Kindred Haven Villas grew from two Norwich restorers who spent more time explaining why a room felt wrong than hanging new curtains. Eleanor Marsh trained in textile conservation at the Castle Museum; James Hale came from joinery yards along the Wensum. Together they built a studio that treats country houses as sequences of rooms with memory, not blank canvases for trends.
First flint cottage
A weekend commission in Blakeney introduced us to Norfolk flint gables and low ceiling beams clients were afraid to darken.
Gentleman's Walk desk
We opened a review room above the market so clients could compare oak samples against Norwich daylight before ordering.
Guest wing focus
Annexes and pool houses became steady work as owners invited family for longer Norfolk stays and needed spare rooms that felt intentional.
County portfolio
Forty-two completed rooms across NR postcodes, from Elm Hill parlours to new-build villas near the Broads.
Board method
Every commission now moves through Scope, Design, and Handoff columns so owners always know which rooms sit where.
How we work with owners
Most clients arrive with furniture they inherited and rooms that fight the architecture. We inventory what stays, what moves to a guest wing, and what leaves before any new purchase list is written. That honesty saves money and keeps family pieces visible rather than stored in outbuildings.
We do not sell goods on margin. Sourcing fees are disclosed on the pricing page, and you may buy directly from makers we recommend around Norfolk and Suffolk.
Team at the walk-through address
Eleanor leads textile, colour, and soft furnishing decisions. James reads joinery, chimney openings, and floor levels. Freya Okonkwo joined in 2023 to coordinate site days across the county when both founders are on different farms the same week.
Studio hours run Tuesday to Friday, 9:30 to 17:00, with Saturday visits by appointment for clients travelling from London or Cambridge.
Local rooms we know well
Norwich Cathedral Close apartments need quiet palettes that respect listed plaster. North Norfolk flint cottages punish glossy finishes and oversized sectionals. Broadland villas often have generous glazing that calls for layered linen rather than heavy velvet.
We keep sample boards for each building type so first meetings start with materials that already suit your walls, not a national catalogue defaults.
Starting a commission
Most projects open with an email describing your property type, postcode, and the rooms that frustrate you daily. We reply within two working days with available visit dates and a fee outline from the pricing page.
If you prefer to see the studio first, walk-ins are welcome Tuesday to Friday after 14:00 when we are not on site elsewhere in the county.