Coastal Reflections
Ashton House Design has reinvigorated a new build in Salcombe into a sumptuous, coastal retreat
1 February 2022
Ashton House Design in Ashburton was commissioned to transform this property’s interior into a colourful, contemporary home with its coastal location in mind. Caroline Palk and her husband Simon Bantock have decades of experience within the interior design industry. Simon says: “With any project, we ask the client lots of questions about what they expect from a living space, so that we come away with ideas to incorporate.”
Simon adds: “The entire house was a white box, but we did have a decent floor. It took over a year to complete. We started with the couple’s ‘shopping list’, then once the project began to gather pace and evolve over the weeks and months, we were actually able to deliver more than the clients were expecting.”
Joinery was a big part of this project, and sourcing handmade and local items is key to all Ashton House Designs. Caroline explains: “The desk in the study was commissioned and designed from scratch, and the TV unit in the kitchen is bespoke, as is the hidden storage. The bar in the cinema was commissioned and built using local craftspeople. We worked closely with the contractors, some of whom worked on the original house, so they had an understanding of its structure.”
“We make it our business to commission and source items locally for our projects. People are increasingly interested in the traceability of products and those who aren’t from the county are buying in to ‘Devon’,” Caroline confirms, adding that the company is constantly expanding its local network of suppliers and tradespeople.
Downstairs, the cocoon-like embrace of the dramatic cinema room features dark, dense colours, heavy textures and cleverly installed ‘no-glare’ lighting. “The walnut pieces in here were custom-made and we paid particular attention to the lights,” continues Simon. “It was very important with all the glass in the bar and the reflective surfaces of the TV screen that we targeted the light correctly. We also made a glass countertop at the bar end of the room so the owners could display all the tickets they had collected over the years from major sporting events, which adds a personal touch to the decor.”
