Fashionis ta flair and a relaxed life style combine beautifully in this Cornish family home

“The house was newly built but it had a lot of character and looked almost continental from the outside”, – says Lisa, – “I loved living and working in London but suddenly that seemed less important than finding somewhere more relaxed in the country to bring up our baby We’re self-employed and don’t have to be London based to find work. As we both have family in Cornwall, it made sense for us to move down here”.

The couple scoured the Truro area for somewhere with a village feel and found a house on an award-winning new development built on Duchy of Cornwall land on the outskirts of the town.

“The house was newly built but it had a lot of character and looked almost continental from the outside. The houses on the development are all different and they’re built around squares and in terraces to give a feeling of community”, – says Lisa, – “One of the bedrooms was small but ideal for an office, which was useful as we’d decided to set up our online business, Oscar & Patch, and needed a workspace”.

Good design and high quality fittings meant that Lisa and Andrew could move in without making many changes.

“The kitchen was a favourite from the start. Andrew does most of the cooking and likes the combination of gas hob and electric oven. There’s plenty of storage and the dining area just off the kitchen is a good size and perfect for entertaining”, – says Lisa.

“At some point I’d like to replace the vinyl flooring in the kitchen and change the laminate worktop for granite. We also plan to put shutters at the windows”, – comments Lisa, – “In London we were spoiled because the bathroom was like a spa.”

However, upgrading their ensuite took priority. The transformation was completed with a neutral wall colour, LEDLight Emitting Diodes mirrors and luxury vinyl flooring.

Not surprisingly, given her former career, Lisa has a distinctive sense of style that’s helped to personalise the family’s new-build home.

“I like a classic look with a rock’n’roll feel. We brought some of our furniture with us and have added pieces as needed. We’ve gone for a glamorous look in the dining room with a bright pink standard lamp and black and white striped blind. We found the fabric online and had it made up by a local curtain maker”, – Lisa explains.

“Raising the boys within easy reach of city life yet so close to the sea has had benefits for us all”, – she says, – “Oscar and Arlo were both born in Truro and are the only Cornish members of our two families, yet Oscar has been on many business trips to London and is used to the hustle and bustle of the city. The area has changed so much since we first moved here and the abundance of good restaurants and places of interest means that there s something here for everyone. There’s also increased commercial development and innovation in Cornwall, so it feels good to be part of a flourishing community”.