Wiltshire

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So you took on a massive property project at the start of 2020 (yikes!) &#8211; what made you fall in love with Hesdin Estate? 



We looked across the country for a site that would be our next challenge and settled in Wiltshire. The Estate was a big project which hadn’t had any love for years and it was exactly what we were looking for. We wanted to find something that was intrinsically pretty and well connected but needed to be totally gutted and rebuilt from top to bottom. And this did not disappoint!!



Why Wiltshire?



We aren’t from around here but have fallen in love with Wiltshire. Everything is so gorgeous, and we still aren’t bored with seeing all the military aircraft flying above. When we are here though it is full on, speaking to guests, dealing with suppliers, working with the build team. We don’t tend to have much time to explore restaurants. I guess it doesn’t help having two kids under two!



When you do get a moment of spare time, where are your favourite places to explore nearby?



We love having a mooch around Frome and always recommend this to guests. Visiting <a href="https://theoutdoorguide.co.uk/walks/routes-for-little-boots/heavens-gate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Heavens Gate</a> near Longleat or a blowy walk up <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/wiltshire/cley-hill" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cley Hill</a> is always our favourite &#8211; there’s nothing like a Sunday walk to blow away the cobwebs of the night before. In the summer the free water park in Warminster is where we spend most of our time.  We’re lucky to have amazing facilities on our doorstep here. 



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Did you and Jim have much property experience prior to Hesdin?



We did but the barns demanded a whole new level of knowledge that we’ve had to get pretty sharp on, and quick. And building swimming pools is certainly not as simple as just digging a hole. In 2 years we’ve built 4 swimming pools on The Estate so there is nothing we can’t now tell you about slip rating, and water pumps!



How did you manage going into lockdown mid-reno?



It was a challenge and certainly things that we built in the homes which felt appropriate for lockdown, now have been rebranded. We are constantly evolving, designing and tinkering! For example Hesdin Hall had a wonderful study so guests who were working from home, even away, could do work. Now, post-lockdown that wasn’t a space that excited anyone, we’ve embraced that no one wants to be reminded of work, so the study has become another games room! We’ve navigated through lots of mini crises and had fun doing it.



Any funny stories from the process (or ones you can now look back and laugh on)?



There were a lot of times I felt quite overwhelmed, especially as I have no formal background in interior design and I had builders looking to me for answers. I cried for two days solid when my first kitchen island arrived 30cm shorter than I planned &#8211; which is funny now, but wasn’t at the time! I’ve learnt that guests are probably too making epic cocktails or whipping up dinner with family to even notice. 



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Your interior design stamp is all over Hesdin &#8211; where do you get your design inspo from? 



I&#8217;m not a professional interior designer, but we&#8217;ve stayed in a lot of Air BnBs over the years and have compiled a list of things we like, and things we aren&#8217;t so keen on. We are inspired by amazing restaurants (not just the food but the interiors), and really love seeing how huge soulless spaces have been carved up into cute little nooks and areas which aid conversation and fun. That&#8217;s the challenge with a lot of our homes as they are so big &#8211; so you sort of think &#8216;how do you create space?&#8217; Next thing I&#8217;d like to try is wall murals à la Kelly Wearstler&#8217;s <a href="https://www.properhotel.com/kelly-wearstler/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proper Hotels</a>, but I&#8217;m not sure how I can take my little canvases into a big room. Perhaps I&#8217;ll practise in my own living room first.



There are some incredible dining rooms at the Hesdin estate &#8211; who would be at your dream dinner party?



With two kids under two I&#8217;d like to just be able to eat a meal hot! I think Davina McCall would be great fun and get stuck in with the tidying up. I&#8217;d find the idea of hosting a formal dinner party rather terrifying, but Davina seems like she&#8217;d be wearing comfies like me and wouldn&#8217;t wait for her glass to be filled up.&nbsp;I&#8217;ve poured over the recent Beckham documentary and would love to have a meal with them &#8211; mainly because I&#8217;d want to be invited back to see their stunning house in all its glory! If their outside kitchen tent looks so amazing, what will their actual Cotswolds kitchen look like?



Any advice for Muddy readers thinking of going into the holiday home game &#8211; or just doing a massive renovation of their own?



Download a task manager and write everything down. You’ve got to wear a lot of hats and really interrogate what you’re doing and why.



See Laurie&#8217;s work for yourself at <a href="https://hesdin.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Hesdin Estate</a> in Champmanslade.

Muddy meets Laurie Nichol, Hesdin Estate

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