This 200-Year-Old Apartment’s Panoramic Ocean Views Are Absolutely Breathtaking
Walking into Andy and Adam Cooper-Hall’s apartment, you first notice the view of Brighton’s seafront. The couple moved in with their two dogs, Buster and Barney, just three months ago, having previously lived on a sailing boat and craving a connection to the sea again.
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Built in 1823, the 200-year-old building retains original features like floor-to-ceiling windows and steel framing and is the perfect balance of being on land while also being surrounded by the ocean.
The pair have been together for 15 years now, and taking a closer look at their art, you’ll see keepsakes from their relationship and illustrations of significant moments — their wedding day, the moment they first met, and the proposal in Thailand.
The couple were living in Lichfield, England, when they one day decided they’d love to take up sailing and spend more time on the water. “So naturally, the first thing you do when you think you might want to go sailing is just buy a boat with zero experience,” Andy shares.
Andy and Adam renovated a rundown boat and sailed across the Atlantic. After learning to sail in Spain and living on the ship in Brighton, they took a sabbatical to sail from Brighton to Ibiza for their honeymoon before leaving the boat in Spain. Eventually, missing the water, they returned to Brighton.
When they moved back to Brighton, they had a specific checklist for their new home, including a ground floor with a garden for their dogs. However, when they saw this 400-square-foot one-bedroom apartment — which ticked none of these boxes and was over budget — they fell in love with it.
“It was everything we needed without realizing it. You can see the sea from every room and corner, so everything is connected to the sea, and that’s what’s so special about this flat,” Andy says.
When it came to decor, they thought first about the apartment’s character and stunning views. They chose a neutral palette with black accents to complement the iconic Brighton pier.
“We wanted to respect what the apartment is. When you walk in the hallway, the first thing you see is the pier — it’s so prominent, and I think the furniture has to respect that view and not fight or clash against it,” Andy explains. “We could have gone quite colorful, but with the sea view, we wanted to keep everything neutral and calm.”
From every window in the apartment, you get that breathtaking ocean view and the streets of central Brighton littered with rainbow flags. “It’s lovely seeing the Pride flags out the windows,” Adam shares. “Especially being from a little town in the middle of nowhere and now living here.”
Despite its small size, their experience living on a boat prepared them for maximizing space. Their advice: Everything needs a place and a purpose.
“Measuring everything and getting the dimensions correct so that your space can flow properly is important in a smaller space. Everything has to have a purpose; we don’t have anything for the sake of having it,” Andy adds.
Andy and Adam’s home perfectly blends historic charm and modern living while maintaining a strong connection to the sea. As Adam puts it, “Sitting outside in the evening and seeing the beautiful pink sky when the sun sets is just magic.”
Thanks, Andy and Adam!
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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