"Home is the happiness created by the sum of tiny things"
Ines de la Fressange
We know from our many guests that Barnfield House is very different to ‘full time’ holiday lets. Perhaps that is because it is indeed our home for part of the year. Elegant furniture and contemporary paintings sit comfortably with heritage artefacts in the eclectic interiors that reflect our expat years in Asia. Expect a huge selection of fiction, non-fiction and coffee table books, CDs, and board games for all ages. There’s WiFi throughout with super-fast broadband internet, Sonos speakers, and multi-channel Freesat 55-inch TV with Amazon Prime and Netflix. We aim for our guests to feel completely at home, so have focused on those tiny things that add up to a happy home-from-home holiday experience
Indoor Living
The generous living areas – large drawing room, sitting/TV room and dining hall – are handsomely furnished with comfortable sofas, Chinese cabinets and Tibetan chests. Contemporary paintings adorn the wall, Asian objets d’art abound, and Turkish kilims and oriental rugs cover the original 1930s wood floors. The social heart of the house is the large dining hall with its mid-century extending table and silk-upholstered chairs. To one side is the elegant drawing room with comfortable sofas set before a wood-burner. To the other is the sitting room with multi-channel 55-inch TV with Amazon Prime and Netflix. There is also a study where guests may retreat for the odd work Zoom, or kids can play board games. And at the top of the house is our ‘landing library’ with quiet reading corner.
Kitchen
We know how frustrating it is to arrive at a holiday rental to find only the most basic equipment that makes cooking a challenge….where’s the salt, the garlic press, the salad spinner? Our large kitchen is sure to inspire creative cooks, and you’ll find everything you need to whip up family meals and the most creative celebration dinners – there’s even a sous vide for Masterchef lovers. Dip into our favourite cookery books (Ottolenghi among them), and accompanying selection of herbs and spices.
The large farmhouse table, with its view towards the apple orchard, is perfect for family breakfasts and casual suppers Beyond is a utility room with washing machine, tumble dryer, butler’s sink, and door to the rear patio and breakfast pergola.
Outdoor Living
Barnfield House offers plenty of outdoor living space for activities and relaxation. A special feature is the fan-shaped deck lying beyond the dining hall— a south-facing sun-trap partially covered by a wisteria-draped pergola, with seating and dining area and sweeping countryside views. To the side of the house is a second patio and rose-covered pergola, providing a shady spot for breakfast … and a Little Tykes cottage for our youngest guests.
Bedrooms
Enjoy a blissful night’s sleep at Barnfield House. All five bedrooms have garden views, with the three south-facing bedrooms enjoying spectacular countryside views. The beds will be made up with quality cotton bed linen, ready for your arrival. Duvets and pillows are either goose-down or microfibre, and we supply a bath towel and hand towel for each guest.
Master bedroom suite
Enjoy the far-reaching countryside view from your dreamy Indonesian teakwood four-poster bed —you won’t want to get up in the morning, and will look forward to the luxury of sinking under the duvet cover at bedtime. The suite has a private bathroom with bathtub designed for two and separate shower enclosure. The walk-in wardrobe has more hanging space than possibly needed, so no need to skimp on packing
Guest bedrooms
There are four guest bedrooms — one with a king-size bed, one a double, one with twin beds, and the smallest with a trundle bed that can be configured as a single, twins or a king-size bed. The guest bedrooms share three bathrooms, and there is a guest washroom downstairs.
Gardens
Barnfield House sits in sprawling gardens extending to 2.5 acres (1 hectare), looking over the countryside toward a 13th Century church in the distance. There is ample parking, a flat area for football, cricket and croquet, and a large south-facing lawn sloping towards farmland beyond the boundary. Mature shrubs and trees line the borders along with a riot of Rhododendrons — swathes of daffodils herald Spring, and our Autumn guests enjoy a windfall from the apple orchard. At the bottom of the garden lies a large, deep, unfenced pond shaded by oak trees rising from the steep banks. And tucked away is a paddock that provides space for kids to improvise their own entertainment.
House Layout
Barnfield House is a1930s traditional Kent weatherboard house sitting on elevated south-facing land that catches the full day’s sun. Accommodation is spread across three floors. On the ground level is the drawing room, sitting/TV room, dining hall and kitchen. Also on this floor is a study, washroom and utility room. The five bedrooms lie on the first floor — a master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, and four guest bedrooms and two family bathrooms. On the second floor is another bathroom and a landing library with kiddies’ corner.
