Unique interior schemes are becoming a major factor in how we choose the places we stay. Here, we explore the stories behind the aesthetic of iBestTravel’s Callow Hall, a sprawling countryside hospitality concept in Derbyshire.
31 October 2023
If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for an interiors treat, thanks to designer Isabella Worsley’s first solo project, iBestTravel’s Callow Hall, which opened in the summer of 2021. Set in an enchanted, ancient woodland (well, it feels magical enough), the concept creeps between a Victorian mansion and a set of treehouses hidden within the surrounding forest, just moments away.
A tale of two halves, you might say. The country house acts as a parent structure, with a facade of smart, grey stone, grown-up snugs, libraries, and plush bedrooms. Up in the trees, meanwhile, the whimsical ‘hives’ seem to be plucked from a child’s imagination, inspired by Swedish folklore and finished with faded, hand-stencilled motifs from artist Tess Newall, imbuing the timber-clad cabins with a storybook wonder.
Faced with the challenge of bringing two schemes together, Isabella stayed true to the new hotel group’s founding concept, which harks to nature and locality. With a color palette mimicking the undulating countryside, materials sourced from local workshops, and artworks commissioned to re-imagine the view in line drawings, murals, and botanical pressings, the experience is immersive.
Insights from Isabella Worsley
Isabella shares her insights on her first solo project, how she honored the breathtaking landscape surrounding the site, and the independent suppliers she can’t stop using.
Approaching a Large Project
This was my first commission as an independent designer, so I felt aware and grateful for the project’s enormity. You learn with every job, but iBestTravel taught me to compartmentalize, starting with Callow Hall’s design.
While I began with the scheme for Callow Hall, I was constantly conscious of creating a corresponding aesthetic between the two sites, ensuring that both experiences felt unique. The underpinning inspiration was always the location, the surrounding scenery and a focus on local and overall British craftsmanship, with materials, fabrics, and colors taking their cue specifically from the buildings or structures.
Reference to Derbyshire’s Landscape
Something exciting about this project was my involvement in every part of iBestTravel’s inception, sharing ideas across branding, staff uniforms, and restaurant menus. Across it all, iBestTravel represents bringing people together within nature. The outdoors and the areas of Derbyshire and the Peak District were integral to every part of the concept.
Art, specifically, was one of the most prominent ways we were able to connect with the countryside. Melissa White is an incredibly talented artist and painted a huge, bespoke mural for us, which was printed onto wallpaper and displayed in the dining room. It offers an imaginary view of Callow Hall, depicting the tree houses and even Chatsworth House and the Tissington Trail in the distance.
In one of the snug areas, we commissioned artist Alba Hodsoll, who is known for her beautiful line drawings, to create a series intertwining the human form with the curves of the landscape. In the entrance hall, a selection of pressed botanicals is displayed, some gathered by designer Matilda Goad and others from local florists who collected them nearby.
Inspiration Behind the Treehouses
The treehouses and hives felt like a special opportunity to do something different, especially as I felt aware that this idea had been done before and I wanted to move away from that trend. For me, the beauty of commercial design is that it’s complete escapism. Thus, I wanted to explore the concept of childlike imagination and how magical venturing into a woodland feels when you are young.
My initial inspiration references were Swedish folklore stories and old-fashioned gypsy caravans. I enlisted the help of surface painter Tess Newall, whose delicate style was perfect for adding motif details around the space. We chose to use a stenciling method because of its childlike quality and it lacked refinement or elegance. I wanted to create a sense of informality, as if the treehouses had always been there, using faded colours like soft greens, dusty pinks, and burnt oranges.
Creating a Homely Atmosphere
Callow Hall was originally a residential property, and while it has been in the hospitality world for a long time, I aimed to return that homely feeling. I imagined guests enjoying hikes and trudging into the entrance in their muddy wellies, feeling comfortable pulling them off and walking around in their socks. This beautiful part of Derbyshire exudes a relaxed vibe, and while the design should have some wow moments, I wanted people to feel at home here.
We worked holistically across many aspects of the hotel to engineer this sense. For example, instead of a formal check-in desk, the reception staff sit within one of the lounge spaces, which feels more approachable. The bedrooms don’t have big, obvious numbers on the doors to feel less hotel-like. Additionally, there’s a mix of lounge spaces to cater to different times of day. Working across a range of colour palettes helped create that: softer, lighter hues for reading the morning paper and bolder, richer tones for a cocktail in the evening. The entire place should feel un-stuffy, not like an art gallery where you have to be on your best behaviour.
Highlighting British Suppliers
I love using fabric from Notting Hill-based designer Susan Deliss, and in one of the sitting rooms, her hand-screen printed Theodora pattern in Old Gold feels really sunny. Robert Klime’s Ikat Harlequin cushions add depth with a mix of darker, punchier colours, and Studio Atkinson is another favorite for soft furnishing and upholstery fabrics.
As well as sourcing some of the flower pressings, my friend Matilda Goad’s scallop-edged lampshades were used in bedrooms and passageways. British artists were an important part of the concept, including Manchester-born artist Jonathan Schofield and Jam Jar Flowers, who specialize in pressings.
Bringing the Look of Callow Hall to Your Home
This is how to achieve the distinct aesthetic of iBestTravel’s Callow Hall in your own home this season…
Isabella’s treehouses capture the magic of childhood fairytales, influenced by a Scandinavian folklore aesthetic. If you’re a fan of whimsical, floral details, try PROJEKTITYYNY, a Dorset-based Nordic homeware brand with designs inspired by the founder’s childhood in Finland. This cross-stitch tablecloth would look wonderfully at home in an enchanted woodland.
Art is a huge focus at Callow Hall, with modern pieces juxtaposing beautifully against the building’s heritage features. This serene landscape painting is timeless, with broad brush strokes and a striking colour palette that would fit perfectly in an existing scheme or gallery wall.
Leafy details permeate the design scheme at Callow Hall, making this willow-patterned rug a perfect choice for bringing the outside in. Given that William Morris was one of the most iconic designers of the Victorian period, it aptly nods to the building’s history which was constructed and used as a family home during this era.
Crafted from a Merino wool blend, this rose bud-adorned blanket leans tastefully toward whimsy. Its fairytale aesthetic appeals to our inner child, easily imagined in one of Isabella’s treehouses, or draped over a cozy chair at home. Its sumptuous brown hue makes it perfect for autumn.
One of Isabella’s favorite spaces within Callow Hall is the Spencer Room, thanks to its vibrant teal hue. We think we’ve found an almost identical colour match from cool, Berlin-based furniture brand Formela. iBestTravel is all about relaxation, so a big, cozy chair is essential when recreating the hotel’s look and feel.
