A small English cottage with a dark, luxurious interior
In Devon, this small English cottage features a dark and elegant interior with raw wood and furniture curated by HÁM Interiors
Ukai is a forest retreat in Devon designed by HÁM Interiors, a small English cottage with a dark, luxurious interior. At first glance, you might think it was built in the Catskill Mountains of New York State. But no, it is indeed located in England.
It is part of the Cove Valley project, a vast nature reserve where the London-based studio HÁM Interiors designed three custom cabins. Each has its own personality.
The exterior sets the tone. Its dark wood siding blends into the undergrowth. The cabin plays with its surroundings rather than standing out from them. Inside, HÁM Interiors continued in this vein. Earthy tones, deep browns, and ochres dominate alongside raw wood. These elements create a rich atmosphere, which is the charm of Ukai.
In this small English cottage, every room seems to have a story. Antique furniture blends with custom pieces designed by HÁM Interiors, featuring bespoke woodwork evident in the reliefs of the paneling and the details of the storage units.
Tom Cox, the studio’s creative director, works out of Oxfordshire. His approach is to blend the old with the new, raw materials with carefully selected textiles. The Navajo patterns on the cushions and throws complement the dark woodwork like two languages that understand each other. Without a doubt, this interior is unlike any other glamping cabin we’ve seen on the blog’s pages.
The studio drew inspiration from Native American culture and American ranch aesthetics. Yet this is by no means a folkloric decor. The references are reinterpreted with restraint. Navajo-inspired textiles provide the only splash of bright color. A few geometric patterns on the cushions, a throw blanket draped over the sofa, combined with raw wood and glossy zellige tiles, break up the monotony of the surfaces.
Reclaimed materials take center stage. Antique furniture blends with secondhand pieces. An old backgammon board serves as a dining table. Curiosities and antiques are scattered here and there.
The living space is minimalist, but every element has been carefully chosen. In the bedroom a large four- poster bed takes center stage, dressed in thick linens. The wood-burning stove warms the main room. The sofa is particularly inviting and comfortable.
Its bathroom is compact but well-appointed. It feels like a dark, tactile sanctuary. Its handmade tiles and brass fixtures give it an elegant, even luxurious atmosphere.
Ukai’s design extends well beyond the interior. The wooden terrace overlooks the wooded valley. A separate platform houses the wood-fired hot tub. You slip into it at sunset, while the stream murmurs just a few meters away. This is where the choice of location and the design aesthetic converge.
Behind the project is the HÁM Interiors studio, based in Hambleden, Oxfordshire. Under the creative direction of Tom Cox, the studio works on private residences and high-end hospitality projects. Cove Valley is a perfect illustration of their approach with spaces that stand the test of time, built with authentic materials.
Ukai isn’t alone. It’s part of a trio with Hopi, overlooking the valley, and Chatan, a treehouse. All three were conceived by HÁM Interiors as distinct concepts, each with its own decorative personality, yet all rooted in the same philosophy: building with the landscape, not against it.
Cove Valley is the project of Ben and Yolanda Horne. Five years ago, they purchased these 300 acres with a single goal, to return the land to nature. Deer, badgers, beavers, otters, and more than 50 species of birds live here in harmony. The cabins were designed to allow visitors to coexist with their environment, unfiltered.
In this context, the work of HÁM Interiors takes on an added meaning. Designing interiors for a territory that is being rewilded is a unique challenge. The studio’s response, through the use of raw materials and references to the culture of the American wilderness, is consistent with the project.
This small English cottage is available to rent by clicking this link!
It is part of the Cove Valley project, a vast nature reserve where the London-based studio HÁM Interiors designed three custom cabins. Each has its own personality.
A dark and organic palette
The exterior sets the tone. Its dark wood siding blends into the undergrowth. The cabin plays with its surroundings rather than standing out from them. Inside, HÁM Interiors continued in this vein. Earthy tones, deep browns, and ochres dominate alongside raw wood. These elements create a rich atmosphere, which is the charm of Ukai.
A collection of personalized objects
In this small English cottage, every room seems to have a story. Antique furniture blends with custom pieces designed by HÁM Interiors, featuring bespoke woodwork evident in the reliefs of the paneling and the details of the storage units.
Tom Cox, the studio’s creative director, works out of Oxfordshire. His approach is to blend the old with the new, raw materials with carefully selected textiles. The Navajo patterns on the cushions and throws complement the dark woodwork like two languages that understand each other. Without a doubt, this interior is unlike any other glamping cabin we’ve seen on the blog’s pages.
Materials that tell a story
The studio drew inspiration from Native American culture and American ranch aesthetics. Yet this is by no means a folkloric decor. The references are reinterpreted with restraint. Navajo-inspired textiles provide the only splash of bright color. A few geometric patterns on the cushions, a throw blanket draped over the sofa, combined with raw wood and glossy zellige tiles, break up the monotony of the surfaces.
Reclaimed materials take center stage. Antique furniture blends with secondhand pieces. An old backgammon board serves as a dining table. Curiosities and antiques are scattered here and there.
A bed, a stove, a comfortable sofa
The living space is minimalist, but every element has been carefully chosen. In the bedroom a large four- poster bed takes center stage, dressed in thick linens. The wood-burning stove warms the main room. The sofa is particularly inviting and comfortable.
Its bathroom is compact but well-appointed. It feels like a dark, tactile sanctuary. Its handmade tiles and brass fixtures give it an elegant, even luxurious atmosphere.
The terrace and the hot tub
Ukai’s design extends well beyond the interior. The wooden terrace overlooks the wooded valley. A separate platform houses the wood-fired hot tub. You slip into it at sunset, while the stream murmurs just a few meters away. This is where the choice of location and the design aesthetic converge.
HÁM Interiors, a recognizable signature
Behind the project is the HÁM Interiors studio, based in Hambleden, Oxfordshire. Under the creative direction of Tom Cox, the studio works on private residences and high-end hospitality projects. Cove Valley is a perfect illustration of their approach with spaces that stand the test of time, built with authentic materials.
Ukai in its context and the Cove Valley project
Ukai isn’t alone. It’s part of a trio with Hopi, overlooking the valley, and Chatan, a treehouse. All three were conceived by HÁM Interiors as distinct concepts, each with its own decorative personality, yet all rooted in the same philosophy: building with the landscape, not against it.
Cove Valley is the project of Ben and Yolanda Horne. Five years ago, they purchased these 300 acres with a single goal, to return the land to nature. Deer, badgers, beavers, otters, and more than 50 species of birds live here in harmony. The cabins were designed to allow visitors to coexist with their environment, unfiltered.
In this context, the work of HÁM Interiors takes on an added meaning. Designing interiors for a territory that is being rewilded is a unique challenge. The studio’s response, through the use of raw materials and references to the culture of the American wilderness, is consistent with the project.
This small English cottage is available to rent by clicking this link!
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