Comments on: At Jocasta Innes’ House

By: Amelia Claire

Amelia Claire — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 14:01:26 +0000

What a beautiful glimpse into Jocasta Innes’s world — her home feels so full of warmth, creativity, and character. I love how every room seems to tell a story, and the way she blends art, texture, and practical living is truly inspiring. Thank you for sharing such a rich, intimate look at a space that clearly reflects her spirit and passions.

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 19:38:26 +0000

I had Jocasta’s Living In Style book out on repeated loan from the library when I was in my twenties and broke. I learned to mix paint colours and use paint effects to do up my tatty rented house and hopefully put back some of the love that the previous occupants had deemed Old Fashioned and covered in artex and fake wooden paneling. Some years later I tracked down a second hand copy and was delighted. How lovely to see her home again. I feel I know some of these rooms off by heart.

By: Jean Abela

Jean Abela — Tue, 19 Jan 2021 22:40:09 +0000

I worked for Jocasta in the late 70s I used to do her personal accounts, spent many happy time sitting at her kitchen table at lunchtime chatting with her, lovely memories.

By: Robert L W Hamon

Robert L W Hamon — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 17:06:48 +0000

Having only recently taken time to buy and read the books by this amazing woman I am in awe.

I wanted to make it known that now retired I spent my working life amidst the architectural fraternity and would not have it any other way.

Sincerely, Robert Hamon. Alive and well and living in the south of England.

By: stephen jackson

stephen jackson — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 20:36:36 +0000

I feel privileged that I visited this house and it was quite by accident ,i work for Thames Water and was attending to investigate a leak in the courtyard. Sir Richard MacCormac , who was the owner invited me in a showed me around , and explained how he met Jocasta Innes , and how she reclaimed the building and imposed her style on it. I had heard of Jocasta Innes but didn’t know what she was known for. The house I hope will be preserved for posterity,
steve Jackson.

By: Grace de Bellis

Grace de Bellis — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 17:23:39 +0000

Beautiful pictures and very evocative of a certain period before houses became too “over-decorated”. I certainly remember discovering Jocasta’s books at Liberty’s in the mid 80s. The pigments on the walls are beautiful.

Reminds me very much of Bloomsbury/Charleston – the same mix of art, craft, the personal and, of course, lots and lots of books.

Thank you.

By: Carrie Kitkat

Carrie Kitkat — Sat, 14 Jun 2014 18:22:03 +0000

I linked to this from your Two Houses in Spitalfields blog. Both are filled with the most rich and serene images. I paused at writing a comment but have been haunted ever since, I have no choice.

You manage to bring life to your blogs, something I can only dream of. I’ve also enjoyed reading the comments that have already been added, and thank you to John Campbell, for leaving the link that I will now follow.

By: Sharon Grufferty

Sharon Grufferty — Sun, 11 Aug 2013 09:50:35 +0000

Thank you so much for sharing Jocasta Innes house in Spitalfields – she was an inspiration to me. I have Jocasta to thank for influencing my style today in painted furniture – since purchasing ‘Paintability’ in 1986. I love the fact that while everyone was obsessing about Sir Terence Conran and his style in the eighties and early nineties that Jocasta stayed true to herself and her unique sytle (which is so trendy now today). I was luckily enough to attend the London College of Furniture during the late eighties around the corner from Spitalfield and spent many a happy time in that area socialising and doing college projects (made a chair/stool from a vegtable create found in Spitalfields Market). Jocasta has been such a big influence in my life and it was lovely to see inside her house. Thank you.

By: Tricia Rose

Tricia Rose — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:43:28 +0000

Her book was my bible when it first came out, I stippled and glazed everything in sight and loved the result. She gave me colour courage! A great lady up a ladder.

By: Tufty

Tufty — Mon, 13 May 2013 03:12:31 +0000

Spent more memorable moments in this house than I can remember and will miss Jocasta for always.

In many ways this place became the ‘gang’ HQ and boy, what a superb location for a party!

Although I must admit, she was ‘merely’ my friends’ mother when we met in the 1980’s, I never stopped occasionally popping in to say hello and enjoy the odd tipple long after everyone had flown the nest. Chatting with Richard and Jocasta (or anyone else in the area) til late just seemed the natural thing to do.

Wonderfully talented, yet also blessed with the warmest of hearts and the gift of genuine hospitality, it truly saddens me to say, “goodbye Jocasta. Thank you for being you.”

Big love to all the ‘gang’.

Long live the kitchen table!

Tufty. – Rio