Linea: a Holiday Hideaway With Dramatic Sea Views in North Devon
Linea is an exceptional house perched on the very edge of north Devon with soaring views across the Bristol Channel to Wales. Completed in 2018 the house is let out for holidays via Unique Homestays and I’m lucky enough to manage the house on behalf of the owner.
Linea is simply stunning. Perfectly private, and visible only from the sea, the front façade rises above the cliffs, dominating the skyline. Yet very little is revealed about the house from this viewpoint. Turn the corner and the full length of the house exposes itself – literally – in a wall of glass that floods the house with light: even on a gloomy winter’s day the house is suffused with a soft natural light. The upstairs balcony running the full length on this side reaches a sharp point overlooking the sea and it always reminds me of Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio in the final scene of The Titanic as you hear the sea crashing on the rocks below.
Perhaps this was the intention of the architect, Guy Greenfield, who designed the house, wanting naturally to exploit the setting for this unique home.
But for all its drama and the sheer stark lines in this equally dramatic setting atop the cliffs, the house contains a softness inside. This is due in part to that natural light but also to the way the house is furnished with its sumptuous sofas, soft rugs and linen bedding, all in warm, calming hues. Original artworks adorn the walls but the interiors retain a simplicity so as not to distract from the biggest feature – the views.
Linea accommodates up to ten guests in five bedrooms, four of which are en suite, plus a further two bathrooms. The main kitchen and living area are open plan with vast sliding doors opening up to a balcony overlooking the sea. A mezzanine houses a second living area and TV, whilst there’s a cinema room in the basement. Outside, the large terrace draws the eye to that sea view and it feels as if there’s nothing between the infinity pool (heated all year round) and the sea.
It’s a hideaway and has been a bolt-hole for many guests in this year of Covid since opening up again in July. The perfect place to while away hours simply gazing out to sea, to lose yourself.
And surely that’s what holidays are about.
