Enjoy A Cosy Winter Break By The Sea: With Two Large Living Areas & Log Burners, Cliftonville

Kent. Sleeps up to 12

Enjoy Margate in style! Ballarat House is the perfect place for a cosy Christmas break with friends and family. It is 2 minutes walk from the beach, 5 minutes walk from the Turner Contemporary and 10 minutes walk from Margate Old Town.

Ballarat House is a spacious yet cosy Victorian beachside holiday home in Margate. Lovingly renovated with quirky, colourful decor, it has 5 bedrooms which sleep 10, 3 bathrooms, 2 kitchens and 2 large living areas, each with a large TV and wood burner. It has a delightful walled garden with gas bbq, and views over the iconic Lido sign on the seafront.

Here’s what you will find...

Entrance:
Grand monochrome geometric tiled steps lead up to the original front door, bordered with box plants, now painted aubergine and adorned with brass hardware including a retro modernist seagull door knocker.
A local sign artist has reinstated the name in gold leaf on the fan light. The airy lobby leads through the original engraved glass shop door into a dramatic hallway space, featuring a large gilt mirror and oversized sputnik chandelier.

Living Area:
This large area has two super comfy sofas, an armchair and gold rocking chair. Soft cushions and throws aplenty!
Large gold palm leaf lamp, side tables, assortment of board games.
Large television with Netflix.
The huge bay window is adorned with bespoke curtains swept back in vintage sun tie backs.
Put the woodburner on to create a cozy winter bolthole, or open the windows on each side of the window to let the summer breezes blow through.
Open plan to the kitchen, fantastic for large group gatherings.

Kitchen:
The colourful kitchen features brass handles and backsplash, modern black sink and taps and marble composite surfaces.
Large duck egg blue range cooker and freestanding retro fridge/freezer.
Pink retro microwave, Lavazza coffee maker with eco pods, crystal glasses, high quality cookware and everything you will need to create wonderful meals.
Vintage dresser and industrial chandelier style lighting. Views over the garden from the sink.
Large bespoke wooden table with benches.

Bedrooms:
Upstairs there are four unique bedrooms.

Bedroom 1: Seascapes
Large forest green room featuring kingsize bed with velvet headboard, switched wall lights, and vintage rattan side tables.
Spacious built in wardrobe, retro occasional chair, original marble fireplace and opulent gold framed mirrors.
Luxurious bespoke seaweed patterned velvet curtains at the floor length windows leading on to the balcony with views over the iconic Lido sign.

Bedroom 2: Tamarisk
Large inky blue room featuring kingsize bed with velvet headboard, switched wall lights and vintage Flemish side tables.
Ample wardrobe space, a revamped rattan occasional chair, shelves, decorative tiled fireplace and large art deco sideboard topped with a large vintage gilt mirror.
Large window with views of the garden, dressed in a bespoke roman blind patterned with the Tamarisk that grows along our coastline in such abundance.

Bedroom 3: Sunshine
This bedroom is a small and cosy bedroom at the top of the house, painted in ombre shades of midsummer on the beach.
Handmade Taurus Kyoto zip n link wooden beds can be configured as twin singles or as a double bed - just let me know what you prefer.
Velvet fringed lampshade, switched wall lights, rustic log bedside tables, rattan shelves/drawers and use of a small cupboard with hanging rail in the upper hallway.
Bespoke roman blinds inspired by Dog Whelks from our beaches.

Bedroom 4: Sunrise
This bedroom is a small and cosy bedroom on the mezzanine level just down from the main bedrooms. Its colour mimics the ombre tangerine colours of our coastline at the start of a cloudless day.
Handmade Taurus Kyoto zip n link wooden beds can be configured as twin singles or as a double bed - just let me know what you prefer.
Patterned gold lampshade, switched wall lights, rustic log bedside tables and a small Art Deco wardrobe.
Bespoke roman blinds inspired by Netted Dog Whelks from our beaches.

Two bedrooms are on the Lower Ground floor:

Bedroom 5: Alexanders
This bedroom is apple green with a view of the tiled sunken patio area out back.
It has a king size dusky pink velvet king size bed with a headboard, hanging bedside lights, and quirky wood and resin bedside tables.
There is a large Art Deco wardrobe and Art Deco sideboard topped with a vintage brass mirror. A large fringed velvet lampshade adorns the central light.
A vintage Victorian bedroom chair has been painted yellow to match the Alexanders featured in the bespoke velvet curtains.

Bedroom 6: Ragwort
This room has a very good quality yellow velvet double sofa bed by Willow & Hall, bordered by brass wall lights.
It has a fold up vintage table with 4 upcycled chairs (which can be moved upstairs to increase table space in the main living area, please let me know)
It has a large TV with netflix and a woodburner to keep you warm in the winter months.
The built in storage cupboards and shelves feature plenty of board games and provide storage for clothes.
It can either be used as a spacious 6th bedroom or a second living room and kitchen. It’s a great room for teenagers or children who want their own space.

Bathrooms:

Upper Bathroom:
Large bath with electric shower and glass shower enclosure, toilet, built in cupboards and luxury marble surfaces. A great bath to put the kids in! Or dim the lights and enjoy a soak.
Bespoke blinds inspired by the seaweed from our beaches.

Ground Floor Shower Room:
At the back of the building there is a small wet room shower and toilet with modern black fittings and marble surfaces.

Lower Ground Bathroom:
With wet room shower, freestanding bath, basin and toilet. Marble surfaces and brass hardware throughout.

Snug:
The spacious internal lower ground hallway has an industrial chandelier and a cozy nook under the staircase which is home to a small velvet sofa bed that can be used for children or as a snug place to curl up with a good book.
Rattan mini bench containing children's books.

Garden:
Tiled steps into garden from the ground floor.
With limestone paving, feature tiled area and cottage garden planting. Wrought iron table with 2 chairs.
Pergola area with large custom made wooden table to seat 10.
Large gas bbq.
Wood store, play boat and compost bin.

Steps down to lower Patio Garden:
With a large picnic table, pot plants, external switched brass bulkhead light and wood store. Electric socket on back wall.
Can be gated off. Can be accessed direct from the lower ground floor without steps.

Coronavirus Rule of 6:
Ballarat House sleeps 12 when rented as one place - currently I am only taking 6 people unless you are one family unit. The lower ground apartment is separated by a thick fire door which locks closed. Please respect the current regulations and do not mix if there are guests staying in both parts of the house.

If you would like to stay in the upper house or in the lower ground apartment only please check out my other listings, both available to view from my profile.

Ballarat House upper house sleeps 8 in total. I can currently only accommodate 6 people unless you are one family unit. It's a fabulous place to spread out in!
The lower ground Apartment sleeps a maximum of 4, with 2 people on the sofa bed in the living room/diner.


Arrival:
On arrival you descend to the Lower Ground front door, right past decorative monochrome tiles and a colourful assortment of wildlife friendly planters. Retrieve your keys from the secure lock boxes, on the wall and in the lower ground lobby. All exterior lights are on sensors to enable easy well lit access.

Curtain patterns:
Richly patterned curtains feature bespoke designs by myself, inspired by local habitats and wildlife such as shells and wild flowers.

History:

Ballarat House has a fascinating history, built 150 years ago as Margate was expanding to accommodate the upscale travellers who flocked to the beautiful sandy beaches and the seawater plunge pool dug out of the chalk cliffs at Clifton Baths, created in 1855 and still to be found deep inside the Lido complex. It was owned for many years by one Isaac de Bock Kennard, who opened Kennard’s piano store in his front room.

There is free parking on the street, usually within metres of Ballarat House. If there are no spaces available you can usually find a space on the nearby surrounding streets. Please note that there are a lot of steps into and within Ballarat House. You have private access to the entire building.
Other things to note
Luxury hotel quality 100% cotton white linen and thick fluffy towels.
Luxury spa liquid soaps, bath gels, shampoos, conditioners, bath salts and body lotions in pump dispensers in all three bathrooms.
Wi-fi throughout the property.
Netflix on both Smart TVs.
Bespoke curtains throughout.
Gold cast iron radiator and brass designer switches throughout.
2 dishwashers, 2 fridges, 2 washing machines, 1 tumble dryer.
Basic oils and spices for cooking supplied.
Thermostat central heating.
Traditional board games.
Plenty of LED candles for mood lighting.
Free wood supplied for wood burners, sustainably sourced.
Ballarat House is on a typically colourful Margate street, and it can occasionally be noisy. Any disturbance is usually brief but light sleepers should consider sleeping at the back of the property.

Located in Margate, this vacation home is near the beach. Shell Grotto and Margate Tudor House are local landmarks, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Margate Harbour Arm and North Foreland Golf Club. Traveling with kids? Consider Bugsy's Tenpin Bowling, or check out an event or a game at Dreamland. Take an opportunity to explore the area for outdoor excitement like cycling and other activities like birdwatching.