Real homes: dream holiday house

A leap of faith

There are few couples who would be brave enough to give their architect free reign on the design of their dream holiday home but, when Jacky and Paddy Sellers decided to buy a plot of land on the Isle of Wight they did just that. Click through to see the spectacular results...

Courtesy of Coast magazine

Open plan living

A slatted wood-and-glass staircase subtly divides Paddy and Jacky\'s open-plan living space. The room is furnished with pieces from Heal\'s, John Lewis and The Rug Company.

Shore influence

Weathered wood gives the Sellers\' home a beach house feel.

The heart of the home

The living and dining area in Jacky and Paddy\'s contemporary home consists of a slatted wood-and-glass staircase which creates a divide between the spaces, and complements the oak furniture and varnished floor.

Family fun

The Sellers\' son, Ed enjoys the sunny bedroom wing with a friend. The wing has been designed to face the terrace and the windows are \'boxed\' with cedar for privacy.

5 vital holiday home tips

Jacky Sellers gives you her tips for helping to make a holiday home work smoothly for you...

1 Make your kitchen similar to the one in your other house. ‘It\'ll make you immediately feel at home.\'

2 Build plenty of storage The house has in-built cupboards in the corridor and bedrooms. ‘To avoid the stress of packing, buy swimming gear, wellies, waterproofs, toiletries and bikes and keep them there.\'

3 Have flexible heating The Sellers keep the underfloor heating on at 10°C even when the house is empty, but as this system takes a while to heat up, they also have trench heaters in the living room and bedrooms for an immediate burst of heat when they arrive.

4 Hire a gardener ‘It\'s disheartening to arrive to find a jungle and spend the holiday mowing.\'

5 Invest in comfy beds ‘Then you can have a truly relaxing holiday.\'