PARADISE FOUND

Ecclesiastical, industrial and with a courtyard of palazzo potential, this holy grail of a property was a restoration dream for Alex MacArthur. Practising faith over fear, the interior designer set about breathing new life into this ancient building, possessed by its charm despite its attendant challenges. The result is a wonderful assault on the senses: an antique-filled, cypress tree-clad fantasia of escapist experiences. Available for exclusive events, it can be appreciated by all.

By Claire Bingham

Photography by Paul Raeside

There are certain buildings that enter your world and shift the dial; utterly unique in their attributes, they coax something deeply emotional in you. One moment, you may be lucky enough to be living in the most sophisticated Regency town house in Brighton, hosting open-house soirees to the cognoscenti of the antique-and art-buying world; the next, you’re seduced by a siren song of an abandoned 1380s monastery once inhabited by Austin Friar monks and spend the next eight years consumed by a mammoth restoration to save the ravaged space. This is the story of antique dealer and interior designer Alex MacArthur. Alex’s singular antiquarian eye, gift for composition and steadfast vision coalesce at his magical home and gallery in the quaint market town of Rye.

Full of charm, the floor and walls of the cottage snug are finished in Corical lime paint imported from Belgium. The 19th-century chinoiserie cabinet is a grown-up piece, contrasted with orange velvet curtains, a mid-century chair and Sputnik light. Above the sofa is a Madonna and child icon in a 17th-century gilt frame

A medieval creative spot en route to Camber Sands in East Sussex, Rye is full of period properties, but none so grand as this. Hidden behind a brick-wall facade on the steep cobbled ascent of Conduit Hill, the gallery is a 5,000sq-ft monastic wonderland that seduces with sensorial charm, and myriad statement objects and pieces of furniture that span eras and styles. MacArthur sees himself not as a wheeler-dealer but as someone who creates installations and expresses themselves through the items they choose. ‘I remember my mum saying I had a way of making things look good,’ he says.

Despite its compact size, the cottage is full of interesting architectural features, with a large through fireplace linking the ground-floor kitchen and snug, exposed brickwork and original pencil-beaded tongue-and-groove panelling. The 17th-century Italian painting above the fireplace is of St Anthony.

His material world continues in this Georgian cottage on the west side of the monastery. Here, a smart 17th-century chinoiserie cabinet is paired with mid-century armchairs in a tangerine-and-blush-hued snug. A collection of quirky Spanish religious artwork painted on glass add character to the bedroom, and brass and brick details feature throughout. In contrast to the vastness of the monastery, the cottage is a two-up, two-down gem. Asked what size it is, MacArthur replies, ‘Teeny.’

On the wall is an 18th-century Spanish glass painting of a Madonna and child

‘The cottage was a challenge for me, as I’m not really a cottagey type of person,’ MacArthur admits. ‘I love scale, so it was difficult to do everything in miniature. That’s why I chose the chinoiserie cabinet for the snug,’ he says, of what he describes as an opulent yet minimal piece. ‘The lines are clean. It’s slimline with lots of space underneath.’

The cottage is furnished with clashing orange linen curtains and a patterned Moroccan-tiled floor – the colours dictated by the discovery of Corical lime paints, the ones used by Axel Vervoordt's long-time collaborator Eddy Dankers and which contain marble dust. As a result, the walls reflect light beautifully and take on an aquamarine and rosy glow. ‘When I first decorated the cottage I went all Abigail Ahern,’ recalls MacArthur, who at the time wanted a dark and sexy colour scheme to temper any twee. ‘This is my new look,’ he says with a smile. ‘I wanted the cottage to reflect the latest evolution of my style, so I decided to paint it pink.’ The monks are long gone, and for MacArthur, pink is the new masculine.

Complete with tall cypress trees that are lit up at night and 19th-century Greek olive pots, the Italianate courtyard adds to the privacy of the site – perfect to hire for the most amazing celebrations and feasts. The large warehouse windows were added in 1907, when the monastery was converted into a malthouse

In the kitchen, brass unifies the scheme with a sink handmade in Florence and, above this, shelves made by MacArthur’s metalworker. ‘I like the idea of brass in the cottage,’ he explains. ‘The material is traditional but also slightly glamorous.’ The centrepiece is a vintage brass-topped table and a larder cabinet found at a flea market in Paris, shipped over at great expense because it was just right for this capsule space.

Deserted since the 1950s, the cottage was in a similar state of disrepair to the monastery, with the bonus complication of a pigeon infestation due to a hole in the roof. The building was a health hazard and, for this reason, MacArthur was allowed to take the ceilings out and go up into the roof, exposing the flayed chimney breast, which is a beautiful feature in the bedroom.

Since MacArthur bought the abandoned property in 2015, he has lived with water ingress, unearthed masses of dirt and transformed all that was dark and rotten into dreamy and light. ‘It has been the most petrifying thing I have ever done in my life,’ he admits. ‘I knew the project was all about following dreams and facing demons.’ By demons, he means his own limiting beliefs. ‘This building has taught me to practise faith over fear and walk unwaveringly towards a vision. It’s challenged me the entire way through.’

On the bedroom wall is a 19th-century Spanish glass painting of St Michael defeating the devil

The legacy of the building must have had an impact on the perseverance required. ‘I feel like I’m continuing the tradition of the monks in a way,’ Alex MacArthur explains, reflecting on the feeling of sanctuary and cocooning universe he has created. It’s a canvas and cultural hub for him and others to express themselves, raise consciousness and celebrate individuality. And that deserves an amen.

Antique dealer Alex MacArthur for The World of Interiors

PARADISE FOUND