Sustainable design reveals itself in the smallest, most deliberate of details: a building orientated precisely to capture summer solstice light, salvaged timber bearing the subtle marks of its previous life, spring water flowing through copper pipes, rooms naturally insulated by the earth.
Scattered across Kerry's starlit skies, Cornwall's weathered shores, Welsh uplands and Shropshire woodlands, these homes – with their respect for place, material and experience – stand as evidence that low-impact design and exceptional hospitality need not be mutually exclusive.
Thalia, Wadebridge, Cornwall
Winning a 2025 Cornish Buildings Group Award for best new build property in Cornwall, Thalia’s copper entrance patinas with the county's elements. Built to Passivhaus principles, convention is inverted; living spaces are elevated to maximise natural light, while bedrooms below are naturally insulated by the earth. Powered by solar energy and heated by an air-source heat pump, this contemporary country home integrates low-impact systems with a design that responds to its wild setting. And this thoughtful ethos extends beyond the house’s walls, to gardens crafted by Chelsea gold medallist Darren Hawkes that lie at the intersection between cultivation and wilderness.
Silva, Perthshire, Scotland
On the southern shore of Loch Tay, Silva embodies a radical eco-technological vision, meticulously designed by its owners and architect. Built in 2021, its minimalist Japanese lines and locally quarried stone blend seamlessly with the Highland landscape, allowing it to tread lightly; with ground source heating and a private borehole, it’s almost entirely off-grid. Vast glass planes flood the interiors with the ever-shifting play of natural light, dissolving boundaries between sculptural forms and Scotland's elemental beauty. This is a house that invites you to marvel in the soul-stirring views of Loch Tay and the brooding Munros.
Tincture, Cambrian Mountains, Wales
Without a neighbour to disturb the hush, Tincture huddles among the secluded uplands of Wales’ Cambrian Mountains; a remote escape with breathtaking valley views. Entirely off-grid, it harnesses solar power and fresh spring water to provide life's essentials. Inside, the story of adaptive reuse unfolds in ingenious ways; wood from the dining table once sheltered horses, for example. And what was once a humble pigsty now houses garden treasures. Amid these 17th-century stone foundations, a folkish magic permeates the space where Earth's rhythms set the pace.
Hansa, Weston-under-Lizard, Shropshire
Approach through dappled forest light and Shropshire dissolves into fairy tale. Built in 1856, this Victorian gothic folly, once hosting the Earl of Bradford's luncheons, now thrives by nature's rules in 200 acres of woodland. Battery power illuminates evenings beneath ancient beams, while days unfold to a different type of time entirely. A wooden gate reveals adventure via rowboat across the 26-acre White Sich reservoir, offering passage to a place where the forest's vocabulary – birdcall, leaf-rustle, wind-whisper – replaces modern chatter.
Juneberry, Holywell Bay, Cornwall
A farmer's home transformed into a coastal haven, Juneberry is a luxury rural cabin complete with a yoga deck and al fresco shower. Reclaimed materials shape spaces that feel both fresh and storied; local larch clads the wooden frame, while interior elements are salvaged from the farm’s outbuildings and the owner’s caravan. Morning sun filters through windows and French doors positioned to greet heathland views, while herringbone tiles and copper accents warm the interior palette. Outside, a garden flourishes, thoughtfully cultivated for pollinators and offering a serene retreat.
The Beach Shack, Whitsand Bay, Cornwall
Set high above Portwrinkle Beach in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this coastal hideaway with humble origins makes a bold architectural statement. The clapboard cladding and nautical references give The Beach Shack an Antipodean flavour, while reclaimed materials tell tales of the bay – timber was salvaged from the cargo ship Kodima and embedded during a rebuild in the early 2000s, marking this cliffside perch as a monument to creative recovery.
Sienna, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland
Cinematic landscapes that dazzled the Cannes Film Festival juries’ attention in 2015 (for The Lobster) surround this Kerry retreat, where stargazing reaches new heights within a Gold Tier International Dark Sky Reserve. Here, the design of the house pays homage to its breathtaking setting: sweeping picture windows and a veranda on stilts frame views of Kenmare Bay and the Caha Mountains, bringing nature indoors. Spring water feeds modern comforts, while interiors mirror the landscape through an earthy palette of burnt sienna, chalky white and oceanic blue.
Feeling inspired? Check out our full collection of eco-friendly homes and retreats with EV chargers.
