Updown Farmhouse: A Colorful Country Retreat in Kent

Less than six months ago, Updown Farmhouse opened just outside Deal in Kent. It began with a few quiet supper clubs hosted by some of the UK’s best chefs: Anna Tobias, Will Bowlby, Rowley Leigh, and Alex Jackson were each invited to cook one-off long-table suppers for a handful of lucky guests.

At the same time, young owners Oli Brown and Ruth Leigh were busy restoring the property, a 17th-century farmhouse with two converted cottages in the grounds. Some months later, they were able to open their kitchen on a more regular basis (though the restaurant is still, for now, under a temporary structure under a picturesque pergola). Soon after, they opened the main house to overnight guests. We couldn’t wait to take a look around:

“Updown is really two different houses stuck together,” explains Ruth (who is the daughter of chef Rowley Leigh). The oldest part of the house was built in the 1690s and extended in the mid-Victorian era. It was a working farm until the 1980s. “We really fell in love the second we walked in,” she says. “It felt like we weren’t trying to impose a concept on to the site. Everything just naturally fit.”

Inside, the interiors are an amalgam of architectural styles. Because of the way in which in the building has evolved over time, many of the rooms are generously proportioned and bright, which has encouraged Ruth and Oli to make brilliant, bold color choices.