COASTAL CALM

Muted tones and a clever layout have given this flat in Devon a serene feel

The rain was pouring down, the wind biting and Diana and David Hales were becoming increasingly miserable. ‘ We were house hunting on the north coast of Cornwall one Easter weekend and it was absolutely freezing,’ recalls Diana, who runs Surrey interior design practice David Hales Design Studio with her husband. ‘I’d set my heart on buying a home by the sea, but David was much less keen on the whole idea. The weather certainly didn’t help.’

Diana had heard about an apartment, part of a recently converted large Edwardian house, on the south coast in Devon. ‘I persuaded David that we should drive over, and by the time we got there, the sun was shining and it must have been at least 10 degrees warmer,’ she says. It wasn’t just the weather that persuaded the couple to buy the two-bedroom property – it had stunning views of the sea, tall ceilings and original fireplace, plus close proximity to sheltered beaches they could enjoy with their six-year-old daughter Annabel.

With David finally on board, the couple bought the apartment. ‘He was initially worried that buying a second home was a whim, but he now says it’s one of the best things we’ve ever done,’ says Diana. ‘ That was 16 years ago and we still come here as often as we can. Being by the sea is where I feel totally relaxed and creative, and I love going for long walks along the coast with our dachshund Archie.’

With an expert eye for using space to best effect, the couple recently began considering how to rethink the layout to increase the bedrooms from two to three and add an extra bathroom, so that it would be easier to welcome friends to stay. ‘The main bedroom and en suite were enormous and we really didn’t need that much room,’ explains Diana. So they decided to poach space from the main bedroom and hall in order to create a third

bedroom and shower room, which doubles as a utility, and remove an internal wall to create an open-plan kitchen-diner/sitting room, ideal for entertaining friends, to replace the series of small rooms they had before. ‘We were worried that the kitchen and hall would be dark because they have become internal spaces, but then we had a brainwave – we put portholes into some of the walls and doors to allow natural light to flow through the apartment,’ says Diana.

In keeping with this home’s role as a retreat, Diana chose a gentle colour scheme, working with soft, comfortable materials to create a welcoming, serene environment. ‘I like using muted palettes – nothing too jarring – so that as I walk in, my shoulders drop and I instantly feel calmer,’ she says. They added natural timber flooring throughout the apartment to create a sense of cohesion, with off-white painted walls. ‘I kept all the colours light to enhance the feeling of space, and we had quite a few pieces of furniture custom made, such as the sofa, dining table and banquette, because we wanted to make the best use of every inch of room,’ says Diana.

Using their professional expertise, Diana and David also took time to ensure the apartment is eminently practical: the sofa is covered in faux leather (‘so it won’t be damaged by wet swimming costumes’), the kitchen worktops are made from a stain and scratch-resistant quartz surface, and most of the cushion covers can be laundered in the washing machine, so the apartment withstands plenty of wear and tear when friends and family arrive. ‘I don’t want to be spending my time cleaning – the whole point is to be able to relax and enjoy the sea when we get here,’ says Diana. ‘Fortunately, that’s exactly what we do.’