Providence Cottage, Trellech

Why we love it

Providence Cottage began life as a traditional cottage, and it still has the bones and character of an older home. Its owners have reworked it with a rare eye for detail and a sense of fun, and the result is a house that feels calm and polished, yet full of surprises.

Two of the bedrooms sit behind hidden doors. A tree grows up through the landing. Music can follow you from room to room and out into the garden. Every surface, fitting and light has clearly been chosen with care, but nothing feels precious: this is a home made for living, cooking, entertaining and simply enjoying the view.

And what a view it is. The owners talk about sitting out on the bedroom decking with a morning coffee, picking figs and grapes from the vines, and watching the sunset slide across the fields as the seasons turn. It's easy to see why they say it feels more like a holiday than home.

Inside

The heart of the house is an open-plan kitchen designed by Project One, built around an island of an unusual quartz-based stone and fitted with Gaggenau appliances, a boiling-water tap and cleverly hidden storage. Wide bi-fold doors open the room to the garden and the countryside beyond.

Throughout the house, bespoke joinery and hand-finished plasterwork give a sense of quiet craftsmanship. Storage is built into the bedrooms behind concealed doors, keeping the lines clean and uncluttered. The principal bedroom is positioned to make the most of the outlook and opens straight onto its own private deck.

The bathrooms are finished with fittings from Roca Armani, Crosswater and Mandarin Stone, and lighting by Bocci and Flos sets the mood throughout. A built-in sound system runs through the house, and even the details you can't see, such as ducting ready for future technology and gently proportioned stairs, have been thought through.

Outside

The gardens extend to around an acre and are designed as a series of linked spaces, each with its own purpose. Near the house, ornamental planting flows out from the living spaces, and a handmade granite outdoor kitchen is ready for summer entertaining. Decking, a hot tub and a fire pit make the most of evenings outside. Further away, a productive kitchen garden has its own corner of the plot, while a pond, a small waterfall and a gently running stream draw in wildlife and provide a soothing soundtrack, all with views out across the Wye Valley.

The setting

Trellech is one of Monmouthshire's most historic villages. In the Middle Ages it was among the largest towns in Wales, and today it is a peaceful village on the high ground above the Wye, surrounded by woodland, walking routes and cycling trails. Tintern Abbey and the riverside are a short drive away, Monmouth is around twelve minutes by car and Chepstow around twenty, and Bristol, Newport and Cardiff are all within commuting distance.