Designed by RIBA award-winning architects New British Design and built by Alkenby, this home has plenty of pastoral presence and lies close to Padstow and Newquay. Crafted from Cornish stone with stunning pitched windows, Hay House has a beautiful natural flow with generous living spaces and a dramatic Portland stone fireplace. Surrounded by four acres of gardens, there’s a newly planted orchard and wildflower banks to get lost in, too.

Clear, azure waters are just a stone’s throw from this loftily positioned home – a light-filled, contemporary space with sliding timber doors and wraparound windows. A wood-burning stove takes centre stage in the double-aspect living room, while there are four tranquil bedrooms upstairs, each with soothing sea views. The sublime, sandy shores of Maenporth are just half a mile away, with Falmouth’s natural harbour only a little further.

Tucked between the towns of Porthleven and Falmouth (with Truro only a 30-minute drive away), this home has traditional boatyards, sub-tropical gardens and picturesque coves right on the doorstep. A recent barn conversion (all micro-cement floors and beautifully handcrafted joinery), the open-plan layout is awash with natural light and boasts impressive eco credentials. Shingle pathways surround the house and you can spot a host of local wildlife from the verdant south-facing terraces.

On Cornwall’s gentler south coast, this joyful home is set within walking distance of secluded beaches and the scenic South West Coast Path. Designed by Mador Architects, the inverted layout allows the open-plan kitchen, dining and living space to bask in the light glinting off the sea, spilling onto a private terrace. There’s a Scandinavian wood-fired hot tub in the garden, access to a shared pool and sauna, and the calm (slightly cooler) waters of Fowey and Looe are just along the coast.

A mid-century masterpiece, Blindwell was designed by famed local architect Reginald Gale for himself and his family in the 1970s. Now restored and extended by design studio Sybarite, the interiors bring together plenty of that classic mid-century geometry and open space, with stand-out features such as coloured-glass screens and Sicilian marble floors. There’s a separate annexe for guests and incredible gardens with a large Koi pond, established fruit trees and a Japanese-inspired glass house.

With cinematic sightlines over Saunton Sands and the UNESCO-listed Braunton Burrows, this cedar-clad coastal home is an architectural love letter to its sea-sprayed surroundings. Designed with soaring vaulted ceilings, a sculptural bookcase staircase and slim-framed glazing throughout, it’s all clean lines and calm textures. The principal bedroom has a freestanding bath with a sea view, while outside, a pizza oven and Big Green Egg set the tone for chilled-out evenings, just minutes from one of Britain’s best surf beaches.

A masterclass in modern design, this RIBA award-winner by architect David Sheppard is full of unexpected beauty. From the sculptural central staircase to the primary-coloured pillars, it’s a home that feels both playful and serene. A series of balconies and terraces blur the boundary between inside and out, while the lush gardens are a mosaic of herbs, perennials and grasses. Further afield, the St Leonard neighbourhood is a community-driven hive, with central Exeter within easy reach.