The Old Dairy

Although the clue is in the name, few would guess that this sleek new, contemporary holiday cottage was once a lowly cow shed and creamery.

Owners Kate and Kevin Thomas moved to the 9-acre small holding in 2010 with their three young boys hoping to swap the rat race for the Cornish good life, complete with free range chickens and bristly Berkshire pigs. The transformation of The Old Dairy was completed in 2012 and, as parents themselves, the couple have kitted out the cottage with toys and equipment to make it particularly family and baby friendly.

While being careful to preserve the character of the place, the Thomas’ have gone for a modern architectural conversion, where light floods in through floor to ceiling windows and underfloor heating makes the oak and slate floors warm and toasty for little toes. The living/dining/kitchen is open plan and on the first floor, opening onto an enclosed south facing balcony with bistro table and chairs. The cottage has also been kitted out to the highest spec, including granite worktops and Bosch appliances in the well equipped kitchen, leather sofas, contemporary wood burner and the latest home entertainment including flat screen HD TV’s, iPod docks and Wi Fi. The master bedroom is ensuite and there is a separate bathroom too, both with fluffy Egyptian cotton towels and Bayliss & Harding toiletries.

The long list of baby essentials provided makes light work of the packing, as does the fact that a selection of toys, books, games and family DVD’s are available. The cottage also has a meadow for children to burn off energy with all the outdoor games, footballs, Little Tikes slide and car, or play in the sand pit or summer house. Children can help the owners feed the animals and collect fresh eggs for breakfast and buckets, spades, crab lines and nets are provided for busy days on the beach. Besides the eggs, parents can buy sausages from the owners and a Cornish Cream Tea is a tasty treat in the welcome pack.

Accommodation Overview:

The Old Dairy sleeps up to 4, plus a baby in cot. The master bedroom has ensuite shower room, a kingsize bed, HD TV, iPod dock and space for a cot. The other bedroom boasts a zip’n’link bed that can be set up as a king-sized double or twin 2ft 6 beds. The bathroom is luxurious with sink, WC, shower and large double-ended bath.

Upstairs, the open plan living space houses a kitchen area complete with granite worktops, Bosh appliances and washer dryer. The dining area seats four plus a highchair (provided) and the lounge boasts a HD TV with DVD player, a small hi-fi with iPod dock, and two leather sofas for snuggling up on in front of the romantic log burner.

Outside, there is plenty of space to park, a safely enclosed balcony off the lounge and a meadow for playing and running about in.