Home, sweet home

Years ago, interior-design duo Gemma Wasley and Zoe Guilford left their native Isle of Man to establish their careers. Now back on the island, they tell Arabella Youens how coming home has transformed their life

- Arabella Youens

BY the end of this year, the first Huf House to be built on the Isle of Man will be complete. Designed in conjunction with architect Peter Huf, this reinterpretation of clean mid- 20th-century structures, which is set in the hills and enjoys expansive views of the mountains and the Irish Sea, is made of concrete and timber, with a sleek flat roof inspired by the houses of Los Angeles. ‘I’ve always loved California,’ says owner and interior designer Gemma Wasley. ‘This is the closest I think I’ll ever get to living there.’

Ten years ago, Miss Wasley and her wife, Zoe Guilford, who had first met at school, independently made their way back to the Isle of Man, having lived and worked all over the world from London to Sydney. They both admit that coming home after nearly two decades away has given them some fresh perspective about life on the island. ‘We’ve rediscovered everything that makes living here so special,’ says Miss Guilford. ‘The great thing about the Isle of Man is that anything you want to do is possible—and working abroad has given us the confidence to put that into practice.’

We know nowhere is perfect, but the lifestyle on the Isle of Man is fantastic