The June edition of Cornwall Life magazine features an article on Trelas. Featuring photos by Ewen Macdonald the article tells the Trelas story, including the highs and lows of its construction.

Here's an extract:

Tucked away down one of the many old streets of St Ives harbour sits a gravel parking spot and a white painted curved wall with the word Trelas (meaning homestead) set next to a mysterious narrow stairway.

Follow the steps down and you come to the (future) home of Sara and Stuart Green and their five children: Alice, Tom, Joe, Sam and Jack. The family had always dreamed of leaving the fastpaced city life and moving down to where Sara’s uncle had been evacuated during the war. ‘He lived in Chy an Chy in St Ives harbour and always spoke fondly of it,’ says Stuart. Coming from a family with brothers in construction, building his own home was Stuart’s long term aim – but they admit this was all just a dream. But in 2012, Sara was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and the family rented a house in St Ives close to the town centre, beaches and the medical centre whilst she was undergoing chemotherapy. Looking out of the rear windows of the house Stuart spotted a plot of land with a ‘for sale’ sign. ‘Emotions were running high and we knew we had to grab what life had to offer,’ remembers Stuart. ‘Some enquiries later, we discovered the plot already had planning permission and was waiting patiently for a buyer.’

Fast forward four years and they have created Trelas – freshly finished in April this year - which has made great use of the legendarily awkward spaces of St Ives which means houses rarely sit on level ground. Although currently living in Sheffield the aim is to move to Cornwall and live at the house full-time, but until then they are making their future home pay by renting it as a holiday home in what remains one of Cornwall’s favourite tourist towns.

Read the full article.