My brother and I were the first to arrive, quite literally exclaiming in excitement as the lights clicked on to reveal what can only be described as Tony Stark’s Cornwall hideaway. The tiled floor stretched out in front of us, meeting glass at every turn, and we rushed down the steps to begin our explorations. Soon the others joined us, especially those of us not from Cornwall taking a moment just to enjoy being so close to the sea.
Each bedroom boasted a floor to ceiling glass façade, with a heavy curtain tucked away ready to shield the sunrise and a wonderfully modern en suite with a walk-in shower big enough to run laps in. Shamelessly abusing my position as trip-organiser I secured the master suite for myself, and after exploring the room felt pretty smug about that decision. The morning view from the bed was utterly breathtaking; the early sun glinting off small-but-trying waves. Wandering lazily around the corner and into the cavernous en-suite shower I thought to myself that I really could get used to this.
We spent the rest of our weekend lounging on the comfy sofas, playing cards on the large rug in front of the suspended fire, making the 60-second walk down to the beach from the garden gate to dip our toes in the sea, and resolutely barbequing in the sun despite it being early November. As we sprawled in the lounge and cooked in the kitchen we reflected on what made Serpentine so special, and each of us fixed upon a different point. While for some it was being just steps away from the soft sand and crisp sea, for others it was the modernity of the open plan design and crisp white kitchen, however, for myself, it was the stretching glass front of the property.
This line of towering glass, each pane almost as wide as my arm span, was almost imperious in nature. Standing proud towards the sea protecting us from any rain and amplifying the effects of the November sun we were so lucky to have, I felt as if each pane was a legionnaire’s shield between me and the outside world. Albeit one I could easily slide open to wander out onto the deck or lawn.
It was with a heavy heart we packed up to leave Serpentine, the sense of excitement on arriving at the property really cannot be overstated, and we were sad to say goodbye to the glass, the view and utter luxury we had become accustomed to during our time there.
