Josh Widdicombe is the new host of Strictly Come Dancing, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he preferred staying at home in his Cornish coastal retreat over hitting the dance floor.
Josh and his wife, interior designer Rose Hanson, welcomed The Sunday Times Style into their six-bedroom home in Mullion. The property also has a cosy TV snug, an open-plan kitchen-living space and an expansive farmhouse-style garden.
After 18 months of renovation, the couple managed something rare: they kept the coastal charm alive using natural, earthy and rugged materials, while adding high-end style and modern character through vintage lighting, antique displays and brass and gold flourishes.
One of the biggest changes came after they bought the house in 2022. They turned separate spaces into one farmhouse-style kitchen-living area, keeping the design features connected to create openness and light.
By repeating similar colours and textiles, each room feels like an extension of the one before. Natural textures and materials appear throughout, including oak flooring, wooden design features and marble finishes.
Running from the kitchen into the adjoining living space, the oak's grain patterns and warm honey tones create a light, homey atmosphere. The flooring's natural variations catch the changing Cornish light through the day and seasons.
With young children in the house, the flooring isn't just stylish. It's sturdy enough to survive muddy wellies and the scrapes and scuffs of happy kids.
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At the heart of the new room sits a stunning, authentic table, essential for that farmhouse look and one of the most popular kitchen trends. Made from solid, dark wood, it anchors the room and works as an alternative kitchen island.
Small details tie the room together. Rose and Josh chose accessories and statement pieces that lift the rustic feel, using a blend of new and old.
The weathered wooden dining table pairs with smooth, light-coloured painted cabinetry and brass hardware, adding layers of visual depth. Gold and bronze pots, pans and utensils hang from soft pink walls, bringing a vintage farmhouse feel alive while staying modern.
Layered lighting completes the warm, almost-timeless atmosphere. Traditional overhead pendant lights work alongside subtle accents like the small lamp on the back counter.
The same design ideas carry into what Rose describes as their TV snug, featuring soft, sky-blue cabinets and warm, earthy colours. A huge L-shaped mustard sofa takes up most of the room, covered in plump pillows with minimal clutter around it.
A clean, neutral marble coffee table sits in the centre, natural light pours in through expansive windows, and a painting of the coast hangs above, finishing the indoor-outdoor open living feel.
Upstairs, the sense of unity continues. Rose and Josh repeated a stripe theme throughout the bedrooms.
From striped wallpaper in the children's rooms to pillows and cupboards with subtle colour stripes in the master bedroom, it's a clever way to add cohesion and character.
Rose also shared a tip for repurposing old fabrics. Instead of ruining a stylish look with ugly shower curtains and blinds, she made her own using old fabric found online.
Unexpected for a bathroom, it gives the room a sense of history and fits the subtle notes of antiquity and timelessness across the home.
Josh and Rose have created an indoor space that feels open and effortless, and that same quality shows in the expansive gardens.
Josh Widdicombe’s Cornwall Home Blends Farmhouse Charm with Modern Style