Walking into Kin House is a little like arriving at the home of a good friend - albeit one with exceptional taste. From the double-height main hall to the speakeasy-style Fitz Bar (not to mention all 12 of the seamlessly kitted-out bedrooms), this Grade II-listed Georgian manor feels instantly like somewhere you'd like to kick back with family and friends. Which is just as it should be: Kin House has been redesigned by the team at design studio Barlow & Barlow, with the aim of transforming a crumbling wreck into the ultimate party destination.
Situated on the edge of the village of Kington Langley in Wiltshire (just over an hour's train ride from London), Kin House is set within its own walled gardens and private woodland and has been painstakingly restored over the past year. Now, it's fast becoming the style set's new go-to for everything from lavish weekend mini-breaks to intimate weddings.
It's Barlow & Barlow's first-ever commercial project, which creative director Lucy Barlow (pictured left) found somewhat daunting. 'I was anxious to get it right,' she says, 'but the way you grow is by saying yes to opportunities outside your comfort zone. And Kin House combines two of my favourite things in life: Georgian architecture and parties!'
Transforming Kin House, once a run-down care home, was no mean feat. 'There were animals living in the main hall, and it was completely falling apart. Stripping it all out and taking it back to the bare bones was a challenge,' says Barlow. 'We sourced antiques and vintage as much as we could. And we designed a lot of pieces ourselves - for example, the curved bedside tables. We wanted to do a scheme that was timeless.'
© Owen GaleDesigner Lucy Barlow pictured in Kin House's shell grotto
That meant including lighting from British designers like Pooky and Vaughan, Portuguese-made upholstery, and exquisite details such as freestanding baths wrapped in Fermoie's 'Shell Grotto' fabric (pictured right) and varnished against water damage - the same fabric has been used to create drawstring bags for hairdryers and chargers. Then there's the impressive tiled events space, and even a dressing room with touches of leopard print, fitted with hair-washing sinks and squashy swivel chairs at a marble bar.
Most eye-catching of all is the shell grotto, carved into a natural niche in the hall and designed by artist Mel Campion. The nautical motif is one often referenced in Georgian architecture - the original clam pediment above the door at Kin House being a prime example - and you'd often find a shell grotto in extravagant Georgian houses. 'Lots of people have photobooths at parties, and this was our own take on the idea,' says Barlow.
Kin House may be open for bookings already, but this magnificent restoration project is not yet over. The other half of the estate - comprising the old bath house, stables and formal gardens, sectioned off years ago - has also been bought back. The stable blocks will become more bedrooms, and the bath house will be transformed into a conservatory. 'I think it's so important to put these houses back together, and restore the estate to what it was,' says Barlow. Already, it's clear that Kin House's future is set to be just as spectacular as its past. kinhouse.co.uk