Looking for a well-designed getaway? Look no further than Covers’ new directory

From Edinburgh to Dublin, and areas of Ireland, the idea is that with one swift click, you can plan a leisurely trip away with friends or family – just one hour from your home city. With endless lockdowns and new variants springing up all over the place, it's easy to get lost in the stress of it all. Even if you can't leave the country just yet – Covers just made staycations that little more attractive.

The brainchild of Covers' founder, Adam Duckett, the platform's typography spec is Transcript Bold from Colophon Foundry paired with Crimson Light by Jacques Le Bailly on Google Fonts. Navigating the website is very easy; you can peek at the homes listed, with high def images and availability on display. You can direct yourself to the owners' websites, too, meaning you know who you're renting from and can even get in touch with them directly.

Duckett told Creative Boom: "The idea initially came about in the first lockdown and thinking ahead to when we could travel again. I started to consider places in easy reach of the city combined with better ways of travel.

"Where could I get in one hour? In two hours? And further afield? Having worked on hospitality architecture projects, I was interested in shaping this concept differently: time-based, easy to reach areas, and architecture-designed places to stay — all brought under one roof. I find places close to water do good things to the mind, too."

Adam is gradually adding new stays to the website, with a focus on the UK and Ireland.

"There are a few houses in mind, so watch this space! With so many areas to explore here, there's an exhilarating summer ahead to get the word out there. As the directory develops, we'll expand our reach further into Europe, North America, and Japan. We're keen to hear from readers about places they've stayed that would be ideal for Hour directory too."

The first six listings include Glen Dye's No.4 by NORD, Breac.House by MacGabhann Architects, and Harlosh Black h by Dualchas.

Adam has tried and tested a few of the homes and tells us: "I've been fortunate to stay at both Harlosh houses through working with them on the brand identity project for Harlosh — they're exceptional. I'm looking to stay at Glen Dye later in the year to see the forest in autumn and Breac.House in Ireland when travel fully resumes (and there's availability!)."