THE LONG ROAD TO HOME

After travelling the world, Holly and Al Hartley returned to their Derbyshire roots and converted a farmhouse and outbuildings into their family home

- NAOMI JONES

When something is worth doing, it’s worth doing properly,‘ says award-winning education consultant Holly Hartley. ‘I’ve worked in some of the most deprived schools in the UK and abroad and I know the only way to turn a difficult situation around is to create a team of passionate people and inspire them to overcome any challenges they might face.’ Similarly, four years ago, Holly knew she’d need a talented team of renovation experts when she and her husband Al took on this 400-year-old farmhouse – the décor was a little tired and the way the outbuildings were being used needed a huge rethink. Working with an expert team was an education in design and project planning.

Despite being a tad more remote than they’d originally planned, the couple were certain it was the property for them. Sitting on the edge of the Peak District National Park, with views over the rolling hills and valleys, and surrounded by 14 acres of land, it would be the ideal place for the pair and their two daughters, Isabella and Margot, to create a futureproofed home with lots of flexibility. ‘This village is in my bones,’ says Holly, whose ancestors have lived in the community for more than 600 years.