A few years ago, my friend, interior designer Joanne Hardcastle, put me in touch with one of the fabulous finalists of Interior Design Masters, knowing that I would love his incredible chapel makeover. After chatting with creator and designer Jack Kinsey about his home, I was excited to write all about the highs and lows of his property renovation for Reclaim magazine and couldn’t wait to share the ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos with you here.
So overgrown that the structure was barely visible, the old chapel in Norfolk went unnoticed for decades before Jack Kinsey and his partner Alex noticed the dilapidated exterior beneath the mass of ivy and vegetation. Investigating further, when the couple stepped inside the old Methodist church, they were met by a vast open-plan space, albeit in a derelict state.
‘The good work of the Edwardians meant it was well built, so despite its sorry state, there wasn’t anything structurally that scared us,’ recalls Jack. ‘The Edwardian vents had kept it from going damp, the steep-pitched roof had kept most of the weather out and the suspended floor was protected from rot. I knew we had to save it.’
Unusually for a Methodist church, often found sandwiched between shops or other buildings on a high street or village, the property was on its own plot, surrounded by endless fields – one of the factors that sealed the deal; ‘That’s probably what I love most; it’s quite private. I don’t really think twice about stepping out onto the balcony naked,’ jokes Jack.
Now working in the interior design industry, with countless collaborations with home decor brands under his belt, Jack was just a decorating novice when he applied for the BBC’s popular show Interior Design Masters. ‘I applied for a bit of affirmation that I am good at something, whether that be design as a whole or elements like DIY or crafting’.
Jack enjoyed the variety of spaces he was given to showcase his work, meeting the tight deadlines and scoring positive critiques from the judges each week. ‘It was truly one of the most fun periods of my life and making it to the final was all the more worth it. I needed Interior Design Masters to shake up my world and to throw me in a new direction, whatever that may have been.’
Before they started renovating, the couple planned a trip to Rome for inspiration. ‘I was in total admiration for the centuries of craftsmanship the city boasts in its ancient buildings,’ remembers Jack. ‘I fell in love with the ornate plaster ceilings and frescos and wanted to add elements of what I had seen to our church’.
In 2018, the renovation began in earnest with the couple taking the whole property back to bare brick. A handful of striking original features were still in place, including arched windows, tall vaulted ceilings and pitch pine floorboards, which Jack and Alex carefully restored and used as inspiration for the now grand interior. ‘We had to replace the original arched windows, but modern technology meant we could have new ones laser cut to match the existing design seamlessly’.
The biggest challenge that the couple faced was how to turn a church into a home. They began by insulating the roof beneath the original slate tiles – ‘that made a huge difference to the warmth of such a tall void’ – and the lofty height allowed them to easily add a floor for bedrooms and bathrooms.
To reach it, Alex and Jack installed an ornate spiral staircase, which had been reclaimed from a Victorian train station in Liverpool. ‘We were originally quoted £18k for a cast iron staircase, so we went on eBay that evening and found an identical one for £1k. We shot blasted it and puzzled it all together. We can’t believe it fit perfectly for £17k less!’ enthuses Jack.
He drew up elaborate plans for the ceilings and sculpted some of the mouldings himself to keep costs down, making clever use of different beading profiles and adding ceiling roses to draw the eye up to highlight the contemporary glass orb light fixtures. These ornate decorations grace the ceilings of the open-plan sitting room and elevate the simple Shaker style of the kitchen, where opulent corbels support the open shelves.
Having taken away Rococo inspiration from the couple’s trips to Italy, Jack has become an aficionado of cherubs, putti and sculpture. ‘I really want a statue gallery one day’, daydreams Jack. ‘A long corridor with all my finds and prized possessions’.
Stone columns and urns were added throughout and the walls feature murals inlaid within panelling that the couple DIY’d from MDF. ‘The church took on a miniature stately home aesthetic, which left some of the locals gobsmacked,’ says Jack.
Jack describes his personal style as opulent and over the top; full of drama but always classic, making interior choices that he believes will age well and would be enjoyed in the next century. ‘My aesthetic is rarely trend-based and I’m only influenced by design that has stood the test of time.’
‘I do however, like my interiors to have elements of fun; for example, I love classic chinoiserie, but that didn’t stop me hanging two ceramic monkeys from the grand chandelier’. When Jack needed to reupholster a set of vintage chairs, he ‘dressed’ them in Versace; ‘I wanted them to be ever so slightly extra. So, I bought six Versace garments and upholstered them, complete with the buttons. Gorgeous enough to be on the runway.’
He recommends adding at least one antique piece for every two modern pieces of furniture to create a considered period look. ‘I don’t like to overdo it with the antiques, I want them to feel special and highlighted against the modern’.
This ethos is evident in the sympathetic extension to the church, which houses a snug living room and a master bedroom, both of which feature contemporary furniture designs that sit peacefully alongside considered antique collectables, marble and stone pieces, plus Jack’s own hand-painted wall murals and the Chatsworth Park wallpaper he designed for Rebel Walls.
‘The extension could have been clean white walls, but adding a run of classic panelling around the whole room has people guessing if it’s always been there. I love the old church, but sometimes its vastness can feel a bit much,’ admits Jack. ‘I spend most of my time in the extension’s lounge. It’s a bit cosier and has the modern luxuries of underfloor heating!’
I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour of Jack’s fabulous chapel renovation and be sure to follow him on Instagram @jackkinsey and check out his website to find out more about Jack’s design history from fine art student to Interior Design Masters finalist. Let me know your favourite element of Jack’s chapel in the comments below, it would be great to hear what has inspired you. 🙂
If you’re interested in seeing inside the homes of more Interior Design Masters contestants, here’s my tour of Joanne Hardcastle’s opulent home, the colourful, pattern-packed interior of Ju de Paula and the peaceful decor of Peter Irvine from The Salvage Squad.
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