Call me Nosey McGee, but no matter what house I step into, I’m fascinated by the owners’ story and what led them to own and develop the property. Whenever we’re on holiday I make it my mission to dream up a storyline of the property owner’s life 😂 It’s the part of my work that I enjoy the most, talking to people about the decisions and events involved to make their house a home, and exploring the various faces the property has had over the years.

So when we recently found ourselves in Cornwall for a weekend on a rare visit to one of our student’s properties, it filled my cup being able to hear all about why this luxury holiday home was bought and renovated.

I’d love you to meet the owner of The Old Coach House, Anna Whitaker, here to share her renovation story with you today. This is how she turned an unloved Cornish cottage into a luxurious holiday home for her family and guests to enjoy for years to come with the support of our online course.

Despite 275 miles between where she lives and this Cornish retreat she now owns, Anna has been able to renovate this property and get it ‘holiday ready’ in under a year… phew!

Anna! Tell us about what brought you to starting a holiday home business

I’ve always been quite entrepreneurially minded so have dabbled in a few business ventures over the years. Freelance copywriting is still my bread and butter but when I had my first son, I started a design-led, ethical toy brand, pivoting that to an online magazine when it didn’t work out. Property has always interested me though and when I came into some money from my grandparents a few years ago, I decided to invest it in something tangible, that I could really sink my teeth into and that would create family memories for all of us, and a side income too.

Why did you choose Cornwall/Tregony?

Growing up on the South coast, our family holidays were always in Cornwall so it’s had a very special place in my heart since then. We’d always go to the same place - a village on the coast just outside Padstow - and stay in a house owned by a family friend. I think the idea of offering my children the same kind of summer holidays, and the nostalgic familiarity that radiated childhood joy, was always a dream of mine. But The Roseland, and Tregony in particular, were totally new areas for me.

Was it easy/hard finding the right property? What were your requirements?

Budget played a big part and despite starting to look about a year before COVID bumped up all the prices, there wasn’t a lot we could afford. Our search was pretty broad: Cornwall (anywhere), minimum two bedrooms, maximum price £200k. We were actually pretty close to exchanging on a place in a resort, but there was so much red tape and seriously high management fees that we pulled out last minute. I’m so glad I listened to my gut on that one! House-hunting during the lockdown was another ballgame entirely though. I lost count of the number of times I left London at 6am for a viewing in Cornwall at midday, then drove straight back again because you weren’t allowed to stay over. Very grateful for podcasts and Audible on those ones!

What condition was the property in when you got the keys?

It was clean but quite unloved, with mismatched carpets and shiny wallpaper that told the stories of the renters it once homed. The sellers actually lived next door and were really supportive of our plans to renovate, as they knew it needed the work and didn’t have the energy to do it themselves.

Were you afraid taking on this project? (If yes, why? If not, why not)

Not at all. I was really excited to get stuck in and after a couple of months working through your Home Design Course, I felt totally prepared to execute my vision. It’s a fairly small place and the third home I’ve owned so I had an idea of how to work with tradesmen and budget for things too. I don’t think I really anticipated the reality of living 275 miles away though and finding the right people to help was sometimes tricky. In the end we found a brilliant young guy who did almost everything. He did need to disappear early if the surf was good though!

What were your initial plans to transform it?

I always knew it was going to be a full renovation job. It needed a new kitchen straight away and the living room and bedrooms were very tired. If this was going to be a luxury holiday rental, we needed it to look the part and that meant overhauling every room. I still have plans for the outside though.

Were you working to a tight deadline and budget?

We completed on the sale in June 2021 so knew it wouldn’t be ready for the summer season. That took some of the pressure off and meant we could enjoy it ourselves for the whole of the school holidays last summer. I think the plan was to initially have it ready for the start of 2022 but managing it remotely meant things dragged out much longer than we’d hoped. It was only when we said to the builder that we were coming down that he really stepped up his game and made sure it was ready for the Easter holidays. Budget wise, we were okay. I knew we couldn’t spend every last penny on the purchase itself so set aside a decent amount for renovating and furnishing. I knew I wanted this place to feel high end (in order to get a higher rate per night) so I saw every purchase as an investment rather than a drain on our finances.

Did you originally have a clear vision for how the design would look?

Pinterest helped me home in on the style I wanted to reproduce but a lot of the references I had were from Australia or LA with amazing natural light and huge room sizes. I found it quite tricky in the beginning to picture how that would translate into a small, character cottage.

What were your reasons for joining the Home Design Lab online course and did it help you?

Browsing interiors, creating moodboards and planning out dream schemes is my idea of fun but knowing how to choose the direction to go and create a coherent expression throughout the whole house was the reason I took your course. It really helped me to get clarity on the way I wanted the space to feel, who it was for and how it would be used. Once I had that in my mind, I could look at a beautiful rug, for example, but know it wasn’t going to fit the brief. It also showed me where I needed to add pattern (something I was previously allergic to) and how that could add depth to the overall look.

How long did the renovation work take? And what was the biggest challenge you had to overcome?

About nine months from start to finish, which I think could have been done quicker if we were local. That was probably the biggest challenge, especially when it came to decorating, which I knew I could do myself. I had to do a few solo trips towards the end to roll up my sleeves and add the finishing touches, which was fun for me, but not for my husband who was manning the fort back home with the kids!

Did you keep within budget? Or make clever compromises to bring any costs down?

We added to the budget a few times along the way, initially not planning to do it all in one go. As the time went on though, we realised it would be better to get it 100% guest-ready rather than have to close down for more works in the future. Finding one lone-ranger to do the majority of the work probably saved us a fair whack and I also did the painting and decorating myself to cut costs. The kitchen was our biggest expense, but settling with IKEA cabinets and doors rather than the bespoke ones I really wanted saved us £5k, which was better spent elsewhere.

In total, we spent around:

£7k on the kitchen (including all cabinetry, appliances, wiring, accessories and the fitting itself)
£4k on the bathroom
£5.5k on rewiring
£3k on a more efficient heating and hot water system
£4k on flooring throughout (chevron engineered oak downstairs and carpets upstairs)
And about £3.5k on carpentry throughout, like the wood panelling, fitting new doors, skirting boards, stair caps etc. I think the most extravagant purchase was the Oliver Furniture bunk bed, at £2.7k (don’t tell my husband!)

Did you renovate remotely from London? Any tips for people managing their renovations from afar?

In part, yes, but things moved a lot more quickly when I was down there and able to speak to the tradesmen face to face. I scheduled regular visits, in which I’d cram as much into as I could, then leave them to the main bulk of the work when I/we were gone. I definitely racked up a lot of miles on the car last year!

What is your favourite part of owning a holiday home in Cornwall?

The idea that we can visit whenever we like. It’s an escape from the everyday hustle of London life and a place of peace and nature that I’m so desperate for my boys to know as they grow up in a city.

What is your favourite design feature in the property?

It’s hard to say between the wood flooring downstairs or the panelling throughout. Our carpenter really challenged the panelling as it was expensive (and rising each week) and he just thought it would look dated as he’d taken down loads like it recently! I think he ate his words once it was finished though. I’m also really glad we kept some of the woodchip wallpaper! I think if money were no object, we’d have plastered over it at the beginning but now it’s been painted in a really fresh white shade, I think the texture adds to the beachy feel of the space. A bit like the terrazzo tiles in the bathroom. I think it’ll make a comeback pretty soon.

Now that you've done it! Would you do it all again?!

In a heartbeat. It’s making me reconsider my whole career (again) and when I can move onto the next project!

What will you do the same/differently in the next renovation (of your house)?

Planning out the whole space and considering how that works with the rest of the home is something I’ll be super mindful about with any future interiors. I think the exercise you get us to do where we picture what will happen in that room, who it’s for and the way we want it to feel is such an important first step. I think the harder part now is working alongside my husband to create the space together as we often have conflicting views on design elements (The Old Coach House was really just my project). I also think the character of the house and its location play a massive part so while calm, natural vibes in a coastal cottage work really well, our family home will need a different approach that favours more practical elements for everyday living. I also think we can be a bit more playful in a house that’s just for us.

Just because I know people will ask, where is your kitchen from?

Pretty much everything is from IKEA!

A huge thank you to Anna for hosting Neil and I at her cottage that weekend, and for sharing her story. It was a slice of luxury staying there but also it felt so good to be able to financially support her new business as she supported ours when she joined our Home Design Lab course. If you’re fancying a break away with a loved one, family or friends, be sure to take a look at Anna’s holiday home and get some home decor inspo during your stay! And if you’re keen to get support for the design of your home and achieve a cohesive, considered design like Anna’s then come and take a look at Home Design Lab to learn a new way of designing rooms (one I hope you will love 💛)

Thank you so much again Anna, and thank you to YOU for reading! 😘

Speak soon,

Fi xxx

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How Anna transformed her 2 bedroom Cornwall holiday home [Behind the scenes – Before + After]