Chelsea Terrace
| Width | 30" | Depth (max) | 18" (26") | Height (max) | 44 (48)" |
| Floors | 4 | Rooms | 8 | Staircases | 3 | External doors | 2 |
| Internal doors | 8 | Opening panels | 2 | Windows | 12 | Chimney stacks | 2 |
| Plaster fireplaces | 5 | Washing coppers | 1 | Bread ovens | 1 | Chimney pots | 7 |
Chelsea Terrace2 is an architecturally consistent, 4 storey Regency terraced house. Set probably 30 years later than Cambridge House it has much taller first floor windows that open onto a balcony decorated with metal splats. There are metal railings around its area in front of the half basement. Inside it provides spacious accommodation behind a broad frontage (30 feet to scale) and the real thing would be much deeper than a dolls house permits. It has large rooms on 3 floors above a basement kitchen and scullery. Chelsea Terrace would be occupied by a fairly wealthy family who would entertain and keep at least one or two servants.
Chelsea Terrace Photographs
Exterior
The exterior of Chelsea Terrace illustrates many features of town houses of the Regency period. Although probably built of brick, this is disguised with stucco to the top of the ground floor to simulate a more desirable, but expensive, stone construction. Above the stucco (depending on the option you choose), the walls are either plain painted; exposed brick; or, more grand, ashlar masonry.
The tall windows of the first floor open onto the balcony. By Regency times, wrought and cast iron was becoming commonly used for structural and decorative purposes. Wrought iron splats (often with detail in cast iron) would have provided the support for the balcony handrail. The metal (pewter) splats used on Chelsea Terrace were supplied by Sue Cook.
Outside there is a pavement finished with grouted flagstones. The house has an area or service well between the pavement and the front of the house, separated from the pavement by iron railings. The miniature railings are made by Mike Tripp of the Ironworks. Steps lead down from the pavement into the area. The floor of the area is finished with grouted flagstones. The whole pavement and area is attached to the opening front panel and swings open with it. Many buildings of this period were constructed over a basement ("half basement") that was excavated only for part of its depth, the remaining depth being achieved by piling the spoil from the basement diggings onto the road thereby increasing the road level. A half basement enabled more light to get to the basement windows than those shadowed by a higher pavement. Steps built on a bridge across the area was used to make the entrance to the house more imposing.
Chelsea Terrace exterior corner view
showing attached pavement & area.
Chelsea Terrace balcony with metal balustrade and tall first floor windows.
Chelsea Terrace balcony closeup showing Sue Cook metal splats.
Chelsea Terrace front steps and Ironworks railings
Chelsea Terrace showing gate to area steps.
Interior
The standard house is decorated throughout with colours appropriate to the Regency period. On bespoke orders the rooms you can choose your colours from the Farrow & Ball colour card. The main reception room is panelled to dado rail height and all 3 reception rooms have ceiling mouldings and ceiling roses. A grand ceiling cornice is fitted to both the first floor reception rooms. Additional panelling and ceiling mouldings can be added as options. Skirting is fitted throughout and coving to the rooms of the first and second floors. The 6-panel internal wooden doors are all painted or stain varnished with turned brass door knobs. The house has stain varnished scribed floorboards with lifting boards that conceal the wiring for lights. It is already wired for fires that could be added into the kitchen alcove and inside the fireplaces which are each fitted with a hearth stone.
The reception rooms are on the two central floors connected by an elegant entrance hall and main staircase while the servants' quarters, in the basement are accessed by separate cupboard stairs. The main staircase is visible through a side window.
Basement
Chelsea Terrace has two large basement rooms each with grouted flagstones on the floor. The larger basement room is fitted out as a kitchen with bread oven and inglenook arch into which you could place a range. The other smaller basement room is a scullery with a washing copper and contains the servants' entrance door. The basement kitchen window receives its light from windows that look out into the area. Servants' stairs connect the basement to the hallway above.
Basement kitchen with decorative brick-edged arch for cooking range,
opening bread oven with dummy fire-box beneath.
Basement kitchen shelves and beam in ceiling.
Basement scullery with washing copper, false back door and stairs to
ground floor.
Ground Floor
On the ground floor is a grand entrance hall containing the main staircase. The entrance hall has a door that lead to the servant's back stairs and another to the dining room, which is conveniently close to the basement kitchen
Chelsea Terrace dining room.
Chelsea Terrace dining room.
Chelsea Terrace main door viewed across entrance hall from foot of stairs
(front panel closed).
Chelsea Terrace entrance hall showing open door to back
stairs to basement and door to dining room.
First Floor
The first floor rooms have the highest ceilings in the house and would have been used for entertaining. The main reception room is spacious and intriguing views of it are available across the landing from the opening side panel.
Drawing Room with panelling to dado height.
Drawing Room with panelling to dado height.
Drawing Room Regency fireplace by Sue Cook,
optional hearth and glowing coals by Phoenix
Model Developments.
Morning room showing corner chimney, handmade fire surround containing
optional hearth and glowing coals by Phoenix Model Developments.
Second Floor
The rooms on this floor would have been used as bedrooms. The main bedroom is particularly spacious and would be far above the noise and smells of the street below.
Left bedroom with door open showing view towards the back stairs.
Right bedroom.
Left bedroom fireplace showing handmade fire
surround and optional Phoenix Model
Developments hearth and glowing coals.
Stairs
The main stairs in Chelsea Terrace turn at an intermediate landing and are visible through a side window set in the opening side panel. The back stairs to the basement and the cupboard stairs to the second floor are complete and have winding steps where approriate.
View of galleried first floor landing looking into
main reception room.
View of main stairs in entrance hall.
View from opened side panel onto landing.
Lighting
From Autumn 2011 all fully decorated Anglia Dolls Houses include a package of lights as standard with a quality Smallworld digital transformer and Easy Wire fused distribution strip. If you prefer to specify your own choice of lights I can build these in for you. Wiring is concealed behind a false back panel, under lift up floorboards and also down the chimney breasts. The way that the wiring is done makes it easy for you to add further lights at a future date. See the Electric Lighting Datasheet for more details of the standard package of lights included with this house if purchased fully finished.
If you would like more information about this dolls house please call or email me.