From the UK’s most southerly holiday retreat in Cornwall, to a modern home on Scotland's Isle of Harris, to a Welsh coastal cottage; owners Anna and James share their properties and their renovation story.
Motivated by a deep-rooted love of remote coastal locations, Anna and James's interior design choices were inspired by the natural environment. The result is a small collection of extraordinary homes, each as different as the last, and each becoming one with the landscape. Tapping into the soul of each home sits at the forefront of every interior decision, from fabrics to artworks to rooftop furnishings; “the main feature of each property is the location and the amazing views -ultimately we want the interiors to complement, not compete.”
The Signal Station
Retracing the footsteps of their renovation journey, Anna fondly recalls catching the first glimpse of The Signal Station on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula: “As we drove down the long lane, we saw this white spectacle on the horizon and realised how amazing the house was going to be. Passing fields full of wildflowers, you just know that you are leaving the stresses of your day-to-day life behind - and that’s rare in this day and age.”
Anna and James fell in love with The Signal Station on the spot. A two-and-a-half-month renovation project ensued, with the couple sourcing locally-made Cornish fittings and fixtures wherever possible. “We didn´t want to overcomplicate the rooms, we wanted to keep neutral tones throughout so as not to detract from the incredible views, and this meant the design came about organically: one idea fuelled another," she says. Today, The Signal Station is an intimate space for holidaying in one of Cornwall's most unspoilt corners.
Solas
After stumbling across a development opportunity far from the bustle of city life on the Isle of Harris shoreline, the couple acquired another bucket-list project. "We pulled into a roadside hut (with a coffee machine and honesty box!) and talked to a local who mentioned she was about to put her place on the market - she said we could pop down and take a look”. A bid was entered, and the rest is history.
This time, Anna and James incorporated a modern Scandi feel. Softening clean lines and minimalism with timber and tactile furnishings, the goal was to create “a comfortable home-from-home sanctuary that thoroughly encourages total relaxation”. With that, Solas was all at once a reality; a place where “forms and finishes in no way compete with the showstopping views”.
For Anna and James, the dream has always been “to find somewhere on a beach that allows you to enjoy all that the ocean can offer only a few steps from your front door”; whether in England, Scotland, or Wales, there's no denying these owners have managed just that.
Smokehouse Cottage
Following the success of The Signal Station on the Unique Homestays portfolio, Anna and James decided to embark on a new adventure. Finding Smokehouse Cottage on the Pembrokeshire coast felt like it was meant to be: “the sun was shining and the tide was right out when we arrived, exposing the vast expanse of golden sands before us, and just like The Signal Station, we knew we had found a rare piece of paradise”.
In keeping with their tried and trusted approach to interiors, Anna and James opted to stay sympathetic to the original building while adding luxurious flourishes; “there is a rawness to the property in its hardwood floors and exposed beams. The original 1930s factory lights that hang in the living room give a slight industrial edge, and the vintage iron pot-hanger suspended from the living room beam is something I could imagine being there when the cottage was first inhabited”.
