Our Story

COAL was formed in 2017 by Interior designer Emily Reilly and Architect Joe Reilly.

After a 10-year stint in London – Joe studying architecture at the Bartlett UCL before working at architecture practice Alma-nac and Emily working at the V&A before studying Interior Design at Central Saint Martins – we set sail to St Agnes where COAL was born.

  • Interior Designer & Co-Founder

    Emily looks after COAL interiors. She strives to create beautiful homes. Her work reflects its environment and inhabitants, looking at the natural hues of the landscape and building relationships with local craftsmen for each project.

    Emily broadened her design vocabulary through a BA in History of Art (First Class, Hons) at UCL. She went on to work in the V&A publishing department for 5 years which fuelled her passion for art and design further. Surrounded by the museum’s collection of textiles, art and furniture provided endless references.

    A natural path then led her to retrain in Interior Design at Central St Martins and eventually down to Cornwall.

  • Architect & Co-Founder

    Joe is responsible for COAL architecture and is a fully accredited architect (ARB). He creates carefully crafted buildings that are as inspiring and magical as the Cornish landscape in which they are sited.

    Joe studied at the Bartlett School of Architecture UCL and Newcastle University. He has 15 years of experience in the profession working at a range of award-winning architectural practices in both London and Rotterdam. He also teaches architectural design at Falmouth University as an Associate Lecturer.

Our Approach

Every space and client is different. We avoid a standardised approach and start each project without preconceptions. 

We look to the history of a specific building or site, as well as the wider cultural context, in order to create timeless homes which evolve naturally out of our rigorous design process.

Each project is a tailored response to the specific requirements of our clients and we provide a unique journey from conception to completion. We offer an initial meeting entirely free of charge.