CORNISH COASTAL VILLA
Gorgeous sea views and the grand American-style architecture won the hearts of this design duo
❝WE BASED OUR PALETTE ON THE SEASIDE SETTING – THERE ARE BLUES, OF COURSE, BUT ALSO RICH BROWNS, CRISP GREENS AND HINTS OF ORANGE-PINK❞
Rugged coastlines, azure seas, quaint villages… Cornwall holds a special place in many hearts and it is no different for Emma Sims Hilditch. She visited many times as a girl, spending bucket-and-spade holidays in St Mawes, and later returned regularly with her husband, John, and their three children, Daisy, Betty and Billy. Passionate sailors, Emma and John loved exploring the coast of the Roseland peninsula. ‘One afternoon, we were moored in an estuary near St Mawes when we spotted a house for sale,’ says Emma. ‘We had been considering buying a holiday home in the area and the property instantly ignited our interest. Inside, it was full of charm and elegance, and its location and glorious sea views won us over. We made an offer immediately.’
The couple bought the house in 2014 and began an extensive renovation. Emma, who runs an interior design company, and John, co-founder of Neptune, knew just what they wanted. ‘The house was in good condition, but we wanted to turn it into a family retreat,’ explains Emma. ‘Although our children are now grown up, we wanted to meet them there as often as possible, so comfort, convenience and a feeling of calm were our priorities.
The biggest alteration was to the internal layout. Emma and John added en suite bathrooms to the three
ground-floor bedrooms, created an L-shaped, open-plan living/dining area with a woodburning stove and installed a simple kitchen. On the small first floor, they turned an office with a balcony and stunning sea views into a main suite, replacing the impractical, open-tread staircase that led to the space with a conventional one, and adding a large bathroom. The discovery of asbestos in the fabric of the building delayed the project by a few weeks, but they were able to move in at the beginning of autumn 2015.
When she was designing the interior, Emma puzzled over how to create a contemporary British seaside feel while avoiding clichéd nautical or ocean references. The answer lay in observing the surrounding landscape. ‘Using blues is obvious,’ she says. ‘But when you look closely at the natural environment nearby, there is a whole range of other colours, too, including rich browns, crisp greens and hints of orange-pink. I chose a palette of cool, but not stark, whites, layered to create subtle tonal variations, together with soft blue-greys. Keeping the base colours neutral created a feeling of space, and then I added accents in stronger hues. We painted some furniture in the sitting room and dining area, and it has a real strength and contrast against the white backdrops. In some lights it looks grey, in others blue, and occasionally green. We
❝I ADDED FURNITURE IN GLASS AND METAL TO BRING IN THE REFLECTIVE QUALITY OF WATER, LIKE SEA GLINTING IN THE SUN ❞
love that the colour changes with the light.’ Another essential element of the decor is textural contrast. ‘I added chunky, woven textures and furniture in glass and metal,’ says Emma. ‘Natural materials have a beautiful character and I used them as much as possible, from oak floors to linen curtains and wool throws.’ Added to the mix are piles of books, collections of pebbles and sea shells, ornaments that the family have collected over the years, and a variety of works of art – some of them paintings by the couple’s daughter, Daisy, who is a professional artist.
Now the house is finished, one of Emma’s favourite things about her holiday home is the incredible views of the St Mawes estuary and coastline, which are visible from almost every aspect of the house. In the mornings, the light is fresh and bright, while in the evenings it is mellow and peaceful – especially enjoyable from the lounge chairs on the patio. Emma and John, whose main home is in Wiltshire, try to spend at least one weekend a month in Cornwall, and more often in the summer. ‘The house is so close to the coastal path and to the beach,’ says Emma. ‘When I’m in St Mawes, I feel as if I’m cut off from the rest of the world. It’s a very special place, full of memories that will always be dear, and always a source of inspiration.’