Little, Lee Jofa, and Samuel & Sons, among others.

Lofted Guest Bedroom

Surprisingly—or perhaps not surprisingly, based on how beautiful it is—the most expensive piece in the entire home is the freshly upholstered settee. Since this was a brand-new space (built above the primary bedroom), Symington got to have some fun up here. He covered the Velux windows with Pierre Frey fabric, which also shows up on the settee and lumbar pillow.