HECKFIELD PLACE

With 2020 having been a true annus horribilis for the hospitality sector we look back at the work we did on one of the most presigeous and protracted building restoration projects ever undertaken.

Following a dramatic, almost 10 year-long-journey, that saw managers, chefs and designers come and go, Heckfield Place, finally opened its doors to guests in September 2018.

The epitome of relaxed, country luxury, Heckfield, set in 400 acres of Hampshire countryside, can credit the design inspiration of Ben Thompson at BWT for the stunning interiors. Talking about his approach to the project, Thompson said in an interview with Remodelista, “Our main objective with the interior was to connect the buildings to the landscape and context, to add character and warmth through local materials, local craft, and antiques relevant to the buildings’ history.” He goes on to say, “It has been our job to work hard with craftspeople rather than larger suppliers to ensure everything feels very considered and handmade.”

With this level of attention to detail, it fell to Dave Bell, the group chief engineer on the project, to ensure the same considered approach was taken when specifying the paint. Bell explains, “It was vital we used a paint that was going to give us a beautiful finish and real depth of colour, but it also needed to be tough and stay looking great for a long time. The last thing our guests want is to see is scruffy, scuffed walls, or to have to put up with re-decoration happening during their stay. So, we chose Hanford+Green.

The paint has been great. Two years later the walls still look really good, which is a huge improvement on other brands I’ve used in the past. If we have needed to redecorate a space due to damage, because of Hanford+Green’s super-fast re-coat times and zero odour, we’ve been able to return the space to operation within the day. I don’t know another paint that would allow us to do that.

We also find we use less paint due to the superior coverage, and areas where we would normally redecorate due to marks or scuffing can often now be cleaned, or at worst touched up, without the usual flashing.”