Tucked away in the Cornish countryside lies Trevolt — a former electricity substation turned stunning home. We recently had the pleasure of visiting this unique space, lovingly transformed by the talented duo Abi and Morv. During our tour, they shared the story behind the renovation, the inspiration that powered their vision, and what’s next on the horizon for them.
What is the history behind the building?
Trevolt was built in 1910 and operated as an Electricity Substation until circa 1960. At the time of building, the company was very wealthy and therefore showed their wealth by building quite an elaborate building to house electrical equipment. As advancements in electricity moved on, the building was no longer required, and it was decommissioned and sold to a local farming family. Its only real use after that was to provide shelter to their cows when the storms came through.
Could you tell us how you came to own such a unique building?
Morv had been brought up in the area and we both wanted to buy locally but there was little we could find. We had asked the local farmer (5 years previous to buying it) that if they ever wanted to sell the ‘tower’ we would be very interested. Luckily for us, they did decide to sell and we took the plunge! Although looking very tired, we were immediately drawn in by its architectural details – we loved how it almost replicated the construction of an engine house that you would see in Cornwall.
What are some decisions you’ve made to work with the heritage of the place?
We tried hard to honour and preserve the heritage of the building. We’ve used lots of natural materials such as lime to work with the natural fabric of the building and to allow it to breathe. Aesthetically it felt completely the right thing to do too. We really tried to enhance the character of the building which had been neglected over the years. For example, we removed new cement render to expose the original red brick arches internally and reused switches that we found in the building. We also exposed the circular openings internally which would have been used to carry the overhead electricity lines into the building.
How has the surrounding landscape influenced your design?
The views, colours and textures within the landscape heavily shaped our interior decisions. We felt we needed to keep things very simple and ‘earthy’ inside so that the eye can be drawn outwards towards the wonderful 360 views. We didn’t want a busy interior. So, we exposed as many characterful features as we could and then we left the landscape to do the talking.
Do you have any advice for people taking on big renovations projects?
Don’t sweat the small stuff, take time building a great team, source local, don’t be afraid to buy second hand when it comes to furnishing, spend your money wisely on key areas.
Alongside your Naturalmat Mattress & Cornish Bed, have you been able to source any other interior pieces from the local area?
We are big on sustainability so we tried to source as much as we could locally. We found some lovely wall lights in a local reclamation yard that had been salvaged from a church. Our table is an old work bench, so it has lots of cut marks and texture. We love items that can tell a story, so we constantly kept an eye on what was coming up in our area.
How did you get a good night’s sleep in the midst of the renovation?
It wasn’t always easy but our mentality around the project had been to try not to stress so that helped us to switch off at the end of the day. On occasion if we were struggling to sleep, due to lots whirling around in our heads, we’d switch on a very light-hearted film in the night, which often did the trick!
How did your jobs influence your decisions around the build?
We saw this project as a flagship development for us in a way and for this reason we tried to ensure no stone was left unturned and that every decision was carefully thought about. Although it was very much going to be our home, we also wanted to showcase what we could do, as a couple, with a unique, unconventional, building.
Abi was growing her confidence as an interior designer and saw this a real chance to showcase what she could do on a bigger scale. Morv was transitioning jobs also and moving towards what he does today, which is sourcing unique property for individuals and investors in Cornwall. It’s really given us the confidence to pursue our dream careers!
Abi & Morv sleep on a Superb Mattress. Follow their journey here.
