The Rose: A Singular Seaside Inn on the English Coast, Color Edition

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The Rose is a just-opened, eight-bedroom seaside inn in East Kent, England. The owners—who all have holiday homes in the area—had their eye on the run-down High Street boozer for years before taking over the lease last summer. Since then they have worked in collaboration with interior designers Harding & Read and stylist Michelle Kelly to create a look that is part granny chic, part @accidentallywesanderson. It is a bold and vibrant interior that has remained true to its origins and the locale. Last week I rode the train from London to the town of Deal to take an early look; here is what I found behind the handsome red-brick exterior.

Photography by Seth Carnill, except where noted.

the rose exterior — Above: The traditional facade belies the bold interiors. “From the early stages of working here, we knew that it was going to be quirky and brave,” says Kelly, the stylist on the project.

a pair of reclaimed midcentury bar stools perch at the check in counter, which 18 — Above: A pair of reclaimed midcentury bar stools perch at the check-in counter, which has been clad below the waist in square teal tiles. A theatrical red corduroy curtain frames the staircase.

Glazed doors, painted in Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green—“an important color for The Rose,” says co-owner Alex Bagner—lead customers through to the bar and restaurant area on the left, and the lounge on the right.

the colorful communal lounge is a place for celebrations. 19 — Above: The colorful communal lounge is a place for celebrations.

The furniture in the lounge has been sourced from eBay and Kempton Antiques Market and reupholstered in jewel-like shades of crimson, ochre, and blue. To the left of the fireplace, a high-backed Edwardian sofa has been reupholstered in House of Hackney fabric. The artwork in this space is a curated selection of numbered editions from Counter Editions.

at the far end of the lounge (which overlooks a sunny green square) is a large 20 — Above: At the far end of the lounge (which overlooks a sunny green square) is a large dining table by British company G-Plan that has been sprayed with car paint in egg yolk yellow. The oil painting above the fireplace is by Edward Bridges, a local artist.

the first floor landing. 21 — Above: The first-floor landing.

Upstairs, guests are invited to help themselves to tea and Jammy Dodgers (a retro-classic British biscuit) at the communal tea station. The walls here have been painted in Yellow-Pink by the Little Greene Paint Co., the floorboards are Studio Green. The vibrant rugs were sourced by Kelly from a contact in Pakistan “over literally hundreds of WhatsApp messages.”

in room no. 4, the walls are inchyra blue by farrow & ball. the maximalist 22 — Above: In Room No. 4, the walls are Inchyra Blue by Farrow & Ball. The maximalist headboard was handmade in Devon and upholstered in orange velvet.

Each of the bedrooms has its own color scheme. The furniture in this room—which includes floral armchairs, a cane sideboard and Art Deco bedside tables—was sourced locally from RG Scott’s and Junk Deluxe in Margate. The rooms come equipped with either a projector or vintage record player and selection of vinyl records. (We had the Beach Boys playing on a loop in ours.)

behind glossy sliding barn doors, the reclaimed rolltop bath has been painted d 23 — Above: Behind glossy sliding barn doors, the reclaimed rolltop bath has been painted deep purple. The flooring is waterproof woven vinyl by Unnatural Flooring.

room no. 5 at the rose. 24 — Above: Room No. 5 at The Rose.

Another outsize headboard, this time upholstered in a bold blue fabric from Parker & Jules, is set against walls painted in Setting Plaster by Farrow & Ball. The vintage pieces in this room were sourced from Mileage, a shop and cafe across the road.

room no. 3 manages to successfully combine geometric artwork with a vintage flo 25 — Above: Room No. 3 manages to successfully combine geometric artwork with a vintage floral dressing table. The walls are Turquoise by Edward Bulmer Natural Paint.

sherbet shades in the en suite. 26 — Above: Sherbet shades in the en suite.

A selection of vintage sanitary ware was sourced and restored for the hotel, including this mint green sink. The cane and bamboo accessories are secondhand finds. The array of organic toiletries are by Austin Austin, a company founded by a father and daughter in Norfolk. The houseplants—which enliven corners throughout the hotel—are from the local Hoxton Store.

room no. \1 at the rose. 28 — Above: Room No. 1 at The Rose.

The walls in this room are Rhubarb by Paint & Paper Library. “I really pushed for this color,” says Kelly. “Everyone was against it, but I got quite obsessed,” she admits. Here it’s teamed with floral velvet fabric from Liberty London, which has been used to reupholster an antique bed frame. Slender vintage furnishings let the walls and fabric do the work.

nautical room no. 9. 29 — Above: Nautical Room No. 9.

In this room vintage accessories sit against a background of bespoke wallpaper by Farrow & Ball. The en suite is in Farrow & Ball’s Stone Blue. Yellow accents and warm, midcentury furniture pull the scheme together.

the banquettes were reupholstered by a local man in his eighties who had worked 30 — Above: The banquettes were reupholstered by a local man in his eighties who had worked on the original seating for The Rose. The tables and surface of the main bar were inlaid with bespoke green Marmoleum with brass edging.

The original 1950s wood paneling and fitted banquettes in the bar/restaurant were repaired rather than replaced. “We didn’t have a massive budget,” says Kelly. “There were limitations, but that can be fun as well as it forces you to be creative.”

the seasonal bar menu. 31 — Above: The seasonal bar menu.

The food offering at The Rose was masterminded by Rachel O’Sullivan, formerly of Polpo, Spuntino, and The Towpath Café. Customers are invited to start with a seasonal cocktail and snack at the bar before sitting down to classic comfort-food dishes, such as chicken schnitzel and fennel slaw, or roast chicken, cooked with local ingredients in the open kitchen.

brunch is served on terrazzo tables by diespecker. bagner’s swedish heri 32 — Above: Brunch is served on terrazzo tables by Diespecker. Bagner’s Swedish heritage can be seen in this Scandi breakfast plate, which includes smoked salmon, soft-boiled egg, avocado, and whipped cream cheese and dill. Photograph by Helen Cathcart.

the rose sits three streets back from the sea in the town of deal. 33 — Above: The Rose sits three streets back from the sea in the town of Deal.

the pier in deal. 34 — Above: The pier in Deal.

“Deal has always had a feeling of bohemia,” says Kelly. The Rose is a fitting addition to this seaside sanctuary.

N.B.: Rooms range from £90 to £165 per night, including breakfast. Follow The Rose on Instagram @therosedeal. If you like the style, The Rose is putting together a collection of the bespoke pieces from the hotel that will be available to buy through The Room Service.

Much more on the coast in England:

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