Becky Blair by Bruce Hemming

Becky Blair

Photographers Bruce Hemming

Words Katie Treggiden

Styling Sally Maton

Becky Blair lives with husband Ben and Eva (7). Their turn-of-the-century 4-bed three-storey house in Brighton has many of its original features including fireplaces, coving and stripped floors. They enlarged the kitchen by knocking down an outside loo and passage and inserting large windows with sliding panes to enhance the view into the courtyard garden. On the top floor they fitted a shower room next to Eva’s bedroom. Other work carried out included sound proofing the party wall.

Becky introduced Fifties pastel shades for the walls. Some pieces like the pretty dressing table mirror and wooden boxes in her bedroom, were inherited from an aunt. Other items were picked up on her travels such as the chair in the dining room, which was shipped home from Australia. Junk shop furniture was painted and mismatched china came from local junk shops and car boot sales. ‘Nothing matches,’ she says proudly. Many of the textiles were brought back from India or in Blackout – one of Becky’s favourite Brighton shops. Becky is an artist and her distinctive work is displayed around the house. Her sister made the seat covers for the camping chairs in the garden and Becky’s mum made many of the needlepoint cushions on the sofa including a design from a drawing of the alphabet and rainbows by daughter Eva.