Meet Sarah and Nick, owners of The Book Nook – a sustainably-crafted Devon hideaway for two, with whimsical décor inspired by classic tales, and a Narnian wardrobe that opens out to the rolling hills of Dartmoor.
What first inspired you to create The Book Nook as a retreat?
Once upon a time a girl met a boy and the rest they say is history! The girl and the boy lived on their Dartmoor farm and raised a family, whilst realising that the farm itself was a magical place. It held many secrets, often treasures found in old farm stores and materials lost to the past. The girl and the boy worked hard to uncover items lost in the dust and set about diversifying their farm. That was twenty years ago.
Hello, I’m Sarah and with husband Nick, we are that girl and boy! The cabin is part of our journey to restore and diversify, primarily to do good things with the land we live on, the buildings we find ourselves restoring and the inventive ways to create sustainable designs.
Diversifying is exhausting but absolutely paramount to aligning our values. We live by the following quote “Magic is always pushing and drawing and making things out of nothing” (The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett).
When an old elm tree fell in a storm two years ago, it uncovered a beautiful little area of the farm that has now become our Artisan Cabin, inspired by books.
The cabin is part of our diversification, to use materials that we already had from old buildings and things found in farm stores. 95% of the build uses recycled and reclaimed materials with the cabin itself built upon the base of a second-hand trailer.
The Book Nook was a real labour of love, creativity, hard work and a chance to push our ethos of sustainable design. As a self-confessed book nerd, the narrative of using literature as a design feature was a decision made very early on in the process. We wanted the cabin to be different, we wanted it to feel nostalgic, loved, warm and thoughtful. That’s why every single detail sings.
What’s your favourite feature of the retreat?
The way we’ve had to flex the project around reusing materials. Our son’s old wardrobe became our Narnia door, wood found near a chicken coop became the authors headboard, the living room window was found by the side of a road and the rest of the glazing and doors came from an old conservatory. But creatively, it’s been a chance to be playful, to tap back into our childhood and to create something that feels magical.
Some of my favourite childhood memories are with a book in hand adventuring, often with a torch, hiding under the duvet. I think this project became our life-sized adventure of bringing stories to life and giving our guests an experience which transports them to those faraway imaginative places.
When the fire is lit and crackles, when the book birds fly, when the stars shine brightly, the cabin comes alive.
What’s the best thing about being the owner of The Book Nook?
Nick and I are both based on the farm with our work. As an artist/interior designer, my studio is onsite and Nick’s practice is next door to the studio. We love that we get to share this very special place with our guests and that others can experience the farm. The drive down to the property overlooks rolling hillsides and it’s always a joy coming home. We understand that most guests want to unwind, relax and retreat when they stay, but we love meeting new people and we love our guests!
What do you love about the local area?
We’re very lucky in that we’re close to the moor and the coast and with moorland walks on tap and the sea only half an hour away, there’s always time to adventure and enjoy the local area. But you’ll also find a wealth of things to do, be it horse riding, kayaking, letterboxing, walking, hiking or enjoying some fantastic independent shops. Dartmoor is an area of outstanding natural beauty but with Exeter only half an hour away, there’s also scope for a spot of city trotting!
What’s next for The Book Nook?
The Cabin is a fairly new project, so we’re looking forward to welcoming more guests and sharing our little corner of the world. Creatively, I have every intention of creating a willow Aslan Lion that can be spotted across the valley!.
If you couldn’t stay at your place, where would your ideal holiday be?
As parents of a teenager and tween I’d say laying down in a dark room anywhere is a retreat! But I have Scotland on my list of places to go. Nicks adventured there before, but I’d love to curl up in a cosy Scottish cottage and pretend I’m Cameron Diaz in The Holiday!
Sum up The Cabin in three words.
Magical – Sustainable – Thoughtful
If you were visiting, how would you spend a day at The Book Nook?
A lie in! Breakfast in bed overlooking those gorgeous green hills and the flower farm which sits at the bottom of the valley. Listening to the birds and watching the light shift and change the colour of the grass, the trees, the landscape. Curling up with a book, having peace and quiet, a notepad, a sketchpad. Being inspired. A walk through the Narnia door to the woods and up to the top of the hill for a picnic lunch. A yomp across the moor, with a spot of tennis in the afternoon. A chance to relax, rest, escape. Perhaps a jaunt to the local town of Ashburton where antiques shops, thrift shops and the local deli would provide supper. Then back home, Fire lit, slippers on, glass of wine and ending the day with watching the sunset and resting under starry skies.
Find out more about The Book Nook via their Host Unusual listing below!
