West Cornwall is fast earning its place as the county’s most “it” destination: with its trendy food and wine spots, buzzing creative scene, ancient historical sites and Caribbean-esque coastlines. And who better to talk of West Cornwall’s wonders than residents Nick and Tim? Having enjoyed a decades-long love affair with the area, the pair are the proud custodians of two extraordinary homes here – Morse and Holanen – that celebrate the best of both worlds; its coast and countryside.
Nick, an award-winning architect and property developer, and Tim, a former teacher turned BBC journalist turned gardens author, are a real effervescent duo with many a story to tell. And their passion for this special stretch of Cornwall is irrefutable: “This is real Cornwall,” they enthuse. With busy former lives designing properties in rural France and presenting for BBC Radio Cornwall respectively, the pair’s paths fused, cemented by their mutual love for West Penwith, which they were eager to call home.
With Nick’s background in developing French villas, they've become masters when it comes to creating multi-faceted holiday homes for a discerning clientele. Their first success story is Holanen in the seaside village of Mousehole. Beloved for its quaint harbour with its “mouse hole”-sized opening to sea and candle-lit cottages evoking back-in-time glimpses of fisherman’s wives making Stargazy Pie, Holanen offers a refreshing alternative to the village’s olde worlde hideaways.
When you step inside, the views overwhelm. Serene in the calm of summertime; thrilling in the tempestuousness of winter. And it’s at once obvious that this is the refined older sister of the coastal cottages that surround. Cream Ligne Roset chairs, an Italian marble dining table in the colours of autumnal leaves, and antiques sourced from the pair’s travels in India reside in the open-plan kitchen-dining-living-room – a far cry from quintessential beachy aesthetics. “I have an abhorrence of seaside paraphernalia,” Nick adds, with humour. The two wings of the home house double bedrooms, each with access to a private bathroom and with their own outdoor terrace, making this feel more luxury hotel than Cornish bolthole. But its Cornishness is of course celebrated too, with local artwork all inspired by the beautiful surrounding landscape. “These original works are all rooted in West Cornwall, and are core to the feel of the place,” they explain.
History is a bit of a running theme with these two, too. “The grounds in which Holanen now sits were formerly used to evaporate salt from sea water in large pans,” they inform me. “The idea was to help support the profitable pilchard-salting industry in the area, but sadly the salt-extraction trade collapsed shortly after.” The home’s crowning glory is its frontline position: in walking distance (even after a few local ales) to the bustling harbour eateries that serve Newlyn crab twice-baked cheese soufflé and still-warm scones, but with absolute privacy thanks to completely unobstructed views over the sea. From here, watching the world go by consists of glimpses of locals swimming in the affectionately coined Dickie Daniels’ sea pool and the colony of seals sunbathing on St Clement’s Isle across the water.
Now to the countryside. Nick and Tim’s second rental home, Morse, has launched just in time for summer after a three-year renovation. Entirely different to Holanen, but satisfying the same essential criteria of location, design and history, Morse is a former WWII bunker – whose journey into becoming a luxury homestay, understandably, came with its own nuanced complexities. I asked if Nick felt daunted when faced with the project: “Not daunted, no. Excited,” he says. “It was something that was completely new and different to what I’d worked on before.”
Intrigue is immediately set as you arrive and catch a glimpse of the little bump house with its green-grass roof. Which only continues inside thanks to original concrete walls that entice curious fingers, statement designer furniture and various terraces that spill from its doors. "It was a huge undertaking to renovate it to the quality that we’re used to, but to still make it look and feel authentic,” Nick explains. “We had to treat the building in an entirely different way.” It would have been easy to pare the rest of the interiors back or to create something twee and movie-set-like but, instead, the pair have created a home that feels chic and seductive – with a real Sheats-Goldstein Residence feel about the place. “Texture was essential,” they add. “Black leather and goat skins feel so sumptuous, particularly when paired with the Brutalist concrete.” Indeed, the interiors match up to the entirely unique build in which they reside.
Also essential to the scheme was light, and so doorways were added in at the front, left and back – as well as large windows in the bedrooms to the right – meaning that the sun’s full journey can be traced around the entirety of the home. Outside, the pair have integrated many a seating area to capitalise on the countryside views, with Tim revealing a very picturesque pastime: “My favourite thing to do here is to sit on the bench beneath the Cornish hedge, with the cows in the field next door looking over my shoulder while I read my book.” They also dedicated much time to the garden to create a private haven, including the planting of many native trees and bushes – including gorse (whose coconutty-scented petals pepper the nearby Cornish coast paths), wild rose, blackthorn and willow. With plans to create a wildflower meadow next on their agenda.
In short, Nick and Tim have the best of both worlds in this pocket of Cornwall that they hold so dear. Homes that truly celebrate the best of coast and countryside.
Feeling inspired? Explore the best places to stay in Cornwall, discover more of our owner chronicles, or read Tim’s latest book.
