Seaside attraction

In Juliet and Antony Mayhew’s beach home, indoors and outdoors play equally important roles

- MAGGIE COLVIN

When Juliet Mayhew first came to Cornwall, it was not love at first sight. ‘As an Aussie, I looked at the shingle beaches and thought of the white sands I was used to and there was no comparison,’ she says. ‘But my husband Antony had spent so many happy childhood holidays here, he wanted me to love it too.’ On their second trip, however, the sun shone and Antony had prepared a weekend full of treats, including a private boat trip along the Helford River, crabbing with the children, Ophelia, now 13, and Orlando, 11. ‘That was the turning point,’ says Juliet. ‘I understood the special charm of this place.’