The Townhouse
PROJECT
By Tony Filmer
“B
eaumaris is a rather beautiful, historic rather refreshing about ‘Tabular Rasa’, Cadw, the hidden xenon strips softly lighting shear curtains,
town on the Isle of Anglesey: a town that Welsh version of English Heritage, had other ideas. translucent blown acrylic ‘Fly’ pendant lighting in
designed b
we, as a design prac
y M
tise, ha
organ S
ve grown to
tudio
There was a particularly determined officer involved, contrasting hues and chic LED bedside reading
know and love. Our first experience of Beaumaris who did not see eye to eye with the architects, lights. Bold fabric prints from Marimekko glow
was working for David Robertson of Ye Olde Bulls especially over their plans to cover up and forget. against soft white walls. Beds are adorned with pure
Head Inn. This is a Grade II listed 15th century inn “There were many delays to the project: a local white linen offset with textural Welsh wool blankets
that, whilst retaining most of its original features, archaeological team turned up to poke around and cushions hand-woven by Melin Tregwynt.
has been refurbished to a high standard and offers a in the foundations and this added a good six “All rooms have en-suite bathrooms with David
bar, a fine dining restaurant, a brasserie and quality months to the programme and the infamous and Chipperfield designed fittings and heated rubber
accommodation in individually designed bedrooms. unpredictable North Wales weather slowed us down floors in the thematic colours. Jasper Morrison
The work began at Ye Olde Bulls Head some 15 further by delivering a spring tide flood. Again, designed mini glow ball lights seemingly float
years ago and even then owner David Robertson another six months delay. And yet another setback against the mirrors.
had expressed his interest in the building opposite; as the Cadw officer objected to our proposal to “We were keen for the design to stand the
number 10, Castle Street. Fast-forward more than a paint a 6m wide logo on to the main gable end test of time so a new simplicity was adopted,
decade and we received a welcome, if unexpected of the building. The graphics identity and signs, predominantly modernist but with classic hints of
phone call from David; ‘I’ve bought it! Number 10, designed in tandem with specialist graphic designer, Scandinavian design and that all-important hint of
across the road. And I want to turn it into a shiny Andy Robinson, were considered by Cadw to be a colour therapy. It would be wrong to go for anything
new hotel…something funky. We’re calling it The little too ‘urban’ for sedate Castle Street. Nonetheless too ‘now’ or fleeting as that would show a distinct
Townhouse.’ after a lengthy appeal a 4m version was allowed. lack of respect for over 500 years of history and to
“For David, the beauty of developing the Ironically, a previously shelved idea to internally the local community, although they have proved
building next to the Olde Bull is that the restaurant illuminate each window in differently coloured neon to be far more forward thinking than originally
and reception facilities can be shared and guests lights was reintroduced, despite concerns that it anticipated.” •
wanting a choice between traditional Victorian might be too avant-garde for the area. The lights Tony Filmer is a co-founder of London based
comfort at the Olde Bull and contemporary clean- have proved an overwhelming success and the designersTully Filmer Ltd., and can be contacted on
cut sanctuary at The Townhouse have just that. ‘conservative and reserved’ townsfolk of Beaumaris +44 (0)20 7735 4324 www.tullyfilmer.co.uk
“The building is likely to have originated before appear to love them.
1600 but the main body was built after that date: “The Welsh are a super-proud folk, and rightly
stone walls several feet thick, four-centred arched so. In the South they speak firstly in English but
fireplaces and huge oak beams give testimony to in the north they address you first in Welsh. To
this. Like the Olde Bull, the building is Grade II listed somehow incorporate the romantic Welsh language
but had suffered through years of neglect and was into the design was important. The colour grey
virtually derelict. To help with the implementation is also a strong element of North Wales, from the
Barrie Williams of Bowen Dann Knox, a local firm brooding dark slate grey of the Menai Straits to the
of architects based in Colwyn Bay, were brought soft dove-grey of the snow capped mountains. We
onboard. decided upon a scheme in stark contrast to this
“Our initial inspiration and ideas incorporated environment by introducing colour, bold and strong,
all of those original features: character-full walls, and to give each room its own colour identity. The
stone fireplaces, gnarled beams and wide oak rooms therefore would be simply named after the
planked floors: a funky, neo-Georgian look, a new selected colour and translated in both Welsh and
simplicity mixing the ancient with the cutting edge. English. The 13 rooms are thus known as Scarlet,
Then came a ‘phone call from Barrie, ‘It’s all going to Sky, Clementine, Chocolate, Ebony, Pearl, Indigo,
have to come down. We’re gutting the place, putting Pistachio, Plum, Fuchsia, Lilac, Cream and Silver.
in concrete floors and dry lining everything’. The “Each room has been given a bold feature wall,
interiors being in such a dilapidated state, it was papered in a blaze of the selected colour. Italian Giro
felt that a genuine restoration would be extremely Chairs in funky colour c
costly, time consuming and commercially unviable. I
oded
nsp
upholst
ire
ery c
d
omplimen
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this along with custom made oak furniture with ollec_tions from Morgan
“Although in design terms there is something hints of corresponding colour. Ligh
T
ting
: +44 (0) 1243 371111 F: +44 (0) 1243 378796
is a mix of
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