… Following In The Footsteps Of Britain’s Best Home
Property History
The owners of Britain’s Best Home, Terry George and Michael Rothwell, bought this stunning, if not slightly run down, beach house in Tangier as a second home and magical getaway back in 2006.
Previously owned for 20 years by one of their best friends, the beach house had an uncanny English feel to it, home to antiques galore and traditional English décor. Terry and Michael wanted to keep the traditional features in the property but add a Moroccan twist to fit into the idyllic setting boasting stunning sea views and make better use of the space.
Calling on Ben Huckerby Design after the success of the phenomenal interior re-design and landscaping which led to Terry and Michael’s home, Carr Hall Castle, winning the accolade of Channel 5’s Britain’s Best Home back in 2008, the team were summoned to inject their signature style into the property and carry out some structural renovations to transform it into a holiday haven.
Ben Huckerby Design Brief
To re-design the interior scheme throughout the property in keeping with Moroccan tradition to make the home an irresistible get away.
To open up the space around the open air swimming pool and connect what was an external bedroom to the rest of the house.
To use the team’s international experience, passion for mixing different textures, patterns, and colours, and its infamous mixing of traditional with contemporary to create an interior scheme that flowed seamlessly from room to room.
The Showcase
Working on the property over a period of 3 years, re-designing the room set, making structural improvements and designing the interior scheme room by room, the Ben Huckerby Design team made sure no stone was left unturned in terms of attention to detail. The result is a property restored to its former glory with original features and a modern twist.
Walls were taken down at the back of the house around the outdoor swimming pool to create a lighter, more open space. A corridor was added between the main property and an external bedroom to connect the two and make the house bigger, and the staircase was moved from the front of the house to the back to make the best possible use of the space.
Original artefacts were sourced in keeping with the Moroccan theme to dress the property in a truly decadent and opulent manner. Old floors were varnished, sumptuous velvet fabrics were hand picked, vibrant colours were injected and traditional Moroccan patterns used as inspiration.
Terry and Michael are thrilled with the result, going over to Morocco every month. “The finishing touches added by Ben make the property look seamlessly elegant and help it blend into the sensational Moroccan landscape” said Terry.
Ben Huckerby, Founder and Interior Design Director of Ben Huckerby Design said, “Working on a property in such a harmonious setting was fantastic. I must admit, the language barrier was a bit tricky at times, but the result is one that we are proud of and Terry and Michael love. Our main inspiration for the interior scheme was the traditional Moroccan landscape – we used a lot of velvets in different colours and shades throughout to maintain consistency between rooms and make sure a smooth theme ran throughout the property.”
Deciding to share their little piece of magic in Morocco, the Tangier beach house in available to rent through Unique Home Stays.