You won’t find any greater lovers of traditional country house architecture than us at Country Life. Sometimes, though, a house comes along with a far more modern style which fills us with joy about the possibilities opened up by modern techniques.
It’s one such house that we look at here: Dove Rock, in a Cornish village called Plaidy, near East Looe. This 3,905sq ft house, which has just come to the market with Jackson-Stops at an asking price of £2.5 million, has as fine a coastal location as you could imagine – and architecture which makes the most of it in every conceivable way.
The entire house is arranged in order that almost every single room enjoys the sweeping views across the English Channel from floor-to-ceiling windows that span the entire length of the property.
The centrepiece of the house is the open plan kitchen dining room, with a huge kitchen island and dining table dominating the space. Off to one side is a living room that’s part sitting room, part games room and part bar; to the other side is a library, complete with log burner for giving some warmth and cosiness in the colder, wetter months.
The whole place is currently decorated in a style with period touches which give it the feel of an old James Bond movie. You’d half expect to find Roger Moore sitting in the library, with a vodka martini in one hand and a Walther PPK in the other.
That’s as old school as things get, however; the list of features include modern touches such as under floor heating and wireless Sonos sound system throughout.
The five bedrooms are split between first floor and lower ground floor, all of them en-suite (the bathrooms get views as well), and two of them on the lower floor sharing access to a separate sun room.
The house has just over an acre and a half of landscaped gardens, though as you’ll see from the pictures on this page this isn’t a house for somebody who loves keeping a nice, big lawn.
Instead, the outside playing area is on the beach, accessed directly via a set of steps, and a large chunk of which is actually owned by Dove Rock; all in all the sale includes a total of 21 acres of magnificent Cornish coast.
It would be a great holiday let, of course, but would also make a wonderful family home – there's a primary school within walking distance, for starters. It'd be lovely to think of a some lucky children enjoying the privilege of growing up in such a beautiful spot.
An impossibly romantic, wisteria-clad home in Cornwall which could be straight from a BBC drama
Dripping with wisteria and charm in equal measure, The Old Rectory in a picturesque Cornish hamlet is the sort of
Credit: Knight frank
22 idyllic homes from the Cotswolds to Cornwall, as seen in Country Life
Our round-up of some of the finest homes to appear in Country Life over the past week or so includes
What's the best colour front door for selling a house?
If you're re-painting your front door, you'll end up going round in circles — especially if you're thinking of selling soon.
-
Vertigo at Victoria Falls, a sunset surrounded by lions and swimming in the Nile: A journey from Cape Town to CairoWhy do we travel and who inspires us to do so? Chris Wallace went in search of answers on his own epic journey the length of Africa.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River TayCarnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River Tay
Carnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
-
A rare opportunity to own a family home on Vanbrugh Terrace, one of London's finest streetsThis six-bedroom Victorian home sits right on the start line of the London Marathon, with easy access to Blackheath and Greenwich Park.
-
A tale of everyday life as lived on Britain's most expensive streetWinnington Road in Hampstead has an average house price of £11.9 million. But what's it really like? Lotte Brundle went to find out.
-
Damon Hill's former home in Marbella is the perfect place to slow downThe glorious Andalusian-style villa is found within the Lomas de Marbella Club and just a short walk from the beach.
-
A 327-acre estate in the heart of 'England’s Côte d’Or', with a 26,000sq ft Georgian style home at its heartStokes Hall in the Crouch Valley is an inspiring property looking for a new owner.
