Tech entrepreneur Rose Hulse brings sophisticated comfort to her Georgian home
Not far from an area of outstanding natural beauty in the West Country, on land rich in pre-Anglo Saxon remains, is a 1760s Georgian house of great elegance. Built originally for a wealthy merchant, it was purchased in 2017 by George Hulse as a wedding present for his wife Rose.
A gem from the outside, it had been jarringly modernised on the inside and many of the 18th-century features had been swept away. However, it did have some perfectly proportioned rooms and deliciously weathered original flagstones on the ground floor. It cried out to be restored to its former glory and, as the roof, plumbing and electrics were all in good condition, the couple went ahead and took the plunge.
Living in a Grade II*-listed house in south-west England is a far cry from Los Angeles, where Rose was brought up, but her life there had prepared her for an appreciation of different cultures. Her mother’s family is Ethiopian and her paternal grandparents were English and Nigerian. ‘I learned from my mother to focus on Africa’s beauty and strength rather than its suffering. And I imbibed English traditions from my grandfather, who introduced us to Sunday roasts and bread and butter pudding,’ she explains.
After receiving her university degree in business, Rose worked in publishing and then in film, at the Sundance Institute, later spending time in Argentina and in New York. In 2012, wanderlust raised its head again. ‘I wanted one more adventure before settling down,’ says Rose, who decided on impulse to move to London. ‘Within six months, I was dating George, who works in shipping, I had set up my own tech company and my life changed completely.’
In October 2020, reacting to the many nights spent at home during lockdown, her company morphed into the inspirational app ScreenHits TV, with which subscribers can integrate their streaming platforms in one place. She was recently included in Variety magazine’s inaugural Silicon Valleywood Impact Report.
Life in the country with their two daughters, aged two and six, offered an invaluable antidote to George and Rose’s high-octane business lives in London and, having acquired the house, they moved in without delay. ‘I realised the importance of listening to the house,’ says Rose. ‘I was aware that some of my ideas might not be compatible with those of the Georgian period, so we lived in it for a few years, before making any major decisions.’
Eventually they turned to architectural firm Simon Morray-Jones, which specialises in 18th-century buildings, for help with planning permission, the restructuring of the library, kitchen and boot room, and the restoration of the original features. Later, Robert Kime’s team gave advice on upholstery and fabrics.
As you enter the house, a magnificent stone hallway offers up a tantalising vista through the library to the conservatory beyond, overlooked by a bust of the Greek mythological figure Laocoön. The paint colour here is ‘French Blue’ by Edward Bulmer Natural Paint. ‘It was a risk, as it would have to cover the entire hall and the well of the stairs,’ says Rose. ‘So thank goodness it worked – it brings both a masculine energy and an intimacy to the space.'
The blue colour scheme continues in the first room to your right, the music room. However, here a more theatrical shade, Farrow & Ball’s ‘Drawing Room Blue’, provides an inspired backdrop for the grand piano that sits, as though on stage, in the bay window.
Two previously damp little rooms beyond this were amalgamated and became the library. Here, the bookcases were designed by Rose and crafted by Distinctive Country Furniture, and new Georgian-style panelling and french windows opening out to the garden were installed. The space leads directly into the conservatory, which is fragrant with miniature lemon and lime trees.
The dining room, to the left of the front door, is entirely lit by candles at night, creating a warm glow, which is enhanced by walls in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Eating Room Red’. The Georgians discovered that a warm Etruscan red lent itself to the reflections of silver and crystal when the table is set – as it does to this day.
A massive dresser in the kitchen beyond could conceivably be original and was moved from the opposite wall to accommodate a new window. ‘We added wainscoting behind it to give an older feel, kept the elevated ceiling height and painted the beams,’ says Rose. ‘I bought several different chairs on Ebay rather than a set, to get the feeling of a home that had evolved naturally over the years.’
As you go through the grand hall and up the stairs, past a portrait of Rose by painter Simon Watkins, you catch a glimpse of the lively ‘Darwin’ wallpaper – an 18th-century design produced today by Little Greene – in the master bedroom. To simultaneously embrace English country life and the Georgian period as a Californian is quite a feat, and Rose seems to have achieved this effortlessly.
Simon Morray-Jones: sm-j.com | Robert Kime: robertkime.com
Paul Massey1/7The mirror above the mantelpiece came from the family’s London house. A painting by Rose in the manner of Modigliani hangs above a wooden chest Rose sourced the globe lantern through Dreweatts auction house. It is lit by candles and, in the evening, the warm glow it creates is enhanced by walls painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Eating Room Red’.
Paul Massey2/7Walls in ‘Drawing Room Blue’ from Farrow & Ball’s archive collection set the stage for the 1901 Challen grand piano in the bay window. The lampshade on the left is from Robert Kime. The centre of the room is dominated by a large footstool bought by George in Hamburg, over which is a throw from Katherine Fraser.
Paul Massey3/7An antique table, restored by Distinctive Country Furniture, sits on stone floor tiles from Mandarin Stone. The Delft tiles above the range are from Norton Tile Company. An extra beam was installed to support the light from Cowshed Interiors.
Paul Massey4/7The bust of Laocoön was bought from antique dealer Drew Pritchard, who was recommended by Rita Konig. The rugs were from Woolley & Wallis and above the dado the walls are in ‘French Blue’ by Edward Bulmer Natural Paint.
Paul Massey5/7Edward Bulmer’s ‘French Blue’ continues on the walls up the stairs, on which hangs a full-length portrait of Rose by Simon Watkins.
Paul Massey6/7The red tones of the ‘Darwin’ wallpaper from Little Greene, based on an 18th-century design, are picked up by the checked fabric of a chair left by the previous owners.
Paul Massey7/7The ‘Monkey Puzzle’ wallpaper by Linwood is another 18th-century design; the wall light and shade are from Pooky
