The charming cottage offers many places to steal moments of contemplation, and certainly one of the loveliest is the window seat on the landing: overlooking the sea, and surrounded by bookshelves, it’s easy to imagine spending quiet hours here with a book or enjoying the expanse of blue sky and blue water beyond.
‘We wanted to push the owners to use more color in some places,’ says Hannah, who covered the downstairs loo walls in a striped green. Wallpaper by Schumacher, and ‘Hindi Rose’ specified by Lewis & Wood for the headboard in the spare room. In the master bedroom, olive-colored sisal wallcoverings and wardrobes are painted Farrow and ballofThe ball is green‘ is used to convey a sense of warmth and depth.
Upstairs, three bedrooms became two to create a new playroom. The boys share one bedroom and there is one Art To design a room for early teens. It should suit them now but also be futureproof: you won’t have to do it all over again in a few years when tastes change. The central window is flanked by two bobbin beds of Chelsea textiles and above them, round, porthole-style mirrors create a satisfying symmetry. A striped blind adds a subtle pop of color and pattern. Nothing too fancy, yet far from dull.
‘If you knew what Cornwall was like in the rough days, you’d know how important it was to keep the house happy and interesting even in the sad days,’ says Hannah. Thus, the neutral walls host a pop of artwork—some belonging to the client, and others acquired by Hanna for the home. Notably, the client’s own painting of a rural countryside scene above the sofa in the sitting room was chosen for the bucolic delight it brings.
Some houses break new ground, being admired for their innovation and out of the ordinary decisions. Others may be quiet, but still attractive for the simple beauty they possess. Can you imagine anywhere more delightful than this in a British summer, or – because it’s the UK we have to be real here – shelter from the storm? I certainly can’t.
Sims Hilditch: simshielditch.com. Sims Hilditch is a member of the Directory by House & Garden, our essential directory of design professionals. Visit the catalog by House and Garden here.
