If your dream Cornish holiday cottage checklist demands stylish interiors that are a skillful combination of both form and function, we have a hand-picked selection of properties that will inspire your next escape.

From rural retreats nestled in the ancient Helford forest and purpose-built lofts with accessibility at the forefront of the design, to clifftop abodes with endless sea vistas, each holiday home offers a design-led experience that complements and enhances its unique location. 

Part of the joy of a holiday is relaxing in new surroundings, and a beautifully decorated holiday cottage only enhances the experience and helps you unwind.

Here are some of south Cornwall’s top holiday lets with inspirational interiors. Which one would you stay in?

Lorelei 

Sat on the banks of the handsome Helford River, Lorelei is the epitome of a Cornish escape.

To come here for a week and do nothing but swim in the Helford River, cook farm-produce feasts in the kitchen, and wander around the grounds is a perfect antidote to daily life. 

Designed by Stephen Tyrell and inspired by the building that the owner’s parents previously had. Much of the furniture and paintings have been utilised from the original house, as has the concept of having bedrooms on the ground floor below the main room. Owner, Harry, has chosen to keep the property as a unique holiday home, celebrating its history and setting and avoiding making it an anodyne place to stay. 

Splashes of red, golden-framed fine art, exposed wood, and long large sash windows with vistas over the magical Helford River help give Lorelei a beautiful simplicity and elemental grandeur, together with a hint of fairytale magic.

Dinyan

With an extraordinary position on the edge of the creek, this four-bedroom detached house sits in approximately six acres of gardens and grounds with beautiful views of the water. 

The distinctive cedar-clad, stone house was designed by renowned local architect Roger multiple balconies and connected patio areas capture the enchanting landscape. 

The accommodation is divided over three levels, with the entrance on the first floor to a wonderfully proportioned L-shaped living room containing the reception, kitchen, and dining space. Long stretches of timber-framed windows ensure engaging views.

The modern, open-plan living area centres around the towering chimney stack, fitted with a wood-burning stove, that sends heat through the core of the house. On the creekside, the chalet-style roof overhangs a section of the top-floor balcony to provide some shelter from the weather, creating a versatile outdoor space. 

Reclaimed lighting offers a nod to the important nautical past of the now-quiet Port Navas – the statement brass lights that illuminate the living area sailed the seas aboard a ship before finding their home at Dinyan.

An architectural marvel unique in this part of Cornwall, Dinyan was designed to sit perfectly within its surroundings. 

Wills Cottage

An unexpectedly offbeat hideaway with a neat balance of artistic flair and rural cosiness, Wills Cottage is a traditional farmhouse, furnished in a contemporary and creative style.

Everything is highly styled but the intent is very much for guests to settle in, get the log burner going, cook up a storm in the kitchen and sit idly in the garden. 

With grand slate flooring in the large kitchen-dining room, a breakfast bar and heart-of-the-home AGA, multiple unique living spaces with Scandinavian-inspired furnishings and coastal artwork, exposed wooden flooring and big-brick walls, and touches of velvet, leather, and cotton, Wills Cottage is as much a sensory experience as it is a house.

This is a masterclass in maximising space and a space-resetting spot to flock to in a special corner of the country.

Calamansac Sail Loft

A unique collaboration between owners, The Green Family, the renowned London, Cowan Architects, Tom Earl Builders, Fran Keene Consultancy, and Emily of Cornish Holiday Cottages.

Aesthetically pleasing and universally accessible, The Sail Loft offers level access from the car park into the stunning first-floor living accommodation. Inside is an open-plan masterpiece of air and light. The fully glazed, floor-to-ceiling, gable end windows overlooking the Helford River will take your breath away every time you enter the room.

The Scandinavian influence is reflected in the interior details; the mid-century style furnishings perfectly complement the space and are somewhat moveable to adapt to your needs. 

Walk, swim, forage, stare into the fire – Calamansac is private, tucked away, next-level relaxing. 

Dreemskerry

Resting on a clifftop at the edge of the Helford River of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Dreemskerry looks out over a seemingly limitless expanse of water. 

Although it’s the view that sets Dreemskerry apart from just about any other holiday cottages out there, there’s plenty to marvel at indoors too. 

Renovated to an exacting standard by meticulous owners and the careful eye of interior designer, Tanya Leech, this three-bedroom property of some 3000 square feet provides generous living space. From a bespoke kitchen with a breakfast bar, to a master suite on a separate floor, with its own dressing room and vast bathroom. You’ll have the perfect vantage point to spot pods of dolphins from the sea views, which grace all of the principal rooms, including each bedroom. 

With soothing seafoam palettes, wooden floors, comfortable rugs, picture windows, log burner, and ethereal light that shines in from every angle and bounces off the white walls and natural toned flooring, you will not want to go far when on holiday at Dreemskerry. 

The Old Kiln

Creekside, situated in the heart of Port Navas village. Rich in history, story, and connection to business and industry, The Old Kiln is packed full of character, charm, and style.

After lying vacant for five years, the current owners have lovingly restored this postmodern building, creating a truly exceptional, boutique holiday home for up to six guests.

Formerly a working Victorian lime kiln that was accessed by boat via a passage up and down the river, The Old Kiln was reshaped in 1968 by a female architect from a commission by the then owner, Mrs. Shaw, a Cornish Bard who worked as a missionary in Angola at the time. 

Mrs. Shaw lived largely in solitude in the house on the creek until she passed away in her 90s. During this time the sole access was unbelievably via a very steep ladder-like staircase, which the current architects have incorporated elements of into the double bedroom, a homage to her long service and fascinating relationship to the building. 

Michael Hormann, who oversaw the latest round of renovations to the building, sought to retain elements of its fascinating past, honouring its unique and textured history, while bringing it up-to-date to modern holiday home standards. The depth of heritage comes through in all sorts of lovely detail.

With its quirky history and magnificent setting it is not only unique but also – in some mysterious way that is difficult to articulate but easy to appreciate when you are here – enchanting.