Drew Harriman and his partner have defended their decision to paint a four-storey Georgian townhouse jet black after photographs of the exterior went viral and drew sharp online criticism.
The Leicester homeowners say they have been surprised by the reaction and described some comments as "tasteless" after images showing their dark façade beside a neighbouring white house were widely shared. The couple have listed the property for sale at £650,000 as they plan to move to a more rural home with a larger garden.
Harriman, a local business owner, told the Daily Mail that the house is a "sanctuary" and that many neighbours and customers have previously praised the renovation. "Taste like art is subjective. It's amazing when you get keyboard warriors making assumptions about the house. But we love it," he said. He added that he was "shocked" the appearance divided opinion, noting that few people had ever complained to him in person.
The four-storey property, once occupied by clockmaker Edward Loseby, was bought by Harriman in 2015. He said he spent about £150,000 on interior and exterior renovations that year and later invested further sums — described as "hundreds of thousands" — on an extension, conservation work and re-roofing. The revamp was featured on the television series George Clarke's Old Home New Home and included reinstating sash windows, a kitchen extension and a first-floor reconfiguration.
Harriman said his design choices were inspired by Georgian houses in Bloomsbury and other parts of London that feature dark brickwork. "A lot of people think the black paint is not in keeping with the Georgian facade but I'm like 'have you been to Bloomsbury?,'" he said.
Online responses ranged from derision to praise. Some users called the property "horrifying," "gothic" and "truly horrible," with one suggesting the black finish should be sandblasted off and another likening the house to "next door's evil twin." There were also comments about the location and nearby social concerns. Other users defended the design, complimenting the interior detailing and saying they admired the exterior contrast.
Harriman pushed back on negative assertions about the neighbourhood, saying proximity to the city centre and transport links are among the house's attractions. "It's so easy, if you literally walk around the corner you're in the city centre, and it's a seven minute walk from the station," he said, adding that he values the quick rail connection to London.
Estate agents say the house's period features and recent conservation work are selling points on the market, though the exterior colour has become the focus of the online debate. Harriman said he hoped the renovation would encourage others to appreciate Leicester's historic homes and the care owners can take when restoring them.
The couple plan to relocate to a property with a larger garden but said they leave with pride in the work they carried out over nearly a decade. The listing at £650,000 is active as they prepare to sell the home that drew nationwide attention for its contrasting black frontage.
Local reaction has underscored how a single aesthetic choice can prompt widely divergent views in public forums, while the owners and some neighbours maintain the development sits within a tradition of varied treatments of period housing in Britain. The house's television appearance and conservation-approved alterations were cited by Harriman as evidence of both the property's heritage credentials and the care taken in its restoration.