Meet the Team: Corey Hemingway's favourite mid-century homes
In our ‘Meet the Team’ series, we’re getting to know The Modern House staff. Here, we’re talking to Senior Client Advisor Corey Hemingway about her favourite mid-century homes.
Corey has a First Class degree in Fine Art from Curtin University in Western Australia, and previously worked for her family’s business, Hemingway Design, where she coordinated public-sector arts projects at Southbank Centre and led a team of artists that reimagined the renowned Dreamland theme park in Margate.
Corey is particularly well placed to advise on the technical aspects of buying or selling a mid-century home, having acquired her much-loved 1950s apartment on the Dulwich Estate through The Modern House in 2015.
Klein House, Scottish Borders
“For me, this is the best house we’ve ever sold. Not just because it’s amazing from an architectural and interior perspective, but because of my personal experience of selling it.
“I went to visit the previous owner, the daughter of Bernat Klein, and it was a really special experience. We had an immediate bond, forming a friendship that has lasted.
“It was a beautiful weekend when I visited, and I sat in every room, admiring how shadows are cast through the huge expanses of glass. For me, the most appealing quality of any space is the amount of light that comes in, and Klein House is the ultimate example of an airy, open space.
“My favourite room in the house is the studio, which looks out over uninterrupted countryside; the seclusion of the plot is something I am really drawn to.
Langham House Close, London TW10
“Before I ever started working here, I always thought of these flats as the perfect home for first-time buyers. They make great first nests because the bones of the building are so well-designed and thought-through.
“And again, it’s all about light and generous volumes, which I feel genuinely make people happier. So much of mid-century design and architecture is centred around that idea; the perfect marriage of form and function, creating beautiful, livable spaces.
“I like the quote from The Twentieth Century Society, who described the development as ‘a benchmark against which all other apartment blocks can be measured’. Contemporary architecture and developments should look to this to see generous, considered design catering to what people need for how we live today.”
Grenville Court, London SE19
“This is my home, which I bought via The Modern House in 2015.
“I had no intentions of buying a place, it just wasn’t on my radar. I inherited some money when my grandmother passed away and was told I could either use it as a deposit to buy a house or put it into business.
“I went to see the apartment without any expectations. When I walked in I remember seeing the windows in the living room and thinking ‘okay, I need to live here’.
“I put in an offer and I remember Georgia calling me to tell me it had been accepted. I jumped hysterically on my bed, screaming with joy.
“I love being there because the amount of light that floods in every day is amazing. It feels like I’m in my very own treehouse, and it’s incredible to watch the landscape around me change as the seasons go by.”
Winchester Street, London SW1
“Six months after buying my place I joined the advisory team at The Modern House.
“This was one of the first homes I went to see. It’s in Pimlico, and what I was drawn to was how it stands out from the hegemonic Regency architecture as a Modernist townhouse, adapted from a mid-Victorian terrace.
“On one side of the house there are original sash windows, and on the other there are huge rectangular windows that allow so much light into the space. The two play off each other in a really nice, harmonious way.
“It sounds boring but there is loads of storage! That’s the thing about mid-century architects: they thought about the practicalities of how people live in a space and what humans need.
“As such, it has a layout that can be adapted to suit different purposes. In the living room, for example, there is a beautifully-curved door that can close off a study area. It’s details like that which I think make this house special.”
Farnley Hey, West Yorkshire
“This house is by Peter Womersley, the same architect who designed Klein House, so it makes sense for me to love them both.
“He’s quite obviously the best of his pedigree. You walk into his spaces and you are transported. I like the way he plays with references like the Eames House in Los Angeles, but with homes that are plonked in places like Scotland or, in this case, the Pennines.
“It’s a part of the world I have a connection with as both my parents are from around there. Being able to sit in that living room and look over the landscape would be great.
“I also love layers that are created by the different textures and materials, like camphorwood and Yorkstone. And the fact that it has a dancefloor with a built-in audio system is just the dream; I’d love to have a party in there.”
Read more: My Modern House: SCP founder Sheridan Coakley’s Hampshire home is a masterclass in mid-century style
Meet the Team: Charlie Monaghan’s favourite modern country homes
