Ince Castle

Property daydreaming is a very big part of my life, I can spend hours scrolling through houses online, pining after magnificent homes and thinking of how I would use the space myself. So of course when Rightmove posted a listing for a castle, I just had to take a look, and what a charming castle I found.

An Exterior Shot of Ince Castle

Ince Castle is not your typical castle, for starters its more of a manor house, but retains the grandly name, and in my opinion is quite deserving of its title. Originally built in the 14^th Century in Saltash, Cornwall, Ince Castle was then re-built in 1642 for Henry Killigrew, and just like any good castle, it’s full of drama. The local myth is that Killigrew supposedly had four wives, each kept in their own tower of the castle, completely unaware of one another; true or not a little bit of salacious history just adds to the fun of it all.

The house sits on an almost island surrounded by the river Lynher, a picturesque setting for such a beautiful home. With acres of fields surrounding the property, and several other smaller cottages that come with the purchases on the almost island, it’s pretty much your own personal, private heaven.

A Birdseye View of the Castle and River Lynher

The castle has been whittled through many owners, however after years of being sold to farmers, primarily for the land, the house fell into disrepair. By 1960 it was owned by Patricia Viscountess Boyd, who unfortunately had to rebuild the house in 1988 after a fire broke out, supposedly as a result of Boyd leaving lit cigarettes around the house. For a house that seems to have been poked and prodded, burnt down or rebuilt every 100 years or so, there is still a gracefulness to the property that maintains its original authenticity.

The Library at Ince Castle

The library is a beautiful whimsy of colours and pattern clashes that always seem unattainable when attempting it yourself. From the blue wallpaper, boisterous carpet and even the books all seem talk loudly but fit together nonetheless. I especially love the vibrant blue ottoman and the portrait centrepiece.

The Entryway at Ince Castle

The entryway boasts an enviable amount of space, with a spiral staircase and wooden front doors that sneak a peek to the greenery outside. The drawing room is full to the brim with sofas and chairs in an array of textiles and fabrics; my favourites are the button-back green velvet numbers with the fun seat fringing, as well as the beautiful ornate dining chairs in the forefront of the image with a fun patchwork seat that shouldn’t work with the traditionally carved backs, but just does.

The Drawing Room at Ince Castle

There is a complete decadency to the dining room, from the lavish mantelpiece and the accompany mirror, to the rug full of pastel colours and ageing patterns.

The Dining Room at Ince Castle

The rug in this reception room is a beautiful, beautiful thing; the pattern for a start, and to quickly follow are the colours, peach pinks, midnight blue, green blues, it’s simply stunning.

Squirrel Hall at Ince Castle

The Billiard Room at Ince Castle

In every room there’s a little bit of detailing that is completely charming, like in the billiard room the velvet fringed hanging light over the table is just the perfect sort of slightly dated, but too fun to get rid of feature that I would definitely find myself keeping and using as the centrepiece for the room.

The castle has 13 bedrooms, unfortunately the listing shows just two of them. The first one is absolutely glorious, perfectly delicate and glamorous. The wallpaper is stunning, I especially love that it’s been featured on the ceiling as well.

A Bedroom at Ince Castle

A Jib Door in a Bedrom at Ince Castle via Country Life

Another Bedroom at Ince Castle

The second bedroom is reminiscent of a stately home, with four poster bed draped in fabric, the floor covered in little rugs and a lighthearted floral wallpaper.

View of the Pool at Ince Castle

On the outside, not only do you get a glimpse of the spectacular view, but the pool, which is nothing specially bar the rather interesting spiked pillars donning each corner, which adds a little dramatic flair to the poolside view.

If you have a cool £7 million to spare, Ince Castle is as close to owning your own island as you might get in the UK. Filled with character and history, it’s a dramatic backdrop that just calling out your name.

 

For more information, visit Rightmove, or Knight Frank

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A Clutter-Free Life

Whether it’s a big or small problem, our constant need for more storage space seems to be never-ending! Unless ultra-minimalism is your thing or you’ve completely conquered the hoarder’s curse then it’s quite likely that often you find yourself with piles of things all around your house; be it books, clothes or just general clutter, it always seems to be accumulating.

Sometimes it’s a simple case of needing a few more boxes or baskets to help house your overflowing tendencies or maybe you’re in need of a storage unit or a piece of furniture that can accommodate your needs. Either way we’ve found some marvellous storage solutions that aren’t just about utility but look stunning as well, all just waiting to be your storage saviour!

For a simple design with an industrial style, a piece like this super convenient unit from Graham and Green is a great idea. Its open style makes it decorative as well as functional and would look lovely in a contemporary designed home.

‘Zoe Pigeon Hole Storage’ and ‘Mekon Baskets in Black’ from Graham and Green

The Mekon baskets are also a fantastic storage solution, they come in a set of three in various sizes and are very versatile meaning you can keep all sorts in them and they’ll look great on display as well.

Another small but handy storage idea comes from Lombok, this beautiful bone inlay box is exquisite and would look perfect used as a jewellery box or located on a coffee or occasional table.

‘Siri Small Bone Inlay Box’ from Lombok

Alternatively if you’re looking for something a little more robust these crate-style storage boxes from Loaf are a brilliant idea. Their rustic style can be adapted to multiple design schemes, plus the handy chalkboard front means you aren’t stuck with a mislabelled box when it’s function changes.

‘Pomme Wooden Storage Crates’ from Loaf

For a more permanent, larger solution to your storage troubles investing in a large, sustainable bookcase or storage unit is the way to go. For the ultimate contemporary style head straight over to Ligne Roset. Their designs are breathtakingly gorgeous as well as practical, not only will they solve your clutter problems but they’ll add heaps of style to your home.

‘Book & Look’ from Ligne Roset

‘Cuts’ from Ligne Roset

If you don’t have a lot of floor space at your disposal you needn’t compromise on style, in fact there are some fantastic shelves around that look amazing and won’t break the bank or take up an excessive amount of space. Twentytwentyone are a brilliant shop that sell some amazing contemporary pieces, and this shelving unit is just one of them. It’s the perfect place to store all your extra things and by placing a few ornaments on some of the shelves it will become a lovely feature piece in the room.

‘Royal System’ from Twentytwentyone

Another wonderful design from Twentytwentyone is this stylish valet piece. It will make a great bathroom or bedroom companion without taking up too much space and is deal for keeping everyday things on like towels.

‘Laurel Valet’ from Twentytwentyone

Storage units don’t always have to be a contemporary design, if your taste is more suited to vintage pieces there are absolutely tons of pieces on the market that will make you smile. The Old Cinema is a wonderful place that sells some stunning vintage and antique pieces, this old Zanzibar chest is a real showstopper as well a great place to store blankets, books or anything your heart desires.

‘Early 19^th Century Zanzibar Style Chest’ from The Old Cinema

I couldn’t resist putting in a mid-century piece from Alfie’s Antique Market, this ultra-sleek storage piece is Danish Teak perfection, and would look stunning located in a hallway or living room.

‘Danish Teak Shelving Unit’ from Alfie’s Antique Market

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Vintage style

I took a trip to Whittlesford today to visit the delicious Oxbow and Peach shop and although I had an inkling of what I would find having already discovered this wonderful company at an interiors fair, I had no idea what a lovely treasure trove it would be. They specialise in finding one off vintage pieces and they clearly have a very good eye because all their stock is unusual and charming. They are only open on Fridays and Saturdays so plan your visit carefully in order to avoid disappointment!

     

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