Houzz Tour: A Cornish Coastal Cottage Made for Three Generations
This Victorian seaside home has been designed to suit the needs of grandparents, parents and children
The same family have lived in this charming period home on the Cornish coast for years. Recently, however, they asked designer Charlie Wickenden of Wickenden Hutley to give the property a complete overhaul, so they could comfortably entertain and accommodate their children and grandchildren in 21st century style.
‘In the main living room, we wanted to create a grown-up, but at the same time relaxing, entertaining space,’ says Wickenden.
‘We achieved this by keeping everything light and bright, apart from the backs of the bookshelves, which we painted dark grey to give the room a little more interest and to make the accessories displayed there stand out.’
Sofas, sofa.com. Back of bookshelves painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball. Portman ottoman, Oka. Cushions, de Le Cuona and Chelsea Textiles.
‘We achieved this by keeping everything light and bright, apart from the backs of the bookshelves, which we painted dark grey to give the room a little more interest and to make the accessories displayed there stand out.’
Sofas, sofa.com. Back of bookshelves painted in Down Pipe, Farrow & Ball. Portman ottoman, Oka. Cushions, de Le Cuona and Chelsea Textiles.
All four rooms at the front of the house have built-in window seats, which are particularly useful when entertaining a crowd.
Irish linen curtains, Wickenden Hutley.
Welcome to the wonderful world of window seats
Irish linen curtains, Wickenden Hutley.
Welcome to the wonderful world of window seats
The stonework has been left exposed around the original fireplace in the snug. The trunk, which doubles up as a coffee table, was found in a local antiques shop.
Sofa, sofa.com. Table lamp, Oka. Rug, French Connection. TV unit, Maisons du Monde.
Sofa, sofa.com. Table lamp, Oka. Rug, French Connection. TV unit, Maisons du Monde.
A light grey paint covers the walls in the snug to take advantage of the warm seaside light.
Walls painted in Slate, Paint & Paper Library. Multi-coloured cushion, Anthropologie.
Read tips on achieving the coastal look
Walls painted in Slate, Paint & Paper Library. Multi-coloured cushion, Anthropologie.
Read tips on achieving the coastal look
‘The homeowner wanted to be able to enjoy her breakfast in the kitchen and for it to always feel warm and sunny, which is why we added the roof lights,’ explains Wickenden.
The kitchen was made by a local Cornish supplier to Wickenden Hutley’s specified layout.
Travertine floor and wall tiles, Fired Earth.
The kitchen was made by a local Cornish supplier to Wickenden Hutley’s specified layout.
Travertine floor and wall tiles, Fired Earth.
The house was sympathetically modernised to stay in keeping with its period, so traditional kitchen units were chosen to flank a large range cooker.
Ceiling lights, Jim Lawrence.
Discover 10 style rules for the ultimate country kitchen
Ceiling lights, Jim Lawrence.
Discover 10 style rules for the ultimate country kitchen
Although a step separates the two areas, the kitchen flows into the adjoining dining room, where hard-wearing oak boards have been chosen to cover the floor.
Table, Maisons du Monde. Lights, Jim Lawrence.
Table, Maisons du Monde. Lights, Jim Lawrence.
With people likely to be constantly running in from the beach, it was vital to include a boot room in the scheme. This neat area is tiled with a hard-wearing local Cornish slate.
Bench; shelving unit, both The Dormy House.
Bench; shelving unit, both The Dormy House.
In the master bedroom, Wickenden added some additional storage in the form of built-in wardrobes either side of the bed. These also support the bedside lights in this small room.
‘As this twin room sits at the back of the house, which gets much less sunlight than the front of the property, it was important to make it as light as possible,’ explains Wickenden. ‘We achieved this by going for a very light paint on the walls and filling it with light-coloured furniture, bed linen and window dressings.’
Persiennes headboards; chest of drawers, Maisons du Monde. Lamp, Anthropologie. Walls painted in All White, Farrow & Ball. Hector wall lights, Original BTC.
Persiennes headboards; chest of drawers, Maisons du Monde. Lamp, Anthropologie. Walls painted in All White, Farrow & Ball. Hector wall lights, Original BTC.
‘The homeowner wanted this guest bedroom to be able to be converted from a double to a twin room,’ says Wickenden, ‘so we went for an extra-wide headboard that will still cover both beds when they are separated.’
Lamps, Jim Lawrence. Cushions, de Le Cuona.
Lamps, Jim Lawrence. Cushions, de Le Cuona.
Everyone is delighted with the final result!
TELL US…
Has this coastal cottage inspired you to renovate your existing home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
TELL US…
Has this coastal cottage inspired you to renovate your existing home? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Who lives here A couple who regularly host their extended family
Location Cornwall
Size 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Designer Charlie Wickenden, director of design at interior architecture and design company Wickenden Hutley
While its facade remains almost unchanged, this cottage has been drastically altered from within.
‘The homeowners have lived here for years,’ explains Wickenden. ‘The house needed to be completely gutted and extended to create a much more workable kitchen and spacious eating area and more comfortable bedrooms. It also needed to be a very practical and child-friendly home, feel particularly cosy during winter, and stay in keeping with its period roots.’