About 3-4 weeks ago, my DMs pinged with a very unexpected message.

If any of you run your own business, have a stressful job, parent, or are just human (!) you’ll know about the days you feel like you’re constantly fire-fighting and ready to throw in the towel. Things aren’t going how you want them, your brain’s not working right to fix it, and the thought of screaming into a pillow is better than carrying on 😅

Yep, I was having one of those days when this message came in.

Neil and I share access to our Instagram inbox, although it’s me who looks after the account, and he interrupted my head-screaming-into-pillow mood with:

“Have you seen this? This will cheer you up…”

I read it, and instantly smiled. It gave me hope again that everything was fine and adventure was only around the corner!

I turned my frown upside down and was so thrilled Anna got in touch. She had unknowingly come to my rescue and said ‘yes’ to us inviting ourselves to be one of the first guests to experience her beautiful cottage in Cornwall.

I was so excited to see how our home design course helped her and to see in real life the results she’d driven by following our structure. It’s not often we’re able to see our student’s transformations in real life as everyone is dotted all over the country and it’s usually their family homes they’re developing so this was an extra special trip.

We looked at our calendar, it was chocka. But we shifted a few appointments and a few weeks later, that beautiful blue Cornish coastline (10 minutes away from Anna’s holiday home) was stretched right out in front of us….

And relaaaax!

Our plan was to drive down to Cornwall for 3 nights to stay, then move up towards Oxford to celebrate Neil’s grandparents’ 70th wedding anniversary – so you could say it was a bit of a road trip (mostly spent trying to ignore the rising petrol prices! 😅)

And when we arrived, we were stunned by the beautiful home Anna has built…

Inside Anna’s Cornish holiday cottage

In my courses, I place loads of importance on ‘uplevelling’ your life through your home design and layout choices. It’s something I really try to bring into my own home, and client’s homes too.

I work with people to determine what’s important to them, how is it they can enhance how they do daily tasks (which will ease their stress and bring more joy to them), and how they make their design choices create the feeling they want.

Anna’s work through the course meant she applied the same techniques but had to put her holiday-makers hat on to ensure her design choices were right for her market. I have to say, that every day we stayed here demonstrated how well she considered and planned every choice. From the calming colour scheme, to the cosy lighting.

The perfect place to relax… away from the reno work!

If you’ve been a long-time reader you might remember that Neil and I made a last min decision during our own renovation to book a ‘get-us-out-of-here’ cheap all inclusive break to Corfu when the dust-o-meter hit 100!

We worked our budgets well and forecasted money left over to cover the holiday and it was the best thing we ever did to escape the dust, sweat and tears. Your mental wellbeing (and any costs associated to salvaging it while you renovate), is a valid thing to budget for let me tell you!

That’s largely why we try to blog about the UK breaks we go on, like our Cotswolds + Peak District trips, to inspire and encourage you to get away at the right times during your project. Especially if you’re living on-site.

Consider it research, seriously

Would you buy a car without bringing it for a test drive? Living temporarily in a well-designed property is excellent research for what you want (and don’t want) in important areas of your own home like the kitchen and bathroom which could save you time, effort, money and disappointment.

For example:

In the kitchen, Anna has an induction hob. If you’re used to using gas, a holiday home with an induction would be a great trial run for a weekend
There’s an integrated eye-line microwave, is that for you, or is it too high? Would you rather countertop?
The 1.5 undermount white sink with large tap might sway you to opt for one over a low, belfast sink
The flooring is engineered wood. Would you like that or would you rather different?
…you catch my drift!

Designing a holiday home well

I’ve not personally designed a holiday home yet (I’d drop everything to! So if you need 1-on-1 support you know where I am 😆) I mainly focus on helping renovators design their family homes, but one thing I’ve always felt is that people can truly increase their marketability by selecting good design and developing cohesion.

Neil and I have spoken so much about how a holiday home needs to be (at least) nicer than your own home so that you can feel like it’s a break away, a touch of luxury, not a downgrade in your surroundings for a week. Although saying that, we do plenty of downgrading to cold-shower hostels when we travel on a budget! Sometimes the surroundings are enough of a draw but when you can get great design too, it’s a big selling point. And now that UK breaks cost about the same as a 4* somewhere hot, it’s about time design is prioritised, would you agree?

**The steaming hot shower was bliss | the old coach house, cornwall**

Places to visit in the area

I mean, it goes without saying that Cornwall is rich full of places to hike, eat, swim, pootle around the shops, or whatever it is you like to do on holiday.

Because we spent a lot of time filming and shooting pics we didn’t have an awful lot of time to explore but the places we did go were unmissable.

Nearby fishing village Mevagissey was humming with independent shops (She Sells for gifts, Brocante and Fresk and for homewares)
We stopped at the Ship Inn for a pint of Tribute and Mary’s Pastys on the front for a tasty vegan Cornish pasty – absolutely delicious

Hike from Portholland to Portloe for the most breathtaking views of the coast

Grab a coffee at Caerhays Beach Cafe and take it to the shores for a think or a chat
It’s dog owner’s paradise out this way with some untouched beaches like Hemmick Beach, Porthluney Bay and Carne Beach.
There’s even some drive-in film nights run by Caerhays Beach Cafe in the summer months which I’ve always wanted to do (next time!)
For hiking lovers like us, the South West Coast path stretches for miles. One day we’ll walk the whole route!

We’re creating a short video about our trip, with a little tour of Anna’s cottage so look out for that if you’d like to see more, it will be over on our new YouTube channel.

The link to Anna’s property listing is here
Her Instagram is @theoldcoach.house
And the course she used to design her property is: Home Design Lab

You’ll have to let me know if you’re heading down that way in the near-future. Have the best time if you do decide to visit!

Chat soon,

Fi (+ Neil) xxx