Every home has a story. Sometimes a house is steeped in history, where every brick and beam has borne witness to the generations who have lived there before. Others are a canvas upon which owners imprint their own distinctive style, often pouring heart and soul into every detail.

While there are chapters in Merryweather’s story that speak to both of these ideas, the real story behind this beautiful family home is one of teamwork, trust and collaboration. Some houses reflect their owners’ taste; this one reflects their values.

It also offers a fascinating insight into what has made owners Jo and Richard such a successful partnership in the businesses they run and why Merryweather has become the perfect retreat for couples and families looking to rent a house for a celebratory gathering or a half-term escape.

Intrepid entrepreneurs Jo and Richard have built and operated businesses internationally. Originally from Kent, Richard moved to Australia around 25 years ago, where he later met Jo in Sydney. During this time, he co-founded and grew a global B2B media business before relocating to Toronto to expand into North America. Other ventures followed.

Over time, their work expanded into tourism and hospitality-led projects as new opportunities emerged. Just before lockdown they moved to the Caribbean, where they bought a derelict resort in English Harbour, Antigua, with plans to bring it back to life. They began by transforming the existing restaurant into what is now widely recognised as one of the island’s leading beach clubs – with a reputation built on attention to detail and guest experience.

Hospitality, it seems, runs through their portfolio. They also co-own a historic site in the Rockies – a former gold mine that today operates as one of the region’s leading outdoor tourist attractions.
When you work in hospitality, every detail matters, from the design of the physical environment to the service delivered by the team. The former demands an eye for aesthetics and a deep understanding of how spaces function.

The latter requires something entirely different: the ability to build a culture where people feel engaged and empowered to deliver exceptional experiences. Both require trust.
It was precisely this spirit of collaboration between Jo and Richard and their award-winning interior designer Michelle Shakallis that transformed Merryweather into the elegant and welcoming home it is today. It is also why Jo and Richard feel comfortable sharing the house with guests through

Bloom Stays, confident that both the property and its visitors will be expertly looked after. Like many families who have built successful lives overseas, the desire to secure a first-class education for their children ultimately drew them back to the UK, and in particular to Kent, where we are blessed with a wealth of outstanding schools. With Richard’s family nearby and their children happily settled at school in Canterbury, creating a local base where they could gather during Christmas and other school holidays made perfect sense.

When they purchased the house in August 2024, however, it needed considerable reimagining. “When we arrived,” Jo explains, “the house didn’t really work. We had to rethink quite a lot of the floorplan.” The primary bedroom, for instance, could only be reached by walking through another bedroom, effectively rendering the second room unusable as a private space. By introducing a new corridor, they created an independent entrance for the primary bedroom while restoring privacy to both rooms. They also converted a second en suite into a much-needed family bathroom by creating a new access point from what had once been a cupboard door. 

Downstairs, removing a chimney between the kitchen and breakfast room opened up the space dramatically, allowing the creation of a generous kitchen island. “To keep the space feeling cosy,” Jo continues, “we added bespoke doors between the dining area and kitchen. That way we could enjoy open-plan living when we wanted it but still create an intimate dining space when we didn’t.” Underfloor heating in the kitchen, primary bathroom and sun room added another layer of comfort.
With the structure resolved, the next step was to bring the interiors to life and for that they turned to interior designer Michelle Shakallis.

Michelle picks up the story. “In my first conversations with Jo and Richard, we started by discussing how they wanted the space to feel. While the architecture of the house is traditional, they weren’t looking for the typical light-and-bright farmhouse aesthetic. Instead, they wanted something warmer, cosier and more enveloping.”

Much of the inspiration came from the landscape surrounding the house. Set amid rolling farmland, the property offered a natural palette from which to draw. “We wanted the interiors to echo the countryside outside,” Michelle explains, “using biophilic design principles to give the house depth and texture.

Jo and Richard were particularly drawn to rich, moody tones: deep greens, blues, and soft blacks.”
In the primary bedroom, living room and open-plan kitchen-dining space, they moved decisively away from safe neutrals. “It was a bold choice,” Michelle says, “but one that immediately grounded the house.”

To prevent the darker palette from feeling heavy, she layered textures and lighting throughout the rooms. In the sun room, dining room and kitchen, lime-wash finishes were used on both walls and ceilings, adding a beautifully tactile quality. “The brick fireplace and the layers of fabrics in the sun room bring everything together,” she says.

Jo describes the design process as deeply collaborative. “Michelle asked a lot of questions and really listened to everything we wanted. We shared images of things we loved, and she translated those into detailed designs for every room, from paint colours and fabrics to furniture and soft furnishings.”
Remarkably, six to seven months of the twelve-month project were spent refining the design before work began. That investment of time meant that once installation started, everyone involved had complete clarity about the vision. It felt rather like applying the old carpenter’s rule – measure twice, cut once – to interior design.

As Richard explains: “When you operate businesses remotely, as we do, you have to trust both the process and the team.” That confidence also extends to their approach to investment. “In my experience,” Richard says, “projects like this tend to add more value than they cost.” Perhaps if more of us started with that perspective, we might finally tackle the renovation or redesign project we’ve been quietly postponing.
For many homeowners the idea of employing an interior designer can feel daunting or expensive. What was refreshing about Michelle’s approach was her ability to blend high-end finishes with accessible pieces.

Alongside fabrics from Jane Clayton and paints from COAT and Farrow & Ball, she sourced furniture and soft furnishings from brands such as The Cotswold Company, Sofa.com and M&S. The result is a home that feels elevated but not intimidating; stylish, yet wonderfully liveable.
At the same time they were transforming their Canterbury house, Jo and Richard were also building a new home in Antigua. When that project temporarily paused, they asked its project manager to oversee the Merryweather renovation as well. His meticulous attention to detail, daily conversations with the couple and regular photographic updates via WhatsApp allowed them to maintain a light but consistent touch on both projects from afar.

From the outset, Jo and Richard knew they wanted the house to work as a holiday rental, and that decision subtly influenced several design choices. Working with Bloom Stays, they added a games room complete with a pool table – perfect for families and weekend gatherings. Jo and Richard are naturally sociable people, and Merryweather reflects that spirit. Alongside a generous wine fridge for long dinners and relaxed evenings with friends, the kitchen also features an enormous American-style fridge – a nod to their years in North America. “Once you’ve had one of those,” Jo laughs, “it’s hard to go back.”
Although Merryweather works beautifully as a holiday rental, it still carries plenty of personal touches that remind you it is first and foremost a family home.

In the principal bedroom, a striking photograph of Galleon Beach in Antigua – home to Jo and Richard’s beach club – offers a subtle invitation to dream of sunnier shores, even as you enjoy a quintessentially English moment: morning tea on the bedroom balcony overlooking the surrounding apple orchards. Elsewhere, their son’s room features a collection of striking vintage-style movie posters, while their daughter has shared some of her vinyl

records, displayed like artwork on the walls.
Bloom Stays requires the house to be available for a minimum number of weeks each year, but the arrangement suits them well. Jo and Richard simply block out the periods they know they’ll want to be there – Christmas and parts of the summer holidays – then release the remaining dates once their travel plans are confirmed. It is, in many ways, a very modern approach to owning a second home.

For guests, however, the experience is blissfully simple. Merryweather is a place to gather, to slow down and to enjoy time together, whether for a long weekend with friends or a full family holiday. Just a short distance from historic Canterbury yet surrounded by orchards, bike paths and country walks, it offers the very best of Kent. And with trains from nearby Canterbury West reaching St Pancras in as little as 54 minutes, there’s really no excuse for your London friends not to join you.

Address Book:
You can book a stay at Merryweather through Bloom Stays. To find out more, see bloomstays.com/property/merryweather
Closs & Hamblin candh.co.uk
Drench drench.co.uk 
Gfurb Building & Refurbishment Services 07921 510004 (bespoke kitchen island and much of the building and installation work)
Impressions Joinery impressionsjoinery.co.uk
Michelle Shakallis Interiors michelleshakallis.com
South East Stone sestone.co.uk