Heal's X Original Hideaways

Designing with history and place: Inside Original Hideaways 


Set among the landscape of rural Wales, Original Hideaways brings together characterful places to stay and gather, from a medieval hall house to a former grain mill. With historic features, natural materials and beautiful countryside, each property has its own story to tell.  

Over more than two years, the team worked with Heal’s Trade and Interior Design Service to furnish four properties and two event spaces. We caught up with co-founder Anna and Helen from Heal’s Interior Design Service to hear how they worked together to bring the spaces to life.

Photography by Ruth Yardy

Anna, can you tell us a little about Original Hideaways and what you wanted to create? 

Original Hideaways is a collection of farm stay properties and event spaces in beautiful rural Wales. We wanted to create somewhere that felt quietly luxurious but still relaxed and comfortable, with interiors that complemented the character of the buildings rather than  competing with it. The surrounding countryside is such a big part of the experience, so that connection between inside and out was really important too. 

What made you decide to work with Heal’s?

I'd always admired Heal’s, so it felt like a natural choice. We had four very different properties to furnish, as well as two event spaces, so there was a lot to think about. 

Helen quickly understood the look we wanted to achieve and helped us bring our ideas together. It was also great to have Jason and the wider Trade team supporting us with budgets, product availability and coordinating deliveries. Having the design expertise and practical support all under one roof made the whole process much easier. 

Photography by Ruth Yardy

Can you talk us through the design process with Helen? 

The project spanned more than two years, so we worked together as the properties were renovated rather than making all the decisions at once. I’d often share Pinterest boards and images with Helen, and she was brilliant at understanding what I liked and suggesting pieces I might not have considered.

The mood-boards were particularly helpful for the Hay Barn and Grain Loft. Seeing furniture, colours and finishes together made it much easier to picture how everything would work in each space. We developed the interiors for the other properties in-house, working with Helen and Jason to select pieces that complemented our ideas. There were so many choices to make, so having their support was invaluable. 

Helen, can you tell us about the brief and how you approached each property? 

Each building had its own character, from the medieval architecture and exposed Welsh oak beams at the Hall House to the original grinding stone and cogs at the Mill House. Anna and the Original Hideaways team had a clear vision for each property, and our role was to help bring that to life through furniture that complemented the buildings while making the spaces feel welcoming and comfortable.

Photography by Ruth Yardy

Anna shared her vision boards and Pinterest inspiration with me, which helped us explore furniture, finishes and colours that would work with the character of each space. I created mood-boards for the Hay Barn and Grain Loft, bringing together shortlisted pieces to help Anna and Robin visualise how everything would work together. 

There is so much choice available, so part of my role was to narrow down the options and suggest pieces that worked with the brief and budget. It was a genuinely collaborative process, with Anna’s vision remaining at the heart of every decision. 

Were there any particular challenges when furnishing historic buildings for hospitality and events?

You have to think about how the spaces will be used, as well as how they look. Durability, flexibility and lead times were all important, alongside the character of each building. 

In the Hall House, we chose Heal’s Devon sofas upholstered in Smart Luxe velvet, which combines a soft feel with a stain-resistant finish and a 100,000 Martindale rub count. For the Grain Loft, we needed furniture that could adapt to different uses, so folding Carl Hansen tables and benches by Børge Mogensen and Kartell Re-Chairs made from recycled coffee capsules were ideal.

Photography by Ruth Yardy

Quite a few of the bedrooms we opted for flexibility - Shallow divan zip-and-link beds allow bedrooms to be configured for couples or two individuals. Heal’s Bespoke Dining enabled tables to be specified to suit the proportions of different dining spaces.

Alongside the furniture selected from Heal’s, Original Hideaways sourced vintage pieces, antiques, fabrics and other furnishings to bring its own character to each interior. Working with Jason and the Trade team helped us balance these practical considerations with the overall design. 

Photography by Ruth Yardy

Anna, are there any pieces that stand out to you now? 

I love the mix of vintage and contemporary pieces. Ercol furniture and Anglepoise lighting sit beautifully within the older buildings, while the indoor-outdoor reconfigurable Ligne Roset Saparella seating in the Grain Loft is a real favourite. Its rust tone works so well with the Corten steel and the more industrial elements of the space.

We wanted each property to feel individual, rather than furnishing them all in the same way. 

How do the spaces feel now they’re finished? 

Anna: They feel calm and comfortable, but still full of character. I’m really pleased that each property has its own identity while there’s a thread running through them all. Working with Helen helped us bring our ideas to life without losing the personality of the spaces. 

Photography by Ruth Yardy

Helen: It’s lovely to see everything finished after working together for so long. Anna had a strong sense of what she wanted, and my role was to help her explore those ideas and find the right pieces for each building. 

What would you say to anyone considering working with Heal’s Trade and Interior Design Service?

Anna: I had a clear vision for Original Hideaways, and working with Helen and Jason brought together design expertise, a wide range of furniture and practical support with budgets, availability and deliveries.

The collaboration allowed us to explore ideas, consider different options and find the right pieces for each property, while keeping our overall vision at the heart of the project. Bringing together the architecture, landscape and interiors was central to creating spaces that feel individual to Original Hideaways.

From individual rooms to larger commercial projects, our Interior Design Service and Trade team are here to help you create spaces that feel considered, personal and beautifully designed.

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