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DRIFT Journal
DIRFT JOURNAL A JOURNAL FOR THE DISCERNING
The art of curation
A welcoming gallery, whose commitment to presenting high-quality art is evident now, more than ever.
A culinary journey
Words by Jamie Crocker An invitation to foray into the flavours of Topsham’s rich seafood history. I’ve tried. I really have. It’s been a lifetime spent trying to cure myself of an aversion that has left me feeling that I’m missing out on something special. In Royan, a Dali-esque platter of shellfish winked at me from the open window of a beachside restaurant like an edible sculpture. I admired it enormously, right up to the point where someone suggested we enter the establ
Jamie Crocker
5 min read
Visual Instinct
Words by Hannah Tapping Awaiting the instant where time and subject come together in the perfect frame. Photographer Lizzie Churchill’s images capture a fleeting tableau that is often unplanned. “Sometimes there are moments where the light and the composition of the frame simply just work,” she says, describing a kind of visual instinct that reads a scene the way others might read weather, sensing what is about to happen before it does. It is a sensitivity she traces back to
Hannah Tapping
Jul 20
Hidden charm
A family home set in lush grounds, overlooking the Camel Estuary. Enjoying the most sublime views out across its extensive grounds to the estuary beyond, Fron offers a unique sense of privacy. Set in just over two acres of lush gardens, with expansive lawns and mature woodland, this four-bedroom family home neighbours the St Enodoc Golf Course and is just a short stroll from Rock Sailing Club, Rock beach and the South West Coast Path. An open-plan living room captures those i
DRIFT Property
1 min read
Woodland presence
An historic farmhouse embracing family life, enveloped by woodland and the Cornish countryside. East Penhill carries the nurtured self-possession of a home shaped by a succession of caring generations. It’s a Grade II-listed farmhouse that relies upon its historic character while remaining at ease with updates for contemporary family life. Exposed beams, stone fireplaces and generous reception rooms retain their original disposition, while a welcoming kitchen forms the natura
DRIFT Property
1 min read
Beautifully appointed
Five-bedroom coastal home with sea views and exceptional living space. Samphire makes an immediate impression. Elevated above Trevone Bay and only moments from the beach, this contemporary five-bedroom home brings together generous proportions, thoughtful design and a setting that draws the eye towards sea and sky. The house has been arranged with modern family life firmly in mind. The open-plan kitchen, dining and sitting room forms its centrepiece, where deep navy cabinetr
DRIFT Property
1 min read
Spotlight: Featured Products
Available from Ashburton Craftmongers
Places of transition
Words by Jamie Crocker A septet of Cornish retreats proving that a holiday by the sea can still feel like discovery. Cornwall has always had a complicated relationship with its own beauty. The county doesn’t flinch at exalting in its cliffs and coves whilst postcards have flattened its beaches and azure Mediterranean-like waters into cliché, yet anyone who has stood at the top of a coastal path at Sennen or Mawgan Porth at first light or as the sun descends into the ocean kno
Jamie Crocker
4 min read
A wider perspective
Words by Hannah Tapping A grand homestay just a few miles from Padstow, yet a world away. I’ve driven the Atlantic Highway more times than I care to remember. From the much-anticipated yearly foray to The Royal Cornwall Show and day trips to Padstow and Rock, to latter years simply for Finisterre outlet bargains, Jo and Co treasures and coffee and cake at Strong Adolfos... Because why wouldn’t you? While the north coast’s waterfront hot spots get all the press, it turns out t
Hannah Tapping
6 min read
A spirit of forethought
Words by Hannah Tapping A day’s sailing aboard a 1958 classic sloop, with a racing pedigree as distinguished as any thoroughbred, calls for a degree of pageantry oft forgotten in modern times. The stillness that settles over a harbour town in the early morning is as if it’s holding its breath before the day begins in earnest. Falmouth at this hour is all cool salt air and soft light, King Charles Quay quiet save for the cry of gulls and the gentle ‘tink’ of halyards in the br
Hannah Tapping
7 min read
INTO YOUR INBOX
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Epicure Recipes
Abode
Designed for life
Words by Hannah Tapping With a new home of its own in Ashburton and a decade of exceptional work, architectural practice VESP designs high-quality architecture that roots itself in the sensitive landscapes of coast and moorland. Labrador Bay There is a house above the Shaldon coastline in South Devon where the building seems to have grown out of the hillside itself. Seen from the sea, it emerges as a bold two-storey statement of glass and dark timber; from the lane behind, it
A reimagination of space
Words by Hannah Tapping Celebrating Frances Healy’s rich and varied contribution to interiors and exploring why the decoration of interior space is as significant as its structure. Frances Healy has always been artistic, something which she believes informs her design in a way that allows her to have an unashamed and strong sense of colour alongside an understanding of the necessity for good proportion. Having honed her interior design skills at Charles Hammond on Sloane Stre
The heart of the matter
Words by Hannah Tapping Designing from the inside out and building from the ground up. There is a question that Kyle and the team behind Keynvor Kitchens ask every new client before anything else is committed to paper. Not what they want, but what they don’t like about their current kitchen. It sounds disarmingly simple, but it is precisely this inversion – beginning with frustration rather than aspiration that defines the Keynvor offer. Before a line is drawn or a finish sel
Shaped by the landscape
Words by Hannah Tapping A design philosophy and aesthetic identity in response to Cornwall. Above: Uneeka interiors take inspiration from Cornish shores Few places shape a creative perspective quite like Cornwall. For Uneeka, the family-run brand known for its handcrafted furniture, distinctive homewares and tailored design services, the county’s rugged coastline, shifting light and untamed landscape have long been a source of inspiration. “It really does shape how we see thi
So niche, so stylish
Words by Jamie Crocker In a world led by conventional uniformity, it’s refreshing to come across a company that is bucking that trend. When it comes to window dressing, there is a certain conservatism that often stifles originality. For generations in the UK, curtains have remained the default choice, more through habit than necessity. Yet there are alternatives that offer a more practical and versatile solution, providing privacy after dark while allowing far greater control
New chapters
Words by Hannah Tapping Creators of layered and timeless designs, for Thirty Stories no two briefs lead to the same page. The first time I met Frankie Pritchard and Indie Robinson of Thirty Stories, I was struck by a passion and enthusiasm for design that was as refreshing as it was infectious. Meeting them again to talk about some new projects, they are no less fervent. Thirty Stories’ approach is rooted in personality and character: “We love sourcing antiques and unique pie
Integrated from the beginning
Words by Jamie Crocker Home technology that’s planned early mitigates against unnecessary disruption later. At some stage in the making of a house, there comes a moment when someone, standing in a freshly finished room, begins to wonder where the wiring is supposed to live. It is an awkward pause, usually followed by the slow realisation that the question has arrived too late. What follows is disruption: surfaces reopened, plans revisited, and a sense that something avoidable
A natural immersion
Words by Hannah Tapping Combing the benefits of cold water with a sustainable build, a natural swimming pool is a choice that is good for both the environment and your garden aesthetic. Having heard of the myriad benefits a natural swimming pool brings, not least of which is a light touch on nature and excellent quality of water, I was intrigued to learn more. In conversation with Declan Hassall, owner of Cornwall Ponds, I was educated in the art of achieving a pool requiring
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