The house had to be replumbed rewired reinsulatedand the basement had to be damp-proofed

The house had to be replumbed, rewired, reinsulated,and the basement had to be damp-proofed. Most horrifying of all was finding a live mains electricity cable in the basement It could have killed someone. Most were made from local or recycled materials and it is this simplicity and purity that I want to explore And it seems to have touched a chord. Three years ago, we found this house in Holly Grove in Peckham, which had a large studio on the top floor that could accommodate our work.The house is a Georgian back- to-back and is in a road of pretty flat-fronted terraces and villas in a conservation area.

I design and then I work with fellow artists in building the project, which means I understand how a design idea translates from the drawing board to the finished object.Donna and I spent several years travelling in eastern Europe, India and the Far East We were inspired by the many simple structures we saw. Architects design something and then they supervise the builders My approach is much more hands-on. I call my company “artist-led” because that is what it is, and “environmental” because I like to use natural and recycled materials wherever possible I am something of a hybrid and jack of all trades. You can’t be a painter unless you have a strong visual sense and I wanted to transfer those skills to building and design. It is open to the rafters and feels like a loft apartment even though from the outside the house is flat-fronted Georgian. It also has north light and a long window for winching out large canvasses.Artists always underestimate their abilities.

Originally two houses, it was broken through and made into one house in 1985 by Royal Academician, Jennifer Durrant, who bought it in a near-derelict state from Southwark council for a pound. The large studio room on the upper floor takes up the entire top floor. Simon Beckmann is a painter who runs Beckmann Artist Led Environmental Design, which takes on building and renovation projects as well as pioneers new ideas for outdoor shelters for use as offices, playrooms or saunas

Simon Beckmann is a painter who runs Beckmann Artist Led Environmental Design, which takes on building and renovation projects as well as pioneers new ideas for outdoor shelters for use as offices, playrooms or saunas
My wife, Donna Linington, is an illustrator, and I am an artist by training. It has its own harbour, pool, tennis courts, beach and Italian-styled gardens (looked on to by both bedrooms). Ideal perhaps for elderly couples – with lift access to all floors and easy parking – or those looking for a holiday home by the sea.Do I get a lot of bang for my buck?The apartment, in Fort Picklecombe, on the Maker peninsula, is for sale at the knockdown price of £215,000 from Bradford & Bingley (01752 813189). The agents admit that the property could do with some work, reflecting a £25,000 reduction off the original price, to allow for extensive refurbishment.. This level of furnishing is reflected in the price – more on that later.How does the rest of the fort shape up?Well, it’s quite the little community, with its own management company that all residents have a stake in, which is a strong-point of the property.