Beach House Dreams

Isle of Wight Holiday Home & Coastal Garden
Completed 2023

In 2020, we bought a modest ex-council semi on the Isle of Wight—a place with deep family roots and a slower pace of life. Our goal was to create a relaxed, light-filled home we could enjoy year-round with friends and family, and rent out between visits.

We designed the extension around a mature magnolia tree, forming a courtyard garden that brings greenery and sunlight into the heart of the house. The new triple-aspect sunroom opens out to a series of garden spaces, while the folded plywood ceiling—echoing nearby beach huts—connects inside and out in one sweeping gesture.

Inside, we opened up the living room to create a circular flow through the house (perfect for kids tearing around in circles), with the option to close it off as a private guest room or TV room when needed. The house holds its place quietly in the street, but beyond the front door it unfolds like a Tardis—into a surprisingly bright, spacious interior that connects fluidly with the garden.

The garden was a huge draw from the start—lush, wild, and constantly growing faster than we could keep up. On every visit, we’d find it had transformed again. As part and parcel of the extension project, we shaped it into a coastal garden that balances wildness with calm, and offers plenty of space for impromptu family gatherings, and quiet breaks from the beach.