Trenowah Road, St. Austell, PL25

This is one of those cottages where there's considerably more waiting behind the front door than you'd ever expect from the road.

Set back behind its own secluded front garden, this pre-1900 three-bedroom Cornish cottage combines the character you'd hope to find in an older home with some surprisingly contemporary touches, alongside an amount of outside space and additional accommodation that's particularly difficult to anticipate at first glance.

Exposed stone, original floorboards, beamed ceilings and a wood-burning stove bring the history of the cottage to life, while a premium German kitchen, beautifully modernised bathroom and substantial garden cabin make the property work brilliantly for modern-day living.

It creates a home that feels individual rather than overly polished, where the older features haven't been lost in the process of updating it.

The living room is where much of that original personality really comes through.

An impressive exposed stone wall runs through the room, incorporating the recessed fireplace and cast-iron wood-burning stove, while exposed ceiling beams reinforce the cottage feel.

There's enough space for comfortable sofas and a large television without overwhelming the room, making it somewhere that should feel particularly inviting once the fire is going through autumn and winter.

From here, the accommodation flows into the kitchen and dining room, where the contrast between old and new works particularly well.

Rather than trying to make a modern kitchen look artificially traditional, the owners have created something altogether more contemporary.

The premium German-fitted kitchen features stone worktops, integrated appliances and a boiling-water tap, alongside plenty of room for a dining table.

It's bold, practical and gives the cottage a genuinely modern everyday heart, whether you're having breakfast before work or sitting around the table with friends over dinner.

A useful rear lobby provides additional storage and direct access to the garden, while at the front, the glazed porch doubles as a small conservatory and creates somewhere practical for coats, shoes and everything you don't necessarily want migrating into the main house.

The bathroom is positioned on the ground floor and has also been beautifully modernised.

Contemporary fittings sit alongside excellent built-in storage, a bath with shower, heated towel rail and recessed lighting, while underfloor heating beneath the tiled floor is a particularly welcome addition on colder mornings.

Upstairs are three bedrooms.

The principal is a comfortable double overlooking the front garden and enjoys distant sea views towards the east, while retaining an original fitted wardrobe.

The remaining two bedrooms overlook the quieter rear garden and retain original floorboards, adding another reminder of the property's age and character.

Both provide useful proportions, giving the accommodation flexibility for children, visiting family, guests or anyone wanting a dedicated space to work from home.

There's also scope to rethink the upstairs arrangement in the future. The stud wall between bedrooms two and three could potentially be removed to create a particularly generous dual-aspect principal bedroom overlooking the rear garden, subject to any necessary approvals.

But arguably the biggest surprise is waiting outside.

The cottage sits well back from the road, with established gardens to both the front and rear creating a much more private and secluded feel than its convenient location might suggest.

The long rear garden stretches away from the house beneath established trees and planting, creating different areas to sit, garden and entertain rather than simply providing one conventional lawn.

And tucked within it is one of the property's standout features.

A substantial double-glazed garden cabin, constructed from solid redwood with an insulated floor and ceiling and connected to mains electricity, sits alongside its own large private deck.

French doors open directly outside, creating a fantastic independent space away from the main house.

For somebody working from home, it could make an excellent office. For somebody creative, it could become a studio. For teenagers, hobbies, exercise or simply somewhere to disappear to with a book at the end of the garden, it's an incredibly useful addition.

There's more again.

A traditional Cornish stone outbuilding with electricity provides valuable additional storage and interesting potential for alternative uses, subject to any necessary permissions.

A separate woodshed provides further storage and somewhere sensible to keep fuel for the wood-burning stove.

Then there's the detached garage.

Also supplied with electricity, it provides valuable storage or off-road parking, another feature that isn't always easy to find alongside an older Cornish cottage.

The location brings together two very different lifestyles.

Positioned around the Bethel and Boscoppa side of St Austell, supermarkets, schools, a GP surgery and everyday amenities are all conveniently accessible, yet Charlestown and the south Cornish coastline remain only a short journey away.

The beaches at Charlestown, Carlyon Bay and Porthpean are all within easy reach, while St Austell town centre and its mainline railway station are also conveniently placed.

For weekends further afield, the Eden Project, Fowey and Mevagissey are readily accessible, with the surrounding coastline and countryside providing no shortage of places to explore.

But it's the combination rather than any single feature that makes this home memorable.

A cottage with genuine character. A contemporary kitchen and bathroom where much of the updating has already been done. Three bedrooms. A long established garden with a substantial cabin, traditional stone outbuilding and detached garage.

And all of it within easy reach of St Austell, Charlestown and the coast.

It feels like a little slice of old Cornwall that's been adapted rather cleverly for the way we live today.