Mulberry Gardens, St. Austell, PL25

Some houses have a conservatory added onto the back. This one has done something considerably more interesting.

Because at No. 3 Mulberry Gardens, it's the relationship between the house and garden that arguably defines the entire home.

This is a substantial four-bedroom detached property offering approximately 1,598 sq ft including the garage, but those numbers only tell part of the story.

What makes it memorable is how the current owners have taken a relatively modern house and given it an individuality that can be difficult to find.

And the best example of that is the main living space.

At more than 22ft long, the living room is already an impressive room in its own right.

The ceiling rises dramatically overhead, with rooflights bringing natural light down into the room, while a contemporary wood-burning stove provides a focal point and gives the space a warmth you don't always associate with newer homes.

There's room for substantial furniture without compromising the feeling of space, but it's what happens at the far end of the room that really changes things.

Wide glazed doors lead directly into one of the property's most unusual features.

Rather than a conventional conservatory, the owners have created a contemporary indoor/outdoor living area, surrounded by glazing and topped by an adjustable louvred roof.

When you want shelter, it feels like an extension of the house.

Open the roof and glazing when the weather allows, and suddenly the entire back of the property begins to feel connected with the garden.

It's one of those features that's difficult to fully appreciate until you're standing inside it.

Morning coffee with the roof open above you.

Somewhere sheltered to sit when the Cornish weather isn't quite cooperating.

Drinks with friends on a summer evening.

Or simply another place to escape to with the garden immediately around you.

Together, the vaulted living room and garden room create an indoor/outdoor arrangement that feels genuinely different from the majority of modern four-bedroom homes.

And importantly, there's a garden worth opening everything onto.

Over time, the owners have created an established outside space filled with mature planting, trees, shrubs and colour.

Gravelled pathways lead between different areas of the garden, while a separate deck provides a natural place for a table and chairs.

Rather than one large exposed lawn, there are different pockets in which to sit and enjoy the garden throughout the day.

That maturity makes an enormous difference.

There's privacy, greenery and character here that would take years to recreate from scratch.

Back inside, the rest of the ground floor has been arranged in a way that works particularly well for everyday life.

The kitchen has a contemporary finish while retaining plenty of personality, with an excellent amount of cabinetry and preparation space, integrated appliances.

Alongside it is a separate dining area, giving you the sociability of connected kitchen and dining spaces without everything having to occupy one enormous open-plan room.

It's an arrangement that feels practical.

The kitchen works for everyday life.

The dining room gives you somewhere proper to sit together.

And when everyone eventually migrates into the living room, there's enough space for them when they get there.

A separate utility keeps laundry and the practical side of the house away from the main kitchen, while internal access to the integral garage adds useful storage and everyday convenience.

There's also a ground-floor cloakroom.

Upstairs, the accommodation continues to feel generous.

There are four bedrooms, with the principal bedroom being particularly impressive.

It's a substantial double with its own en-suite shower room and, from the upper floor in Bedroom 4, an outlook across the surrounding rooftops towards the sea beyond. Bedroom two has fantastic views of the countryside to give you the full Cornish experience.

That sea view is an unexpected reminder of just how close this part of St Austell is to the coast.

Two further bedrooms are served by the family bathroom, while any of the rooms could comfortably adapt to home working if four bedrooms aren't required every day.

Having an en-suite alongside the main bathroom is another detail that makes the layout particularly practical for a family.

Outside to the front, there's driveway parking together with the integral garage, while the design of the house combines clean contemporary render with natural stone detailing that gives the frontage more character than many modern developments.

The house also performs impressively behind the scenes, with an EPC rating of B.

The position puts St Austell's schools, shops, everyday amenities and mainline railway station within easy reach, while some of this part of Cornwall's best-known coastline is equally accessible.

Charlestown, Carlyon Bay and Porthpean are all close enough to become part of everyday life rather than somewhere reserved for weekends and holidays.

But ultimately, the appeal of No. 3 isn't one individual specification.

It's what the owners have created from all of it.

The vaulted ceiling.

The wood burner.

The opening-roof garden room.

The mature planting.

The different places to sit outside.

The sea in the distance.

There are plenty of modern four-bedroom houses.

Finding one that's already developed this much personality is considerably harder.