Preserving The Past

Using colour and craft, designer Julia Brendel-Lee has expertly fused the Tudor and Georgian elements of her unique farmhouse, allowing each era to shine

- Penny Botting

House hunting was not easy for Julia Brendell-Lee and Gerry Lee when they decided to move from Surrey to Kent seven years ago. ‘Having young children, Alex, now 13, and Mia, 12, we were on a strict timetable of completing the school drop-off in Surrey, driving down to Kent where we could view a maximum of three properties, then racing back to Surrey in time to collect them,’ recalls Julia.

But the couple’s efforts eventually proved fruitful. ‘It was a coincidence that we came to visit this house,’ says Julia. ‘One of our other viewings was cancelled and we thought we would use the time to see another property, not really thinking much of it. But the second we saw this place, we just knew it was our future home. We couldn’t believe that for the price, which in Surrey would hardly buy us a proper house with an annexe, we could afford all these beautiful buildings with an acre of land, an orchard, a play area for the children, a vegetable garden and outbuildings.’