Living Large In Small Spaces - The Stack

The Stack, a 19th century historically preserved engine house in mid-Cornwall is this week's featured small space.

Welcome to the eighty-seventh post in the series
"Living Large in Small Spaces".

Located in over half an acre of natural beauty, the stacked stone structure -- named "The Castle" by the locals in the twentieth century -- once housed a beam engine necessary to the mining industry.



Now it serves as a 1,200 sq ft rough luxe retreat, spread over five floors.

The stunning dine-in kitchen comprises the whole of the ground floor.

A pet-approved wood burner keeps the kitchen warm and cozy in winter. Imagine relaxing in that lovely window seat with a good book and a cuppa.

The deck, accessed from the kitchen,  boasts a hot tub, cushy seating and al fresco dining.

Not to mention breathtaking views of Fal Valley.

A wood-fired pizza oven is a nice culinary touch.

Back in the kitchen, a staircase leads to three more levels.

On the first level the grand bathroom steals the show. The floor-length mirror was sourced from a 1920's London parlour. The clawfoot tub was reclaimed.

Beautiful crown molding and a big arched window make my pulse race.

Across the hall a double bedroom gives off a Moroccan vibe with its shutter headboard and distressed walls. 

Interior walls were stripped to reveal layers of history.

Each bedroom has its own personality. The second level bedroom speaks to the home's industrial past.

The velvet covered chaise is a lovely surprise against all the rustic wood.

Exposed beams, deep well window with shutters -- everything we love in historic Cornish structures.

An old cattle trough is recycled as a sink in the en suite bath.

The eclectic living room is located on the same floor. I love the log burner nestled in the exposed stone.

The third bedroom on the top floor is dedicated to star gazing. Skylights bring in loads of daylight, and a view of the night sky.

The zip and link twin beds can be made up into a king size.

The lower level (basement) houses a cinema room and den.

Another very cozy spot.

Tranquil gardens surround The Stack.

Remains of the old stamp house and a play area add visual interest and invite exploration.

The Stack is a vacation home available for rent from Unique Home Stays, www.uniquehomestays.com +44(0) 1637 881183.
Images © Unique Home Stays www.uniquehomestays.com +44 (0) 1637 881183

All images are owned by Unique Home Stays and were used with their permission.

What do you think of this unique home?

Join me next Saturday for another post in the special series

 Living Large in Small Spaces

See more home tours in the 
Living Large In Small Spaces Series here.

Cottage Life - Time Well Spent

The holidays are over and the Christmas decorations have been packed away. (Well, mostly packed away. I can't get to the box that holds my Nativity scene because there's two feet of snow in front of the shed where the box is stored. So for now the Nativity is still on display in the cottage. C'est la vie.)

I'm always ready to get back to my everyday cottage decor after  Christmas.

Happy to have a more streamlined, simple winter mantel.

The storage boxes I mentioned in last week's studio update arrived and I organized everything under my work table into neat, stacked containers. 

I even have a small space above the stacks for odds and ends, such as a tin or a small box.

Now everything is in order and kept out of sight behind the skirt.

Thanks for all your encouraging comments on my studio reorganization and rearrangement. They spur me to action!

The colors in the new rug I'm twining remind me of a spring garden. I'm using a heavyweight cotton that tends to fray, but I rather like the rustic appearance. It reminds me of farmhouse rugs of the past. The strings you see are loose, and I'll brush those off.

This is the fabric I'm using.

One of the things I enjoy most about twining rugs is choosing a particular fabric and pondering how it will appear in its new form,then seeing it as it comes together and thinking, "Yes! That's exactly how I imagined it."

It seems to be the tradition of many bloggers to share thoughts going into the New Year. A word for the year, goals they've set, and so on. I've chosen a word for the new year in the past and shared it on my blog, and last year at the advent of the New Year I wrote a post entitled Finish Well. You can read it here. I re-read it yesterday and found it means as much to me now as it did when I wrote it. Maybe more. 

So, I won't be sharing a word this year, although I have plenty of them rolling around in my head. Instead, I'll share a quote that I wrote in my journal during my blogging break last summer. A quote that sums up what I learned during that time and what has become most important in my life.

"If you find that you're simply too busy for a daily chat with your heavenly Father, it's an indicator that you probably need to take a long, hard look at your values and how you're spending your time." ~ Hugs Daily Inspirations for Women, August 27

No matter what my plans are for the New Year, having time for a daily chat with my heavenly Father will be at the top of my list.

May 2017 bring blessings from God meant only for you.