A modern rustic Cornish cottage that's a neutral lovers dream
Slubby linens, rattan decor and weathered woods make this neutral holiday home far from bland
Exploring this cottage is like being taken on a tactile journey. Soft sinkable linen sofas cocoon the living room, textured rattan decor fills every nook and corner, jute rugs are layered up underfoot, and weathered wooden furniture adds just a touch of that coastal vibe you'd expect to find in a property so close to the ocean.
The Grade II listed house was built by a Cornish fudge maker and has been lovingly restored to create a modern rustic holiday home that's still filled with all the original features – wooden beams, log burning fires, cob walls, this place has character to boot. And while the color scheme may be kept simple and minimal, with a lot of white and greige tones, the cottage is a lesson in how texture can add just as much interest as color. Neutral lovers this one is for you...
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Living room
It's in the living room you really get the full effect of all those layers of texture. The white-washed walls, the slubby linen sofas you just want to sink into and all those lovely natural textures come together to create a space that feels decidedly stylish and on-trend but also very relaxed and lived in. In fact, that's exactly how we'd describe every room in this home, effortlessly chic and yet always cozy and welcoming. The risk with using an all-neutral color palette is you are left with a home that feels too... clean and curated but none of that here. The neutrals are crisp enough to feel fresh and modern but warm-toned so the rooms never feel clinical.
Adjoining the living room is a small snug area, with a wood burner and a wrap-around L-shaped sofa which gives the small room a den-like feel. An antique mirror leans against the far wall adds extra natural texture and also 'expands' the space.
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Kitchen
Despite being a practical space, this kitchen still manages to be filled with texture and softness. Weathered wooden boards and vintage washboards line the walls, the equally weathered open shelves are filled with aged ceramic pots and quirky rustic finds.
The simple white cabinetry almost blends into the matching white walls, so all the wood in here really stands out as the main feature of the space. The subtly distressed star print tiles used as the splashback as just the right amount of pattern and add extra texture.
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Dining room
In the conservatory, which leads on from the living room, a dining room provides the perfect spot for entertaining. The driftwood table and bench bring in that all-important texture when layered with fur throws and the shaggy sea-grass pendants that hang above.
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Master bedroom
The soft rustic theme continues upstairs to the bedrooms. The master bedroom overlooks the garden with a beautiful corner window filling the room with light and providing the perfect spot to curl up with a book. Crisp whites mix with warm beige tones to create a calming space that's both calming and cocooning. There are subtle nods to the coast in here too, like the pendant fisherman's lanterns that hang either side of the bed.
Guest bedrooms
The second guest bedroom has more of a cool tone to it, with silvery light blues mixing with the warm tones that can be found in the other rooms. The ornate headboard feels just rustic enough for the space but adds an elegance that balances out all the slubby textures and tones.
The twin room sits snuggly in the bay window. Despite being a relatively small space the whitewashed vaulted ceiling and all that natural light make it feel light and airy, as well as cozy. The linen-covered headboards interestingly face into the room so as not to block the shape of the window, which seems like an unusual layout but the softness of the headboards means they don't break up the room or add too much visual bulk, instead adding just another layer of texture to the space and making the sleep space feel like it's own zone within the room.
Bathroom
Shiplap paneling instantly brings that rustic touch into the family bathroom, paired with the vintage table that's been upcycled to become a double sink. Tin tiles make a nice alternative to a splashback and the antique foxed mirror that hangs above creates a cohesive feel between the wooden tones and cooler grey shades going on here.
Garage
The garage has been transformed into the perfect party pad, complete with a home bar, games room and a cozy cinema room up in the eaves. The wood paneling instills a cozy but sophisticated feel to the space, and there's more of a contemporary feeling in here too than can be found in the main house. There's still all the lovely texture going on but the furniture feels more modern with the iconic Sklum sofa lining the walls.
Gardens
Wrapping around three sides of the cottage, sub-tropical gardens brims with wildflowers and those iconic Cornish palms that instantly transport you to warmer climes. A pergola is nestled in amongst the greenery, the perfect spot for a sundowner. And for cooler evenings, the orangery is the perfect retreat, with succulents towering to the ceiling and the most stylish of rattan loungers to relax into.
The Hatch is now available to rent through Unique Homestays.
Hebe is the Digital Editor of Livingetc; she has a background in lifestyle and interior journalism and a passion for renovating small spaces. You'll usually find her attempting DIY, whether it's spray painting her whole kitchen, don't try that at home, or ever changing the wallpaper in her hallway. Livingetc has been such a huge inspiration and has influenced Hebe's style since she moved into her first rental and finally had a small amount of control over the decor and now loves being able to help others make decisions when decorating their own homes. Last year she moved from renting to owning her first teeny tiny Edwardian flat in London with her whippet Willow (who yes she chose to match her interiors...) and is already on the lookout for her next project.
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