An Original Hideaway

Su France
6 days ago
5 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

When Art Finds Its Welsh Home

I was so honoured when Anna and Robin from Original Hideaways in Wales decided to include many pieces of my art within the design scheme for their retreat. Original Hideaways isn't just another holiday destination—it's a carefully considered sanctuary, a hideaway, a place where design, landscape, and intentional slowness come together. Anna and Robin have created something rare: spaces that feel both luxurious and deeply grounded, where every detail has been chosen with care and purpose.

Their retreats are tucked into the Welsh landscape in ways that feel organic, as if the buildings themselves are part of the hillside, the valley, the view. The interiors reflect a philosophy of simplicity and quality—natural materials, muted palettes, furniture that invites you to settle in and stay awhile. There's an understanding here that a retreat should do more than provide a bed and a beautiful view; it should offer a kind of permission to pause, to breathe differently, to reconnect with yourself and the natural world.

What struck me most about working with Anna and Robin was their genuine commitment to supporting artists and makers. They see art not as decoration but as an essential part of creating atmosphere, of telling the story of place.

My prints and earth pigmented linens found homes on their walls alongside materials which craftspeople have made with real skill. Each piece was chosen because it speaks to the landscape, to the ethos of what they're building. Walking into one of their spaces and seeing my work there—my attempts to capture the essence of land and light—felt like a deep compliment, a recognition that what I'm trying to say through my art aligns with what they're trying to create through their spaces.

Original Hideaways represents a different kind of hospitality, one that values craft, respects the environment, and understands that true luxury is found in quietness, in authenticity, in spaces that allow you to be fully present. It's been an absolute privilege to be part of what Anna and Robin are creating.

Stitching the feelings of the place- Making in the Moment

While there, I found a little time to sit and stitch. It's the most beautiful place to do this—I sat near the apple tree with the door open, birds singing, the Welsh landscape rolling out before me.

The earthy colours of my cloth might have been drawn directly from this place: the rich browns of ploughed fields, the russet of bracken on the hillsides, soft greys lifted from morning mists that cling to stone walls.

Inspiration was all around—in the texture of weathered bark, in the way light caught the distant mountains, in the colours shifting with each passing cloud.

My stitches became a kind of note-taking, a way of holding onto the feeling of this moment, this place.

For later inspiration, I took many a photo as part of this—capturing the details my hands were too busy to record, building a visual archive to return to in the studio. There's a particular stillness that comes from making something with your hands while surrounded by such quiet beauty, as if the landscape itself is working alongside you.

A Nourishing Retreat

A Journey Through Nature and Self

During our stay, we were fortunate enough to experience one of their pilot retreat offerings—a thoughtfully curated programme that wove together nature, storytelling, and self-reflection. We listened to folklore and stories of trees, their ancient presence so palpable in the hillside above where we stayed. At moments throughout, we paused for guided meditation, times to listen to ourselves and reflect on our place in the world. We tasted

botanical cocktails that felt like the landscape distilled into a glass, nourished ourselves with gorgeous food, and tended to our bodies through yoga, reiki, and a sound bath that seemed to recalibrate something deep within.

Texture, Colour, and Welsh Comfort

The rooms themselves added a profound sense of luxury through texture and colour—Welsh blankets draped over beautifully chosen furniture, the softest of beds that you sank into gratefully at day's end, enveloping chairs that invited long conversations or quiet reading. The shower room was refreshing in both its design and experience, a space that felt considered down to the smallest detail. You could tell that Anna had worked with experts in their field, people who understood how to create spaces that nurture. Our friend Drew from Harriman & Co had helped with some precious finishing touches, those elements that elevate a beautiful space into something truly special.

Fig Leaf Syrup and Lasting Memories

There was creativity woven through the retreat itself—we worked with collected flora from the site, creating flat lays that became unexpected self-portraits, reflections of how we saw ourselves in that moment, in that place. On our return home, I made fig leaf syrup following Guy's recipe, and the sweet taste of it immediately transported me back—the sweet, earthy experience of Original Hideaways flooding through with each sip, a liquid memory of that time.

The buildings are surrounded by a wealth of weathered pattern and natural texture, the characteristics I collect with my camera and provide inspiration for future work.

If this all sounds like something which you'd like to experience too then why not...

join Rachel and Guy Petheram for a luxurious Mabon retreat celebrating the autumn equinox from September 25-28, 2026, at Original Hideaways in Mid Wales.

You may have seen before that I have run courses alongside Rachel at Doddington Hall.

A gentle, yet strong, supportive friend who is beautiful in the way she connects with both nature and people. A really special person. If you'd like to learn more about her you will find her at Catkin Flowers.

Guy, her husband, is a garden designer whose work embodies his philosophy: creating gardens that nurture people, plants, and the planet.

Your chance to experience it

Mabon Retreat Information

As day and night balance perfectly, marking nature's transition to rest, you will together honour the harvest and our connection to the earth through guided walks, meditation, yoga, sound baths, and creative practices.

This bespoke venue offers 10 en-suite bedrooms, wood-fired sauna, and sits within stunning mountainous valleys near Llanidloes. You will be guided through mindfulness activities, foraging walks, and ceremonies including a botanical cocktail evening and Full Moon ritual, while Aimee from Earthly Feasts will provide seasonal, foraged meals.

The retreat is designed for peace and personal reflection—for you to participate as much or as little as you wish, with options for partners to join for meals or the full experience.

A chance to rest, reconnect, and celebrate the season in spectacular surroundings.

Find out more here.

And now for one last look at those beautiful rooms...