Georgia Hendey traces her passion for interiors back to her childhood. ‘When I was growing up, my parents were always renovating houses,’ she says, ‘so my love of design happened by osmosis.’ However, it was a move to Paris in her twenties that really ignited her interest. By chance, she rented an apartment in the same building as a couple of antiques dealers who specialised in 1970s decor and French country furniture, and Georgia credits them with her love of mid-century design.
Back in London, Georgia soon found herself following in her parents’ footsteps when she embarked on renovating a rundown Victorian terrace with her husband, Neal. A few years later in 2013, after the birth of their third child, Georgia felt ready for a new challenge and opened Hutch Interiors on Golborne Road in Notting Hill. ‘I threw myself into it,’ she says, describing how she would source stock at Sunbury Antiques Market and the trade antiques fair in Le Mans, meanwhile summer months would find her at brocantes across south-west France. She particularly loved the creative aspect of restoration: choosing fabrics to transform the pieces and combining contrasting textiles became her signature style.
A move to the country
Fast forward to 2017 and it was time to leave London. ‘It was about the kids, but also our overall lifestyle,’ Georgia says, explaining that they wanted ‘a house and land that hadn’t been completely renovated, with scope for a business, in a village with a friendly pub.’
When the seven-bedroom property in the village of Oakhill in Somerset came up, it wasn’t the house but the 22 acres, with lakes, surrounding it that caught their eye. ‘The house didn’t appeal in the slightest,’ says Georgia, ‘but I thought we might as well have a look because it had land with a wood.’ But on the day of the viewing, having toured the woods in a downpour, it was the house that captivated them. Originally two stone farmhouses, built around 1750, the house had been extended in the 1820s and it came with original beams, Bath stone mullion windows and large rooms ‘that sang to us’, Georgia recalls.
The owners had lived in the property for 30 years and, although they had done quite a bit of work, there was plenty for Neal and Georgia to tackle. They took on the renovation with gusto – stripping layers of paint, and restoring shutters, floors, fireplaces and windows. Under old carpet they were thrilled to discover original Blue Lias flagstones throughout the ground floor. And where there had once been a conservatory and several dark, poky rooms, they created a spacious kitchen-diner.
Old meets new
When it came to furnishing and decorating the house, Georgia wanted a homely, lived-in look in which their mid-century furniture and cherished family heirlooms would play a leading role. ‘Neal grew up in Singapore, so he inherited some family pieces purchased at that time, and we’ve blended them with antiques from my relatives, as well as vintage French pieces I’ve picked up over the years,’ Georgia says.
Some of her favourite pieces of furniture, such as the striking two-tone mid-century sofa in the dark blue sitting room and a pair of 1960s occasional chairs in the kitchen-diner came from Hutch. While a 1930s Knole sofa, which takes centre stage in the vibrant green drawing room, came from Georgia’s beloved great-grandmother. On the ground floor, bold colour choices give the rooms a warm, contemporary edge, whereas a softer palette prevails in the upstairs bedrooms, where the goal was to create a sense of calm.
A natural enterprise
In the eight years since moving in, Neal and Georgia have launched Oakhill Springs, selling bottled spring water from their three spring-fed, stepped lakes. In Victorian times, the water was pumped to the village brewery and now Georgia and Neal provide local restaurants, hotels and pubs with their pure spring water. Although the success of their business has meant the working week is often hectic, Georgia and Neal haven’t lost sight of the simple pleasures that drew them to the area. ‘Evenings are a peaceful affair,’ they say. ‘We might have a glass of wine while watching the sunset or walk round the corner to the pub for a bite to eat.’ In the summer months they swim in the lakes and when September comes they press apples from their orchard.
Sharing the idyll
Keen to share their country idyll, the couple have recently converted the old dairy into a holiday let, while their main home, Little Oakhill, is also available to rent.
