Jo Painter and Ben Wigglesworth have transformed a neo-Gothic church into their own residence and art gallery in the seaside town of Newquay in England. The artist and photographer, a married couple, were looking for a suitable location to house their North Coast Asylum art gallery and live with their two children when they discovered a building that had previously belonged to a local Methodist church at auction.
The neo-Gothic building from 1895 was in poor condition. For three years, from 2017 to 2020, the owners were engaged in the restoration of the church building. There is a family residence on the ground floor and an art space above it.
“In many ways, the space downstairs was easier to deal with. If the architecture led us upstairs, then in our apartment the light led us. The placement of the windows dictated how we arranged the rooms,” says Jo Painter of the renovation. The residential part covers an area of 139 square meters and opens onto the courtyard.
“Because we designed the apartment from scratch, we were able to plan a storage room, utility room, surfboard storage, and washroom. When you live 40 seconds from the beach, having a place to wash off the sand is a small detail that makes a huge difference,” continues the owner.
On the second floor, a staircase leads to a mezzanine decorated with arched stained glass windows overlooking the gallery. In the gallery with an area of 158 sq. meters, new temporary walls were built to accommodate works of art.
Despite their efforts, the owners have decided to part with the property: the historic building with a thoughtful layout is on sale for £775,000.
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