Our story
In 2012, owners Katie and Mark, swapped their hectic London lifestyle for a new life in the beautiful Devon countryside. With their two small children and Katie's parents in tow, and after months of house-hunting, they stumbled across Smithenhayes Farm, a 500-year-old Devon farmhouse in need of love and attention. The property also had an annexe for Katie's parents and a crumbling old stone barn, with huge potential for conversion.
Following many years working in the hospitality industry, Katie and Mark were keen to work on a project of their own so they set about creating The Milkshed - converting the former Milking parlour into a luxury self-catering property.
Whilst Katie concentrated on the design, layout and interiors of the barn, Mark got hands-on landscaping the garden and transforming the outside space (a wonderful excuse to buy a lawnmower - or three!). The couple had a wonderful team of local craftsmen for the majority of the conversion but chose to re-point the stone walls of the entire building by hand themselves, to keep the project within budget.
After a year of hard work, juggling several jobs and working on the project in any spare time they could find, The Milkshed opened for business in Spring 2014. Since opening, Katie and Mark have won numerous tourism awards for The Milkshed, but perhaps more rewardingly have seen many guests choosing to return to The Milkshed time after time.
In 2015-6 and with The Milkshed fully up and running, Katie and Mark turned their attention to their second project, a bespoke catering company, specialising in weddings. Milkshed Catering now caters for over 80 weddings a year across Devon and the South West - leaving just enough time for Mark to mow The Milkshed's lawn and for Katie to bake the welcome scones!
With 2020-21 came the global pandemic - an enforced closure of both the holiday rental and wedding catering business gave Katie and Mark the time to spend planning their next project. The Hideaway joined the Milkshed collection in May 2022 - inspired by repeat holiday makers asking for more space so they could bring family/friends, and the couples' love of an interior/exterior design project, it completes Milkshed (for the time being, at least!).
Katie and Mark look forward to sharing their little corner of Devon with you.
Following many years working in the hospitality industry, Katie and Mark were keen to work on a project of their own so they set about creating The Milkshed - converting the former Milking parlour into a luxury self-catering property.
Whilst Katie concentrated on the design, layout and interiors of the barn, Mark got hands-on landscaping the garden and transforming the outside space (a wonderful excuse to buy a lawnmower - or three!). The couple had a wonderful team of local craftsmen for the majority of the conversion but chose to re-point the stone walls of the entire building by hand themselves, to keep the project within budget.
After a year of hard work, juggling several jobs and working on the project in any spare time they could find, The Milkshed opened for business in Spring 2014. Since opening, Katie and Mark have won numerous tourism awards for The Milkshed, but perhaps more rewardingly have seen many guests choosing to return to The Milkshed time after time.
In 2015-6 and with The Milkshed fully up and running, Katie and Mark turned their attention to their second project, a bespoke catering company, specialising in weddings. Milkshed Catering now caters for over 80 weddings a year across Devon and the South West - leaving just enough time for Mark to mow The Milkshed's lawn and for Katie to bake the welcome scones!
With 2020-21 came the global pandemic - an enforced closure of both the holiday rental and wedding catering business gave Katie and Mark the time to spend planning their next project. The Hideaway joined the Milkshed collection in May 2022 - inspired by repeat holiday makers asking for more space so they could bring family/friends, and the couples' love of an interior/exterior design project, it completes Milkshed (for the time being, at least!).
Katie and Mark look forward to sharing their little corner of Devon with you.
