When Jodie Hazlewood bought a dilapidated maisonette in Nottingham at the start of the pandemic, she could see it had huge potential. Not only did it become a beautiful home, but the launchpad for her acclaimed upholstery business. By Jessica Jonzen
THE LIGHT AND COLOUR-FILLED OPEN-PLAN KITCHEN AND LIVING ROOM, WITH THE BOOKCASE PAINTED IN ‘STONE BLUE’ BY FARROW & BALL. IMAGE: OLLY HUNTER
On the morning of 23 March 2020 – the first day of lockdown in Great Britain – Jodie Hazlewood picked up the keys to a crumbling Victorian maisonette in Nottingham. The timing could hardly have been more surreal: the world was shutting down, and she and her partner, Olly Hunter, were stepping into a property that was barely fit for habitation.
“It was a complete wreck,” Jodie recalls. “The electrics didn’t work, the gas had to be replaced, the ceilings were covered in polystyrene tiles from the sixties. It was one of those houses that had been butchered over the decades. But beneath all of that, you could see the beauty. The proportions were incredible, the ceilings so high, and there was a huge loft space we saw by looking through a hatch on our first viewing.”
The couple had been looking for a project, but this one proved so dilapidated they couldn’t even live in it. Instead, they rented a small place around the corner while builders got to work, stripping the house back to its bones. And with the country confined to their homes, Jodie did what so many others were doing: she began sharing the process online.
“It was the moment when people were endlessly scrolling, obsessed with what others were doing with their homes,” she says. “I started posting about the renovation on Instagram with the handle @thehouseupstairs, and the response was immediate. People were invested in every step.”
What Jodie didn’t know then was that the house would not only provide a home, but also the spark for a new career and a thriving business. Originally from Birmingham, Jodie had built a career in beauty, running a successful hair and make-up agency in London that represented more than a hundred artists. “It was intense but rewarding,” she says. “I’ve always loved working with creative people, managing projects, and making things happen.”
Then Covid hit, and the industry came to a halt overnight. Weddings were cancelled, events disappeared from the calendar, and photo shoots dried up. “Everything just stopped,” she remembers. “And for the first time in years, I had time to think. I’d always been fascinated by interiors, but it had felt like a hobby, not a career.”
THE CONVERTED ATTIC WAS TRANSFORMED INTO JODIE’S DRESSING ROOM, BEDROOM AND HOME OFFICE. IMAGE: OLLY HUNTER
Her renovation project began to change that. While searching for pieces for the house, Jodie found herself frustrated by the lack of affordable, stylish upholstered furniture. “I wanted an ottoman, and I couldn’t find one that wasn’t either bland and mass-produced or so high-end it was completely out of reach. There was nothing in that middle ground.”
Nottingham, it turned out, was the ideal place to be looking. “It’s an area steeped in upholstery and manufacturing. A lot of the beautiful pieces you see in London shops are actually made in workshops here. I was surrounded by incredible makers without realising it.”
Jodie reached out to one of them: Lee, an upholsterer in nearby Derbyshire with four decades of experience. Together they sketched out ideas and created prototypes. “It was very organic,” she says. “I was coming at it from the perspective of a consumer who couldn’t find what I wanted, and Lee had all the technical knowledge. We made a great team.” They launched with four ottoman designs, and one of them – the ‘Bryher’ – remains a bestseller today. From those tentative first steps, The House Upstairs was born.
For Jodie, it was important from the outset to ground the business in craftsmanship. “Our factory in Derbyshire employs 11 people, and we’re now their biggest client,” she explains. “We could easily move production abroad – lots of brands do, especially to Portugal – but that never appealed to me. I feel proud that we’re keeping these traditional skills alive in the very place that’s famous for them. It’s not just about providing jobs; it’s about passing on knowledge. Watching someone progress from sweeping the floor to making furniture is incredibly rewarding.”
That ethos of responsibility extends to the way the company operates. Every piece is made to order, reducing waste and allowing for flexibility. “It means customers can make the piece their own – choose their fabric, tweak the size – and they know it’s been built to last for generations. And if they want to update it later, it’s as simple as re-covering it. It’s a very sustainable way of buying furniture.”
The philosophy resonates with customers, who are increasingly looking for pieces that combine style with longevity. “I think people are tired of fast interiors,” Jodie says. “They want furniture that tells a story, that feels special. That’s what we’re trying to offer.”
THE HOUSE UPSTAIRS’ FOUNDER, JODIE HAZELWOOD
Jodie’s home became both a backdrop and a testing ground. “We renovated it entirely for us,” Jodie explains. “We don’t have children, so we thought about how we wanted to live: we wanted two separate offices, a walk-in dressing room, and spaces for entertaining, which is really important to us. Colour was absolutely central; we wanted confidence, joy and flow between the rooms.”
Her instinct for colour is carried through into the furniture collections, where velvet in jewel tones, textured linens, and bold prints give traditional shapes a fresh energy. “I’ve never been interested in beige minimalism,” she says. “Colour makes a home feel alive.”
Even the kitchen reflected her resourceful approach. Built from oak fittings salvaged from an old gentleman’s outfitters in Cheltenham, it was sourced by local company PC Pirates. “That gentleman’s shop was a landmark in the Cotswolds – everyone bought their school uniforms there, apparently. Reusing those fittings gave the kitchen a story,” says Jodie. She and Olly found the La Canche range cooker on eBay, used old office cupboards for cabinetry, and the result is a completely unique and soulful kitchen.
From ottomans, The House Upstairs expanded slowly but surely. Benches, stools, armchairs and banquettes followed, before the biggest launch to date: sofas. “That was huge for us,” Jodie says. “Sofas are a big investment for customers, so we spent five months developing the designs. I wanted to be completely confident before we launched.”
Collaborations have been pivotal in shaping the brand. A highlight was working with fashion and interiors tastemaker Lucy Williams on a bespoke banquette for her kitchen. “That was such a fun project,” says Jodie. “She took our classic ‘Emily’ banquette, added a clever detail by covering the legs, and chose fabrics in an unexpected colour combination. At first you wouldn’t think they’d work together, but they look incredible – the ‘Lucy’ is now our bestseller.”
Partnerships with designers continue to push Jodie creatively. “I love seeing how others interpret our pieces,” she explains. “We’ve just launched the Good Bones x The House Upstairs Sofa with Leanne Kilroy of Good Bones London, and the response has been fantastic.”
THE SNUG OFF JODIE AND OLLY’S BEDROOM AT THE TOP OF THE HOUSE, COMPLETE WITH ROLL TOP BATH. IMAGE: OLLY HUNTER
A real ‘pinch me’ moment came when the acclaimed textile house Fox Linton recently unveiled The House Upstairs collections, upholstered in their own fabrics as well as Jim Thompson’s, at their Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour showroom. For the first time, customers could see – and, crucially, sit on – Jodie’s pieces in person. “We’re absolutely over the moon,” she says. “It all happened really organically. I walked into the showroom, started chatting with the team, and it just felt like a meeting of minds. Their fabrics – especially the ikats and the interesting colourways – work perfectly with my style. It’s a dream come true.”
Despite her business’s rapid growth, Jodie has resisted the temptation to scale too quickly. “It’s been important to me to grow at the right pace. I want the brand to have longevity. We’ve built a loyal community, and that matters more than anything.”
Now, just three years after moving into the home that sparked it all, Jodie and Olly are preparing to leave. They are relocating to Bristol to be near Olly’s family, where they’ve set their sights on a double-fronted Georgian house dating back to 1726. “It has original panelling and incredible bones, but it’s in disrepair,” Jodie says. “That excites me – it’s a chance to breathe new life into a place, just as we did in Nottingham.”
Does she feel emotional about leaving? “In some ways, yes. That house gave me a business, a platform, a creative outlet. But I’m not a hugely sentimental person – I see it as closing a chapter. I’ll always be grateful for it, but I’m ready for whatever’s next.”
JODIE’S HOME OFFICE, FEATURING HER ‘SELMA’ OFFICE CHAIR. IMAGE: OLLY HUNTER
JODIE’S COLLECTION OF VINTAGE PLATES. IMAGE: OLLY HUNTER
THE CORAL AND PEACH TONES USED IN THE HALLWAY LEND A DISTINCTLY MEDITERRANEAN FEEL. IMAGE: OLLY HUNTER
JODIE AND OLLY’S BEDROOM, CREATED FROM THE VAST AND DISUSED ATTIC SPACE. IMAGE: OLLY HUNTER
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