This newsletter is rather a special one. We’re taking a little tour of a project Alice has poured her heart and soul into for the last few years – a charming house that’s been in her family since 1937 when her grandparents moved from Liverpool to this still unspoilt part of North Cornwall, and where Alice and Vanessa share many happy childhood memories. Watching it come to life again has been a wonderful thing indeed. Welcome to Marratons…
Marratons made the front cover of The English Home October issue. Alice in the open‑plan living space, photographed by Rachael Smith.
Proper Job
(as the locals would say)
Once a tiny farmhouse consisting mainly of one room built at the end of the 18th Century, it was added to considerably in the 19th Century but, as is typical of houses of that age, lots of small dark rooms made it impractical for modern‑day family life. Alice’s aim was to open it up, bring in the light, add a proper boot room and more bathrooms, and make every inch of space not only warm and welcoming but usable.
Three rooms knocked into one large open‑plan kitchen / dining / living space.
Opening Up
Getting the flow of the house right was important – it sleeps up to 10 people so Alice was keen to avoid high congestion areas or wasted space. The remit: 5 double bedrooms, 5 bathrooms, generous entertaining space, beautiful and luxurious interiors but practical enough for sandy kids and muddy dogs. Oh, and not too precious to rent out – simple right?!
It goes without saying this project gave Alice the perfect opportunity to play around with lots of Barneby Gates wallpapers and fabrics 😉 Above, the previously dark and dingy hallway has been given a new lease of life with our Diamond Trellis wallpaper above the dado rail, and tongue and groove below – a sensible option for high‑traffic areas. Below, major wow factor for our Starfish wallpaper on the spiral staircase.
Expect the Unexpected
Alice wanted the interiors to hint towards the coastal location without it becoming too much of a Cornish pastiche (haha). There’s the lovely blue kitchen custom‑built by Guild Anderson which sits well alongside the Starfish staircase, and a downstairs loo (see below) in our blue Anchor Tile wallpaper. Bland holiday rental this is not – each bedroom has an individual look full of charm and character, and the mix of pattern and colour is truly uplifting.
The Ikat Room
Rather charmingly, each room has come to be known by the fabric or wallpaper name that provided the starting point for the scheme. The Ikat Room, above, wrapped in our Ikat Heart wallpaper with matching fabric cushions, and a headboard in a lovely stripe from The Cloth Shop. Below, the Stripe Room sees our blue Painter’s Stripe wallpaper paired with our plaster Maharani fabric, created in collaboration with Willow Crossley. On the bed – a selection of cushions from our new range.
The Stripe Room
~ Marratons is available to Rent ~
And Alice is offering the most amazing deal – 30% off all 2024 bookings made before the end of December. BOOK HERE
We hope it’ll also provide you with lots of interior inspiration!
