SOMERSET FARMHOUSE
The new home that brought fresh focus to early-retired couple Suzanne and Gary McConnell has inspired a business venture, too
EXTERIOR
Originally a farmhouse, the main building has been extended twice over the years. The house sits in around 11 acres of fields and garden, and there’s a lake which attracts lots of wildlife
For Suzanne and Gary McConnell, the prospect of early retirement was just a little too leisurely. ‘We were used to being busy and once we had sold our business we wanted to find a new purpose; something to get us both excited again,’ explains Suzanne. The spark of a new business idea came when their son Grant got married in Norfolk. ‘We saw a country house wedding venue and we could see how that might work for us,’ she adds. It was enough to get the couple searching for a property near Glastonbury, where they had both grown up – eventually finding this home in 2020. It’s a former farmhouse set in 11 acres, complete with pool, tennis court and outbuildings.
The house itself was sound but the interiors were tired. A few of the rooms seemed to lack a clear role, and furniture that had passed from owner to owner was looking more shabby than chic. So Suzanne turned to her friends, interior designers Lucy Simpson and Lucy Diamond, to help with the transformation.
‘Suz and Gary had been living here for about a year and that was helpful in understanding what they needed from the space,’ explains Lucy. The couple have dogs so adding a proper lobby and dog room/boot room was a practical move. Gary had his heart set on a cinema room, and a dark living room with a low ceiling was the natural location. Another room to the rear of the house with a great view became an office and library.
The designers brought in swatches, samples and moodboards. But Suzanne has a great eye herself and it was while they were choosing fabrics and finishes that the true spark for a new business came.
‘Suz has always had an interest in interiors and furnishings and we would go to design fairs together,’ explains Lucy. ‘One night we were having a chat and there was a real lightbulb moment. Before we knew it, what started as an idea for a cushion shop with a few lifestyle bits turned into a plan for a full design business. And so Parker & Dot was born, operating out of a barn right here.’
With a fledgling business onsite, the early days were challenging. ‘Our first desk operated out of what is now the cinema room. It was being used for storage so we were picking our way through towers of boxes and beds to get to work,’ says Lucy. When renovations move
