Taking in the view

Ben and Ruth Prior replaced a coastal bungalow with a stunning three-storey home to maximise family living space and views of the sea

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As surprises go, a new home by the sea isn't a bad one. In 2017 Ben and Ruth Prior, and their children, had been visiting the north Cornish coast for over a decade, renting homes each time. I just thought, "Why don't I buy one?" says Ben, when he saw an older bungalow in their favourite village, one row back from the beach. 'I got the ball rolling without telling Ruth,' says Ben. 'She was somewhat shocked when I told her, but she loved it.'

MAKING DECISIONS

Being a bungalow, the property was obviously quite small, with just two bedrooms and a garage, and from the off, Ben realised it wouldn't be big enough to accommodate the family long term. However, he resisted starting the process of knocking it down and replacing it, not least because it would mean they wouldn't be able to use the property for a year or more. As a result, the Prior family enjoyed spending time in the bungalow after refurbishing and redecorating it, but in time, future considerations became more pressing.

After buying the bungalow in 2017, the couple had gained planning permission to replace it, and when Ben read about architect Michael Tarring's work in the national press, he contacted him. 'We met and we got on well,' says Ben. The existing plans had been passed but were due to expire in 2020. As time went by and the family's needs changed, the obvious choice was to ask Michael for a redesign of the replacement property, focusing on space and maximising the sea views.

"Height was important so that we would be able to see the sea,' says Ben, so I didn't want a pitched roof; it was really all about the space.' As a result, Michael designed a spectacular contemporary three-storey home with five bedrooms, and lots of glazing to create panoramic sea views from the top two floors.