Stroll through the front door and witness your preconceptions vaporize in awe and joy: The seemingly ordinary end-of-terrace house boasts surprising neo-Classical opulence
In the heart of Swansea, Wales, a Victorian terraced house at No 631, Llangyfelach Road, stands as a testament to the shared passion of architects Royston Jones and Fiona Gray for the architecture and decorative art of late-18th-century England.
The interiors of the house, built in 1910, are a stunning recreation of this era, reflecting the duo's admiration for the neoclassical and Gothic Revival styles popularised by prominent English architect James Wyatt. However, while Royston Jones has been involved in recreating Wyatt's designs, a detailed history or list of notable works directly attributed to him as an architect remains elusive, with the available search content focusing more on historical architectural recreation rather than his independent architectural portfolio.
The dining room, for instance, boasts a ceiling inspired by Plate 19 from Richardson's 'A Book of Ceilings in the Style of the Antique Grotesque', depicting a 'breakfasting room'. The room's attractive colour palette of pink, green, straw, porphyry, and white is reminiscent of the period, while Miss Gray's study is decorated based on a Wyatt design for the Supper Room of Curraghmore, Co Waterford, Ireland.
The staircase, with its dense ornament in white and two tones of grey, is a unique creation inspired by the staircase of Belvedere House. Royston Jones is also working on models of late-18th-century rooms, including elements for a model of the entrance hall to Heveningham Hall.
The house is filled with elements for this project, as well as the chimneypiece in the dining room, a design by Wyatt for Heveningham Hall but never executed. The main bedroom is based on an Irish ceiling designed by Robert Adam in 1771 at Headfort, Co Meath.
The house's exterior, while Victorian in its structure, hides a Georgian surprise. The front door opens into a narrow passage with a staircase at the end, and over the inner door is a Georgian fanlight made of cast fibreglass painted to look like lead.
Despite the lack of direct information about Royston Jones's individual architectural career, it is clear that he has a lifelong enthusiasm for architecture, particularly the work of George III's favourite architect, James Wyatt. Jones's first paid commission for a model of a drawing room at Sledmere in East Yorkshire was admired by Giles Worsley in 1988.
Jones's journey into architecture began after studying art, followed by studies at the London College of Fashion. He then embarked on academic research into architecture and began creating his first models. He has also worked on the restoration of plasterwork in Home House, Portman Square, London W1.
In the small room to the right of the entering visitor, drawings and modelling equipment are stored, with a ceiling copied from Plate 13 of George Richardson's 'A Book of Ceilings in the Style of the Antique Grotesque'. Jones has reproportioned and adapted designs from Richardson's book for use in his own house, substituting imagined and generic scenes in a Classical style.
As Royston Jones continues to work on his models and designs, the house at No 631, Llangyfelach Road, Swansea, stands as a beautiful testament to his passion for 18th-century architecture and his dedication to preserving its essence in his work.
The interior design of No 631, Llangyfelach Road, reflects the lifestyle of architect Royston Jones, embodying a neoclassical and Gothic Revival aesthetic that mirrors the popular styles of 18th-century England. The house, filled with Jones's own models and designs, showcases his commitment to home and garden projects centered around the architectural designs of the late 1700s.
