Grand Adventure

Starting a new life in Cornwall is a dream for many people and starting life in a bespoke self built house is high on the bucket (and spade) list for any family

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For lovers of architecture, it will come as no surprise that Sylvania House is the new star attraction to the village of Feock.

Sitting at the head of Mill Creek on the edge of the village, Sylvania sits alongside an array of architectural gems –including the 1960s Grade II Listed Creek Vean by Team 4, and the recently completed and RIBA award-winning house at Gillanglaze by John Pardey Architects, and Millwood House by John Miller and Su Rogers.

So when it came to creating this five-bedroom family home, the architects sought to respect this strong architectural tradition by challenging the preconceptions of what a house should look like and proposing a striking and dramatic cantilevered structure high in the canopy of the trees - and it has quickly become a star - featuring in the latest issue of Grand Designs.

“We bought the plot that Sylvania stands on in Feock about four years ago, after thinking long and hard about whether we should buy a house, or build one,” explains Nita Owers who moved into the house a year ago with her husband John, two children and Betty, the sprocket. “We chose the latter, because of an ambition to build our own house and realize a vision.

“We bought the land in 2016 and the idea of leaving London and moving the family here for a more outdoors, calmer way of life slowly evolved. We have two children; a 17-year-old son and a 12-year-old daughter. Our son enjoys surfing and being on the water and our daughter enjoys horse riding, so they were actually keen to try it out.