However, it didn’t always look this good…
Award-winning interior designer, Nicola O’Mara brings former 18th Century Fisherman’s Cottage back to life.
Earlier this year saw the opening of Outlaw’s Coastal Retreats, a brand new self-catering accommodation offering in Port Isaac led by Nathan and the Outlaw’s team. The current properties under this umbrella include Kittiwake Cottage and Kittiwake Annexe, a 3-bedroom and 1-bedroom property respectively. Heading up the design of Kittiwake was Cornwall-based Nicola O’Mara, an award-winning interior designer who offers a variety of services for private homes and luxury holiday rentals.
The original space, Kittiwake – meaning ‘A gentle looking, medium-sized gull with a small yellow bill and a dark eye’ – which name has been honoured from the prior owners, was once a fisherman’s cottage dating back to the 1700’s. When Nathan first purchased the property back in 2019 and subsequently presented the job to Nicola, to say the building needed some work was a bit of an understatement…
“Oh my gosh, what can I say, without offending anyone, ha ha. [Kittiwake] was in such a sorry state, it was unloved, uncared for and needed a great big hug. It was dark, cold, damp and required a huge amount of TLC.”
Not phased by this ambitious renovation however, Nicola began the plans to create a comfortable, sustainable and timeless design, something the space really deserved.
“I absolutely love old buildings, the history and their character, so I was keen to keep as many of the original features as possible. I wanted to make sure that this beautiful cottage was brought back to life with the added injection of personality.”
Although specialising in a variety of property styles and specifications since she opened her business in 1998, being based in Cornwall means that Nicola certainly has a keen eye for the coastal properties.
Each project Nicola and her team take on are approached in a unique way. On this occasion, rather than present Nicola with a brief, Nathan invited Nicola and her family to dine at both of his restaurants, Fish Kitchen and New Road, so that she could experience first hand the atmosphere, execution and level of service, from which Nicola “used the knowledge gained to help ascertain the direction and style of the interiors”.
“Most people opt for the quaint white washed, beach-y look, but I knew that the cottage deserved something more special than that. It had to be given its own personality and charm with added sophistication, comfort and luxury, and why not?! Kittiwake is different from other cottages I have worked on.”
As a self-proclaimed ‘stickler of the fine details’, Nicola set out to create a home that could be enjoyed by everyone, with little-to-no compromise on the design or space. The renovations were extensive, and when working with a Grade-II listed property, there were definitely some red-tape moments that meant both the builders, and Nicola, had to think outside the box and work around the limitations of the property. The whole process, from getting the keys to the final picture being hung and book stacked on the shelves, took almost 3 years.
With every detail meticulously thought out, both Nathan and Nicola wanted to add those special touches. When asked which feature of Kittiwake Cottage stood out the most to her, Nicola replied, “The slate herringbone floor. It was time consuming, but so worth it. I know it was back breaking for the tilers, but the outcome was absolutely stunning.”
Both Kittiwake Cottage and Kittiwake Annexe were designed to work harmoniously with each other, with the Annexe described as the “younger version” of the Cottage, but still holding its rustic charm with a contemporary feel. The space at Kittiwake has been transformed, and both Nicola and the Outlaw’s team are delighted with how both properties are now thriving as Coastal Retreats.
“Bashfully I would say I am absolutely thrilled with the end result. I just love it and I was so excited throughout the whole build, to see the building slowly come back to life with the vision I had originally perceived…
It is a happy place place now, in fact it is a now a home, which can be enjoyed by everyone.”
Kittiwake Cottage and Annexe are now available to book for 2023 and 2024.
More of Nicola’s work can be found on her website: https://www.nicolaomara.com/
Award-winning interior designer, Nicola O’Mara brings former 18th Century Fisherman’s Cottage back to life.
Earlier this year saw the opening of Outlaw’s Coastal Retreats, a brand new self-catering accommodation offering in Port Isaac led by Nathan and the Outlaw’s team. The current properties under this umbrella include Kittiwake Cottage and Kittiwake Annexe, a 3-bedroom and 1-bedroom property respectively. Heading up the design of Kittiwake was Cornwall-based Nicola O’Mara, an award-winning interior designer who offers a variety of services for private homes and luxury holiday rentals.
The original space, Kittiwake – meaning ‘A gentle looking, medium-sized gull with a small yellow bill and a dark eye’ – which name has been honoured from the prior owners, was once a fisherman’s cottage dating back to the 1700’s. When Nathan first purchased the property back in 2019 and subsequently presented the job to Nicola, to say the building needed some work was a bit of an understatement…
“Oh my gosh, what can I say, without offending anyone, ha ha. [Kittiwake] was in such a sorry state, it was unloved, uncared for and needed a great big hug. It was dark, cold, damp and required a huge amount of TLC.”
Not phased by this ambitious renovation however, Nicola began the plans to create a comfortable, sustainable and timeless design, something the space really deserved.
“I absolutely love old buildings, the history and their character, so I was keen to keep as many of the original features as possible. I wanted to make sure that this beautiful cottage was brought back to life with the added injection of personality.”
Although specialising in a variety of property styles and specifications since she opened her business in 1998, being based in Cornwall means that Nicola certainly has a keen eye for the coastal properties.
Each project Nicola and her team take on are approached in a unique way. On this occasion, rather than present Nicola with a brief, Nathan invited Nicola and her family to dine at both of his restaurants, Fish Kitchen and New Road, so that she could experience first hand the atmosphere, execution and level of service, from which Nicola “used the knowledge gained to help ascertain the direction and style of the interiors”.
“Most people opt for the quaint white washed, beach-y look, but I knew that the cottage deserved something more special than that. It had to be given its own personality and charm with added sophistication, comfort and luxury, and why not?! Kittiwake is different from other cottages I have worked on.”
As a self-proclaimed ‘stickler of the fine details’, Nicola set out to create a home that could be enjoyed by everyone, with little-to-no compromise on the design or space. The renovations were extensive, and when working with a Grade-II listed property, there were definitely some red-tape moments that meant both the builders, and Nicola, had to think outside the box and work around the limitations of the property. The whole process, from getting the keys to the final picture being hung and book stacked on the shelves, took almost 3 years.
With every detail meticulously thought out, both Nathan and Nicola wanted to add those special touches. When asked which feature of Kittiwake Cottage stood out the most to her, Nicola replied, “The slate herringbone floor. It was time consuming, but so worth it. I know it was back breaking for the tilers, but the outcome was absolutely stunning.”
Both Kittiwake Cottage and Kittiwake Annexe were designed to work harmoniously with each other, with the Annexe described as the “younger version” of the Cottage, but still holding its rustic charm with a contemporary feel. The space at Kittiwake has been transformed, and both Nicola and the Outlaw’s team are delighted with how both properties are now thriving as Coastal Retreats.
“Bashfully I would say I am absolutely thrilled with the end result. I just love it and I was so excited throughout the whole build, to see the building slowly come back to life with the vision I had originally perceived…
It is a happy place place now, in fact it is a now a home, which can be enjoyed by everyone.”
Kittiwake Cottage and Annexe are now available to book for 2023 and 2024.
More of Nicola’s work can be found on her website: https://www.nicolaomara.com/
We exclusively serve a fixed price seafood menu at £88 per person.
Tables are required back 2 hours from the time of booking.
We do not allow babies or children under 10 in the restaurant.
reservations can be made up to 90 days in advance
Dogs are not permitted in the restaurant.
By reserving a table at Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen you are deemed to have accepted the terms of our Cancellation Policy.
- We exclusively serve a seafood tasting menu at £175 per person.
- Please allow up to 3.5 hours to enjoy the experience.
- We take reservations up to 90 days in advance.
- Our upstairs dining room can accommodate tables of up to 6 guests.
- For groups up to 9 guests we take reservations on our downstairs kitchen bar seating.
- Please notify us of any dietary requirements within the “comments” box after you have selected your preferred date and time of reservation.
- We do not allow babies or children under 10 in the restaurant.
By reserving a table at Outlaw’s New Road you are deemed to have accepted the terms of our Cancellation Policy.