Tre Barn

It’s Cornwall, but not quite as you know it – and that’s the point. Hidden down a track in old mining country, between the wild north coast and the creeks and coves of the south, this centuries-old stone barn has been turned into a gorgeous hideaway for 2. Owners Hannah and Alex come with serious creative credentials: she’s a contemporary art curator and he’s a furniture designer, and their combined eye shines throughout. Downstairs is warm and cocooning, with terracotta floors, clay-plastered walls, a reconditioned 1970s Jøtul woodburner and a handmade kitchen. Upstairs, everything gets lighter – painted boards, a huge superking bed, a reading nook and windows pulling in the glorious Cornish light. On a clear day, you can even glimpse the sea at Falmouth.

Even the details are characterful. The kitchen worktop is reclaimed local granite, its irregular edge still bearing marks from drill testing in nearby quarries. Furniture mixes vintage finds with pieces designed by Alex himself; textiles have been gathered on their global travels. Outside, there’s a private garden for sunny breakfasts and charcoal-grilled suppers, alongside swallows nesting up high and owls calling after dark. Your only dilemma? Which coast to visit each day: surf breaks and tidal pools around Porthtowan and St Agnes vs Falmouth, the Fal and its coves.

Getting here: drive, or train to Redruth then taxi (10 mins)