Coleton Fishacre has been described as "the perfect combination of the simple architecture and high standards of craftmanship of the nineteenth century Arts and Crafts movement with the modernity of the Jazz Age."
I was told that there are not that many Art Deco style houses in the UK and this is one of the few private residences that are open to the public. Among the furnishings are Lalique wall lights, an eighteenth century Venetian chandelier and a carpet designed by Marion Dorn. Most of the furniture was designed by the architect of the house, Oswald Milne.
After Rowland and Freda Smith bought the house in 1949, they did not make many changes and the furnishings that they didn't use were stored. After the National Trust took over the property, they meticulously recreated the furnishings based on photographs that had appeared in Country Life magazine.
The library, pictured above and below, features a celebrated wind-dial map that was created by noted mapmaker
George Spencer Hoffman. The compass was connected to a weather vane on the roof and was used to indicate wind direction. Rupert D'Oyly Carte used it for his sailing ventures.
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| Lady Dorothy's Saloon |
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| In Lady Dorothy's bedroom |
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| The kitchen |
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| Butler's Pantry |
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| A collection of old cameras - I'm not sure who these belonged to. |
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| The son Michael's room (1911-1932) |
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| This book was available for purchase but I decided to wait until I returned home. However, it was not available here in the U.S. until just recently. I have just started reading it. |
(Visited May 12, 2025)
Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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