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Francesca Reed

With a passion for interior design and travel, Head of Brand Francesca can usually be found flicking through coffee table books or exploring the world´s most paradisiacal beaches.

Unique Homestays partners with The White CompanyUnique Homestays partners with The White Company

Interiors

Unique Homestays partners with The White Company

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The White Company partners with Unique Homestays to launch an experiential holiday cottage in a first-of-its-kind collaboration for the luxury British brands. Think signature fragrances and glossy earthenware wrapped up in cob walls.

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More by Francesca

Key wedding trends for 2023
Lifestyle

Key wedding trends for 2023

January is a time for planning, so we asked the UK’s best wedding planners and stylists to share their predictions for 2023; think stripes, signature cocktails, the great outdoors, all-weekend-long weddings, and eighties pizazz.

17th January 2023

Top interior trends for 2023
Lifestyle

Top interior trends for 2023

From the colours on the walls to the patterns in the halls, our home interiors are tapestries of personality. Here we share our pick of the top home trends for 2023; from Pantone´s shade of the year to the 70s revival no-one saw coming.

9th January 2023

Unique travel trends for 2023
Lifestyle

Unique travel trends for 2023

We’re seeing out-of-the-box thinking (and travelling) on the horizon. Here, we round up our pick of key travel trends for 2023; from the inside-outside snow globe aesthetic to places fit for Shinrin-yoku. Plus, an insight into what homestays are topping the leaderboard (and why).

1st January 2023

Unique Folk
Lifestyle

Unique Folk

With an ethos that speaks to the secret ideals of the nomad inside, our loyalty scheme rewards guests by taking them on the first few steps of their next adventure. For the vagabonds and wayfarers, craft makers and cocktail-shakers, find out how we honour your seat at our table in the Unique Folk Loyalty Programme.

12th September 2022

The enchanted castle on the river
Owner Chronicles

The enchanted castle on the river

Owner Frieda Gormley shares her story on how she and husband Javvy became custodians of Castle India; an intriguing Cornish country house on the banks of the River Lynher.

23rd April 2022

Wedding trends to watch in 2022
Lifestyle

Wedding trends to watch in 2022

Checkerboard dancefloors and maximalist bridesmaids, polished gowns and pearlcore. After 18 months of cancellations, restrictions and postponements, we forecast the top weddings trends for the year ahead.

17th January 2022

Come to stay in towers, castles, and fairytale follies
Lifestyle

Come to stay in towers, castles, and fairytale follies

Castle ramparts smothered in blazing creepers, walled gardens protected by whimsical follies and towers so luxurious that no maiden should ever wish to be saved, however handsome the rescuer.

1st January 2022

Winter brie and berry tart
Fare

Winter brie and berry tart

In the season of coming together to indulge in late-night chatter over tables piled high with fine foods, Unique Homestays affiliate chef David Sargent shares his Cornish truffler brie, thyme and cranberry tart topped with pickled red onion; a vegetarian dish packed full of festive flavour.

7th December 2021

Wild West Cork
Travellers' Tales

Wild West Cork

Ireland is having a bit of a moment. Gaelic glamour, Hollywood scenery and deserted white-sand beaches all coming into the limelight; this emerald island sparkles brighter than ever. Here we look back on last year´s visit to Skyros in County Cork.

14th July 2021

Al fresco styling for summer
Lifestyle

Al fresco styling for summer

One positive to come from the pandemic is the nation´s newfound infatuation with outside styling. Be it arthouse film nights huddled around a projector screen or secret garden soirées complete with cascading Champagne fountains; we share five tips on how to style your outdoor space this summer.

7th July 2021

A Black Mountains Elopement
Lifestyle

A Black Mountains Elopement

Remote farmhouse retreat Charity opens its doors to couples for modern bohemian celebrations nestled in the rolling hills of the Black Mountains. In a styled editorial shoot, runaway lovers embraced the intimate and the informal, with poetic florals and air of retro glam.

17th June 2021

Fairytale romance on the West Wales Coast
Lifestyle

Fairytale romance on the West Wales Coast

Within the realm of a Victorian country manor on the West Wales Heritage Coast lies a wedding venue spilling with classical beauty. Uncover a modern day fairytale at Florin.

8th June 2021

A weddings revival
Lifestyle

A weddings revival

While wedding planners, venues and suppliers have been forced to take an extended hiatus due to Covid-19 restrictions, there’s been a whole heap of creativity brewing beneath the surface. Like a bottle of Britain’s finest fizz fermented to perfection, an industry revival is set to see weddings return this summer in a scintillating explosion of style and romance.

1st June 2021

Unique Homestays launch new video service
Lifestyle

Unique Homestays launch new video service

Unique Homestays have launched a personalised experience for luxury travellers and property owners, with their all-new video call service.

6th May 2021

JoJo Maman Bébé at Bohéme
Guest Bloggers

JoJo Maman Bébé at Bohéme

With an environmentally conscious edge and a quirky French flair, Bohéme was a match made in heaven when it came to finding a shoot location for JoJo Maman Bébé´s new collection.

28th April 2021

Elegant modernity for a Cornish elopement
Lifestyle

Elegant modernity for a Cornish elopement

Fusing the raw with the refined, The Unbridled captures an elopement wedding editorial shoot with mood and elegance in the heart of rugged Cornwall.

23rd April 2021

The 2021 wedding: elopement inspiration from the Cornish coast
Lifestyle

The 2021 wedding: elopement inspiration from the Cornish coast

During the pandemic, Unique Homestays continue to celebrate responsible wedding and honeymoon planning, because if there has ever been a time we all need a heart-warming love story it’s now. Here we kick off 2021 with elopement inspiration from The Beach Hut in Cornwall.

1st January 2021

Fantastical follies
Lifestyle

Fantastical follies

“Form follows function” is a maxim observed by most modern architects. Not, however, for fans of the folly. Following the heart-over-head principles of Romanticism, homeowners are once again becoming creative with their estates. From ornate waterside dwellings to forgotten farm buildings reimagined, the folly is making a comeback.

1st September 2020

Understated luxury
Lifestyle

Understated luxury

If there´s one thing 2020 has taught us so far, it´s to see beauty in the littlest luxuries - simple, clean living being the biggest of them all. Now that travel restrictions are easing, demand for low-key lavish escapes has never been greater. Here we round-up the best holiday homes for UK staycations with a theme of understated luxury.

1st August 2020

Artist in residence: Sara Reed
Guest Bloggers

Artist in residence: Sara Reed

Contemporary artist and teacher Sara Reed explores the raw, elemental beauty of nature through a study of colour, light and continuous line on hand-stretched canvases created in her studio on the North Cornwall coast.

31st July 2020

Julita London Bride
Guest Bloggers

Julita London Bride

Intricate, ethereal and spiritual is how Jo Kuniewicz-Murray describes her work. Created for today´s modern bride, every order is handmade to the client´s most detailed measurements in Jo´s London studio, like fine works of art.

7th July 2020

Destination honeymoon
Lifestyle

Destination honeymoon

The effects of the coronavirus crisis have been felt everywhere, but one of the hardest hit sectors has been the weddings industry, leaving hundreds of couples weighing up their options amid restrictions on travel and social gatherings. For those not able to wed or honeymoon overseas this year, there´s an alternative to cancelled romantic celebrations, the modern-day minimoon.

1st June 2020

Angie Smith’s fraudshake   
Fare

Angie Smith’s fraudshake  

Banana bread aside, this is the lockdown recipe everyone in the know has been talking about. We spoke with our favourite celebrity stylist, Angie Smith, who shared the secret ingredients behind her latest trend: the spinach-packed smoothie that tastes like white chocolate.

20th May 2020

Soundtrack: faraway winters
Lifestyle

Soundtrack: faraway winters

In a series where the team share their holiday memories, this soundtrack conjures up memories of solo travels through Costa Rica; of 6am yoga, warm rain showers, fried squid and deep infinity pools.

14th May 2020

Walpole Book of British Luxury: the launch
Lifestyle

Walpole Book of British Luxury: the launch

This spring saw the launch of the 2020 Walpole Book of British Luxury at London´s Fortnum & Mason. The book explores the future of the sector through thought-provoking essays from leading commentators, cover art by House of Hackney and brand stories from 60 Walpole members including new addition Unique Homestays.

5th May 2020

Britain in bloom: enchanted garden escapes
Lifestyle

Britain in bloom: enchanted garden escapes

And just like that, the world stood still. Amid travel bans and isolation orders, the magic of the natural world continues. This month we celebrate Britain´s best garden getaways, delivering you a breath of fresh air through a hand-picked selection of private homes with exceptional gardens.

30th April 2020

Out of office
Interiors

Out of office

As the nation holes up and more of us work from home, we share seven unique living spaces to inspire your at-home office.

22nd March 2020

Natural selection
Lifestyle

Natural selection

A new generation of architects put the environment at the heart of their projects, weaving buildings into their natural surroundings, crafting furnishings from organic materials and creating homes that embrace the living world with open arms.

11th March 2020

The Life of a Modern Digital Nomad
Guest Bloggers

The Life of a Modern Digital Nomad

British photographer Evie Johnstone writes about a life spent travelling the globe in pursuit of world-class surf and unique photographic opportunities with an underlying theme of female empowerment. Here, Evie takes time to reflect at Siren cottage in Cornwall.

10th February 2020

Green Love
Lifestyle

Green Love

The colour of love turns green this February as we celebrate the rise of the eco wedding. Organic food, British bubbles and paperless post; we show how you can consider the planet without sacrificing your vision of a beautifully designed luxury wedding.

1st February 2020

Simple Luxury
Lifestyle

Simple Luxury

Holidays matter. They are our lifeline to sanity, a chance to step away from everyday life and reconnect with the people we love. Simple Luxury, the latest campaign by Unique Homestays, follows three parties on their unique escapes in rural Britain.

15th January 2020

Be good (to yourself): wellness breaks for 2020
Lifestyle

Be good (to yourself): wellness breaks for 2020

Discover the very best breaks to suit all your wellness wishes for the new year. Gone are the days of cookie cutter retreats, 2020 is the year to get creative with your health-boosting holidays. Here is our guide to tried, tested and supremely tranquil retreats in the UK.

2nd January 2020

Hunter Gatherers
Lifestyle

Hunter Gatherers

Tapping into our human instincts, we celebrate the season of hunting and gathering, of bonfires and feasting and preparing for the first bite of winter, as we scout out our favourite trends for this autumn.

30th September 2019

Meet The Maker – East London Parasols
Guest Bloggers

Meet The Maker – East London Parasols

East London Parasols blend modern-day design with age-old traditions from the colourful lands of India and Indonesia, to create fun and flamboyant one-off pieces. Founder Lucy Ferguson tells the story behind her unique brand.

27th June 2019

A Culinary Retreat in the Quantock Hills
Fare

A Culinary Retreat in the Quantock Hills

When it came to Valentine’s weekend this year, we wanted to celebrate by offering guests something that would last far longer than a dozen roses. Instead, we teamed up with culinary vacation experts Stirred Travel, who specialise in the nation’s first love.

12th April 2019

Homes of The Makers
Owner Chronicles

Homes of The Makers

To enter an artist’s residence is to enter another’s creative mind. Experiencing day-to-day life in the home of a creator lends a feeling that transcends simply viewing their work on a wall. This month we delve inside dwellings that act as galleries, studios and inspiration for the artisans who call them home.

1st March 2019

Hibernation season
Lifestyle

Hibernation season

The hunt is on for that all-inspiring location in which hunker down and admire the winter wonderland scenery all around. From mountain hideaways to white-washed yoga retreats by the sea, we round-up the best boltholes to book this Spring.

4th February 2019

TukTuk to Turkey – Unique Homestays gets involved
Owner Chronicles

TukTuk to Turkey – Unique Homestays gets involved

Trekking 273 miles along the Cornwall South West Coast Path, the Unique Homestays team are raising money to support our owner´s (Rachel and Bharat of Zamani) TukTuk to Turkey Voyage in aid of SUDEP Action - a charity very close to their hearts.

26th September 2018

The English Eccentric
Interiors

The English Eccentric

Unique Home Stays gives you exclusive access inside the lives and homes of inspirational, eclectic and ingenious individuals by handing you the keys to their absurdly beautiful abodes.

14th September 2018

Remote Luxury
Lifestyle

Remote Luxury

For us, romance and remoteness go hand in hand. The anticipation of driving into the hinterland solo, or with a loved one, is matched only by the triumph of finding your destination and feeling blissfully far from the madding crowds. We round-up the best secluded hideaway escapes.

9th August 2018

Summer Stories of The Stack
Travellers' Tales

Summer Stories of The Stack

It’s Friday the 13th July and Britain continues to bake in the longest heatwave since ´76. With not a drop of rain in the long range forecast, this weekend called for nothing but sea swimming and milling around in the Cornish sunshine.

20th July 2018

The Hills are Alive
Lifestyle

The Hills are Alive

There´s something about life in the hills that truly makes one´s heart sing. We´ve searched high and low, throughout fells and valleys, to find Britain’s most inspiring cottages and hideaways. Flee the crowds and journey into the hills and far away.

8th June 2018

Go Large or Go Home
Lifestyle

Go Large or Go Home

From stately manor houses to artsy party pads complete with disco balls and indoor pools, we round-up the best big houses that can be exclusively yours.

28th March 2018

Unique Wedding Trends for 2018
Lifestyle

Unique Wedding Trends for 2018

Tying the knot this year? We tell you six things you’ll want to know when it comes to planning your wedding day of dreams. From this year’s hottest venues to timeless décor with a difference; we’ve got your unique wedding covered.

27th March 2018

Unique Homestays Springtime Soirée
Owner Chronicles

Unique Homestays Springtime Soirée

This week saw owners and friends of Unique Homestays come together for a merry old time at Somerset´s favourite party house, Bohème.

9th March 2018

A Quiet Place Somewhere
Travellers' Tales

A Quiet Place Somewhere

Because sometimes you just need that quiet place somewhere. To wake up on Friday morning, pack the essentials and disappear off the radar.

5th March 2018

Holidaying in the South Hams
Lifestyle

Holidaying in the South Hams

There’s no denying that the diverse county of Devon offers a divine sense of freedom for all who cross its craggy border. Closer than Cornwall but still far, far away from the buzz of the capital, this holiday hotspot is a haven for relaxation. We headed to one of Devon´s dreamiest destinations: the South Hams.

30th November 2017

The Best Party Houses to Rent for New Year
Lifestyle

The Best Party Houses to Rent for New Year

Whether you’re plotting a cosy New Year just for two, or a raucous affair for a few… we’ve rounded up the best private homes available for your New Year’s celebrations.

20th November 2017

The Cosiest Cottages for Winter
Lifestyle

The Cosiest Cottages for Winter

Blustery walks, roaring open fires and delicious hampers stuffed with seasonal goodies should be just what the doctor orders as the temperature drops. Pack your wellingtons but leave the shovel at home, there´s nowhere else you´d rather be snowed in than at these luxury holiday cottages.

8th November 2017

Unique Home Stays Garden Party
Owner Chronicles

Unique Home Stays Garden Party

This month we came together with owners and friends of Unique Home Stays for our annual end-of-summer gathering, hosted at the oh-so-gorgeous Valentina´s Lost Orangery.

12th September 2017

All-White Living
Interiors

All-White Living

Baring the nation’s unwavering love for neutrals, the pared-back aesthetic has dominated the design world over recent years. From the rustically white-washed to the whimsically romantic, we explore the depths and diversity of the white-on-white home trend.

15th August 2017

Interiors in Bloom
Interiors

Interiors in Bloom

As well as being ultra-feminine, floral prints are a fine way to bring the great British outdoors in. Injecting the season’s blooms into your interior scheme can create an air of summer romance all year round. These homes show how flower power interiors are done best.

13th July 2017

Instagrammable Escapes
Lifestyle

Instagrammable Escapes

Just like promenading along seaside boulevards in the Victorian times, online posing is the sport of this decade. To keep all your social media followers swooning over your holiday snaps, we’ve hand-picked the most photogenic escapes for this summer.

9th June 2017

Sitting Pretty
Interiors

Sitting Pretty

The occasional chair: as the name suggests, not an entirely essential home furnishing. But if there’s one piece that can transform a living space from standard to statement then it’s one of these. Here’s a selection of Unique Home Stays showing how it’s done best.

5th May 2017

Hero Headboards
Interiors

Hero Headboards

Statement headboards play a key feature in today’s most impressive bedrooms, adding an undeniable element of excitement to any sleeping space. Here we showcase the most daring, seductive and OTT beds on the Unique Home Stays portfolio.

28th March 2017

Holidaying on Home Turf
Travellers' Tales

Holidaying on Home Turf

Flanked by flower-clad cliffs and crooked fisherman’s cottages, Boscastle is impossibly photogenic. There’s always been a ‘magic’ about the village. Having grown up here as a child, when Aphrodite joined the portfolio it was the most perfect excuse to visit my old haunt.

15th March 2017

Spring Greens
Interiors

Spring Greens

As the key trends for 2017 are announced to the nation, there´s none stirring quite the amount of interest in the interior design world as that of Pantone´s Colour Of The Year. We take a look at our luxury homestays with greenery-inspired interiors, giving you the opportunity to stay in the UK´s most on-trend homes this year.

20th January 2017

Unique Wedding Venues for 2017
Lifestyle

Unique Wedding Venues for 2017

Did you get a sparkly diamond ring this Valentine´s Day? Picking your special venue is the first step to creating a truly unique occasion. Here is our pick of the most romantic wedding venues the UK has on offer - imagine the photographs!

30th December 2016

Wandering Wild
Lifestyle

Wandering Wild

The greater the wilderness, the greater the revelations. Being in the back of beyond allows us to loosen the ties that bind us to the familiar world and rediscover the simple pleasures in life. Let these remote retreats inspire your next great escape, into the wild.

2nd December 2016

In-Vogue Homestays
Interiors

In-Vogue Homestays

To celebrate the centenary of the fashion bible, we’ve collated a selection of the most ‘Vogueish’ homestays on the Unique Home Stays portfolio. From a rustic, peacock-themed barn conversion to an orangery embellished with dripping chandeliers and lemon trees, take a look inside some of the UK’s most decadently stylish private homes.

11th October 2016

Unique Home Stays Turns 15!
Lifestyle

Unique Home Stays Turns 15!

Last weekend we celebrated Unique Home Stays´ 15th birthday, which topped off a stellar three months for the business. Staff and owners gathered for a merry evening of live music, canapés and Prosecco on tap.

5th October 2016

Unique Surf Day
Lifestyle

Unique Surf Day

Despite our prim and preppy appearances, we like to think we’re quite the team of action women here at Unique Home Stays. So when Cornish Wave invited for some expert surf tuition (all in the name of guest recommendations), we quite literally jumped at the chance.

13th July 2016

Sugar Fame and African Style: Stories of Goldhorn Manor
Owner Chronicles

Sugar Fame and African Style: Stories of Goldhorn Manor

Once leased to Colonel Lyle (of Golden Syrup fame) for £1 per annum, our gorgeous Goldhorn Manor has a fascinating and colourful history. We stole a moment with owner Julia, who told us a little more about her very unique home.

20th June 2016

A Bohemian Revival
Interiors

A Bohemian Revival

We´ve collated a collection of our most boho-chic homes to inspire your inner wanderer, adventurer, vagabond or gypsetter. Let us take you a luxury Bohemian adventure you won’t ever want to leave.

6th June 2016

Leap Year Proposals
Lifestyle

Leap Year Proposals

Luxury love nests for your lucky leap year proposals.

3rd February 2016

The Story of Smuggler’s Cottage
Owner Chronicles

The Story of Smuggler’s Cottage

Owner of Smuggler’s Cottage, Simon, purchased the cottage following a stay with Unique Home Stays and having utterly fallen in love with Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsular. We chatted with Simon about how he found his dream home-from-home and why he decided to open its doors for others to enjoy.

2nd February 2016

Cornish Charcuterie
Fare

Cornish Charcuterie

When it comes to creating Unique Home Stays’ luxury welcome hampers, we hand-pick the best products on the market so that we can make our guests feel at home with a selection of the UK’s finest foodstuffs. We spoke to Kate from one of our longest running product providers, Cornish Charcuterie, to see what makes their products so special.

15th January 2016

An Invitation I Could Not Refuse
Travellers' Tales

An Invitation I Could Not Refuse

When the owner of Pelsham Manor sent me an invitation to stay at The Madison, I simply could not refuse. It was a gloomy November morning, I swung my chair around to ask my fellow romanticist and ‘froleague’ Charlotte if she’d like to join me for a long weekend away in the country!

19th January 2015

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