When Stella Hayes moved her husband, Kevin, two daughters, Monta, 17, and Francesca, 8, and two dogs to Tunbridge Wells, her reason for choosing their Victorian house was not just its huge walls and good light – she also needed a fabulous place from which to run her gallery. Rhapsody House specialises in very large canvases by contemporary artists from around the world. “Sometimes the paintings are in the house; sometimes in the gallery,” she says. “It’s wonderful living with amazing art all over my home.”

It also means that Hayes often succumbs to her gallery’s philosophy that art should be an integral part of living. “Sometimes I bring a painting home and I can’t bear to part with it,” she says. “They create a very emotional response.”

Hayes, 37, started collecting art from her native Latvia about 15 years ago and sold it on to friends in Britain. “People would come to my house and ask where they could buy the paintings,” she says.

Encouraged, she set up Rhapsody House in 2004. She describes the work she deals with as “affordable”. She explains: “Because we don’t have London overheads, we can offer good, honest art at accessible prices.”

She also links up annually with Bonhams to host a private view of Art & Soul, a fundraiser for Demelza, a local children’s hospice charity, where artworks by famous names such as Mary Fedden and Antony Gormley are auctioned. “Last year, we had 150 guests, so it’s lucky we have so much space,” Hayes says. But, above all, this is a family home. “This isn’t a designer house, and it’s by no means perfect,” she says. “My main gripe is the number of stairs and the basement kitchen. But we feel very content here. It’s a happy house and always full of dogs and people.” And lots and lots of art.

Rhapsody House, Tunbridge Wells; 01892 516342 www.rhapsodyhouse.co.uk ,

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