Ocean STYLING

Interior designer Claire Alderson brings a relaxed beach vibe to luxury homes across North Cornwall

Working originally as an editor and stylist in London, Claire moved into interiors journalism and styling 15 years ago: “As a designer, I work closely with architects and developers as well as my clients to understand and realise what we all want from a project. I love to create a simple low-key backdrop but then add in textures with fabrics and finishes and pops of colour where needed. I use patterns and colour sparingly to create a subtle change in mood from room to room.” Meeting clients in situ in order to discuss what they want to achieve from the various spaces, Claire recognises the importance of a house being both practical as well as beautiful.

“Sometimes I work on the property from day one and choose the flooring, wall finishes, kitchen, bathrooms and colour schemes. Other projects involve going into the property once the house has been built or is nearing the end of the build and creating a home with the right style of furniture to enhance the spaces. Often this means working out the best rooms to be featured and dressed,” adds Claire. “I often work for developers and architects to design a property’s interiors ready for sale and also work with John Bray Estates to work out the sort of client that might buy these properties and what they would expect from a beautifully designed beach house, usually with amazing sea views. I am always trying to work out how to maximise the views with the interior décor!”

For example, Kai Tak in Polzeath, an award-winning home designed by Michael Tarring of Cassell Tarring, was dressed by Claire ready to be sold. Enhancing the contemporary design while also ensuring that potential clients would see it as being homely, was achieved with textures from velvet sofas and huge sheepskin bean bags.

In contrast, Seaspray in Polzeath is a Cali-inspired house on three floors overlooking the beach. Working with Hannafin Contractors, Claire was involved in all the choices throughout the build, from the pale beach Ted Todd engineered oak flooring to the subtle but interesting tiles in the bathrooms from North Coast Tiles. “To create a stunning first impression in the entrance hall we wallpapered the huge main wall with a striking sea-like design. The living space also needed to be split into two, so we created separate spaces with furniture rather than walls. A huge contemporary L-shaped sofa from Iroka created the sitting space with leather lounge chairs from Graham & Green used to make a cosy seating area around the showstopping fire in the middle of the room. The Uneeka pale wood dining table and chairs worked in harmony with the pale wood flooring.”

The Parade, Polzeath is a collection of four beachside apartments for holiday rental. The remit here was to give each a different feel but with some common threads that would run throughout the development. Claire chose pale shades with areas of bright colours thrown in when it came to choosing sofas, throws and cushions. Laying a high-quality LVT floor from Carpet Traders meant that guests and owners didn’t have to worry about wet and sandy feet ruining the floors. “Three of the apartments had amazing roof terraces with incredible views and furnishing these was great fun,” says Claire, “finding contemporary Mediterranean-style outdoor furniture that would not get blown away was important and we also worked with gardeners to fill the spaces with greenery to soften the overall feel and to create privacy.”

The Cove, New Polzeath is the ultimate beach house. “Again, I was looking for that relaxed beach feel,” explains Claire. “Many clients have period style houses as their first homes, often with busier interiors. So, when it comes to creating a second home on the coast it is very important to me to give it a laid back, paired back feel. Potential owners need to walk in and instantly imagine themselves kicking off their shoes, dropping into a lounge chair or cosy sofa and soaking in the views. Adding in some greenery and also artwork on the walls ensures a new build looks like a home. I place such importance on artwork when it comes to finishing off an interior that

I have opened up Pebble Gallery which has a carefully chosen mix of original paintings and limited edition prints with a range of price points. In the main rooms, original paintings are worth the investment, while in a bedroom or games room, less expensive, but no less fabulous, prints are exactly what is needed.”

Claire has recently started work on Ocean View, Millook. “This amazing house overlooks one of my most favourite beaches in Cornwall. I am working with the developer and architects to ensure that it has all the necessary finishes to appeal to potential buyers. It is about finding that balance of contemporary and cool, mixed with comfort and ease of function. When finished, I will be dressing this house for sale so that potential buyers can get a real feel for how amazing it will be to live in the spaces. Often buyers will purchase the furniture already in place as it works with the house, has been thought through and means they can instantly move in and enjoy.” www.pebbledesigninteriors.com www.pebblegallery.co.uk

By Name, By Nature

Ocean View, Millook

5 Bedrooms | 5 Bathrooms

Currently under construction, Ocean View promises to be a striking, detached 5-bedroom property. Set in approx. 2 acres with sublime 180º views of the dramatic north Cornwall coastline, this spacious and contemporary home totals 5,304 sq. ft (492.8 sq.m). Expect multiple terraces from which to appreciate the drama and beauty of the surrounding scenery, alongside an indoor swimming pool, gym, a home cinema, sauna and steam room.

COMING SOON johnbrayestates.co.uk