The best way we can describe our recently completed Porthcawl project, is “an elegant mid-century bolt-hole with a killer view and the signature Hygge & Cwtch touch”. Overlooking the Royal Porthcawl golf course and the rugged Welsh coastline beyond, it’s a gem of a property which we have loved bringing to life for our lovely clients. So read on for our run down of our latest interior design project…

The Project Details

A two-bedroom apartment in a newly built apartment complex overlooking the Royal Porthcawl golf course. The kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, built-in wardrobes and wall paint were already complete when Hygge & Cwtch joined the project.

With a long-standing connection to the area, our clients wanted a base here in Wales. Somewhere to enjoy convenient access to the golf course along with all that the surrounding area has to offer. It needed to feel like a home from home for our clients, with the potential to let it out when they weren’t staying there themselves.

The Brief

Our clients approached us in January 2025, looking for help with the interior design of their new apartment. Our scope of work included layout advice, design schemes and a full turnkey interior fit out. Managing the project from brief to installation meant that our clients could settle straight in with minimal input.

As keen golfers and members of the Royal Porthcawl golf club, the apartment is in the perfect setting. With stunning views overlooking the course and the Welsh coastline, the brief was to maximise the view and to ‘bring the outside in’. Pretty much the definition of the Hygge & Cwtch style, so they came to the right place!

Our clients expressed a preference for mid-century style pieces. Nature-inspired green and blue palettes and minimal prints. They had already bought some William Morris print cushions which were a great starting point for the scheme. While happy to stick with the freshly-painted off-white walls in the kitchen/dining room, they were open to introducing more texture and colour into other areas of the apartment. Sofa beds were a practical requirement in the living space to accommodate extra guests.

The Design Approach

Nature-infused Elegance

The key to our design approach was to blend a luxe style with a cosy vibe. There’s a classic simplicity and craftsmanship to mid-century style pieces which effortlessly elevates a scheme. We were careful to take a minimalist approach, allowing the clean lines, beautiful curves and quality materials of the pieces to shine through. There’s a certain elegance that comes from the simplicity of not over-designing.

In this apartment, we prioritised quality materials and finishes, and curated rooms full of statement pieces – from marble-topped sideboards to wave curtains for that mid-century design nod – in a way that felt cohesive, comfortable and elevated.

Achieving the balance of luxe and cosy, as always for us, meant connecting with nature and utilising some biophilic design tricks. Floral print cushions and carefully selected artwork of birds and ocean coral were supported by some more subtle nods to nature. The blue-green colour palette, natural linen textures and accessories in organic shapes create a nature-inspired, welcoming, homely feel. All set against the backdrop of the coastline and the golf course, framed beautifully by the huge sliding doors.

Calming sanctuaries

We designed the bedrooms to feel high end yet calming and comfortable. Sanctuaries with the luxe feel of a hotel room. We warmed up a serene blue-grey colour palette with creams and whites and plenty of texture. Wave curtains not only have a mid-century feel but they enhance ceiling height and have a certain luxury feel to them. We love the contrasts of natural woods with antique brass, hotel-esque white bed linen with cosy blankets, and nods to nature through the carefully selected coral artwork and our client’s William Morris floral print cushions.

With this being a holiday let as well as our client’s holiday home, we liked the idea of using a similar scheme for both bedrooms with some differentiation through the colour shades and bedside tables. Neither feels more superior to the other, both are equally beautiful and inviting.

We found an opportunity in both rooms to showcase small space design, creating dressing tables in small nooks. A floating desk maximised the floor space and created a focal point with a few simple yet statement pieces.

Connected living spaces

The layout of the open plan living-kitchen-dining space created the perfect opportunity to design a stunning sociable space. A place to relax and connect, both with each other and with the outdoors through the stunning full-width sliding doors. We maximised the feeling of space and light here by installing a single bespoke floor to ceiling wave curtain. Stacked to one side, the almost-uninterrupted view was allowed to take centre stage.

With the kitchen already installed, we made sure that both the living area and dining area felt equally considered and cohesive. We created a welcoming yet sumptuous feel by leaning into the analogous blue-green colour palette which mimics the view outside. Supported by more neutral tones, dark woods, luxe fabrics and mid-century style pieces. The design of this space was all about layering details which build a rich yet homely scheme.

The Living Space

We maximised the space by positioning the largest sofa across the middle of the room. This created two distinct zones for living and dining.

In the living area, the eye is drawn to two beautiful velvet armchairs. Balancing form and function, the chairs convert to sofa beds, ticking that practical box for our clients. Their positioning – facing the larger sofa rather than angled at the TV – instantly makes for a more sociable space, encouraging interaction and connection.

The marble-top sideboard is a real feature piece in the room, adding texture and detail. A striped green rug ties the living area together and is a statement piece in it’s own right. The stripes balance and complement the floral touches, bringing a more contemporary edge to the room.

The Dining Space

A stunning walnut oval table is the centrepiece of the dining space. We paired the table with mid-century style chairs in a blue-grey velvet – a call back to the bedroom colour scheme – and used freestanding shelving as the backdrop. We intentionally used matching wood throughout this space for a sense of cohesion and depth. The dark wood tone against the freshly-painted white walls contrasts beautifully and gives real depth to the space.

Lighting and finishing details

Lighting the apartment was a very considered process. The aim is always to create warmth and ambience, especially important for a new build with minimal colour on the walls. We found a lighting range which fit the design brief of this apartment really well. Using the same lighting range enabled us to achieve the cohesive and premium feel we were going for. Just simple, uncomplicated, beautiful lighting. Balanced with some feature lights – such as the woven lamp in the bedroom and matching Scandi-inspired lamps in the dining-kitchen areas – the lighting was designed to draw the eye and form a visual ‘moment’ without overpowering any other elements of the space.

Well-chosen artwork can really bring a home together. It was essential in this apartment that we balanced the touches of nature with the luxe style we were going for. Keeping it simple, adding a few pieces which enhanced the scheme and gave some meaning and personality ensured it could do the dual job of being both a holiday let and a home.

What our clients have said…

“Annie was an absolute pleasure to work with. From start to finish she was incredibly helpful, bringing a perfect balance of creativity and warmth to the project. Her style is both inspiring and welcoming – exactly what you’d hope for from a designer. She’s also extremely professional and efficient, making the whole process smooth and enjoyable.

Her design is a full turnkey offering and she focuses on every detail right down to the art and small but key details throughout. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to anyone looking for beautiful, thoughtful design with a personal touch.”