MY SECRET House is more than an interior design studio and boutique store – it is Deborah Hill’s deeply personal vision, rooted in Saddleworth’s history and built around family.
“I’m very rooted to Saddleworth,” Deborah says. “My family is from Saddleworth. I’ve recently found out that we date back 400 years, as far back as the 1600s.”
Based in Greenfield, the four-storey immersive studio offers a completely different way of experiencing interior design.
Rather than relying on drawings or sample boards, visitors can walk through beautifully curated rooms and see how colours, textures, lighting and finishes work together in real life.
That sense of connection runs through everything My Secret House does. The business reflects Deborah’s own design philosophy, her family’s involvement and a shared pride in creating something unique for the local community.
Visitors are just as likely to be greeted by her four-legged colleagues, Meggy and Romeo, who accompany her to the studio six days a week and have become much-loved members of the My Secret House family.
Deborah has worked in the interiors and construction industry for more than 30 years, with one of her proudest achievements being the dream home she designed and built from the ground up over a decade ago.
The stunning property has regularly served as the backdrop for photoshoots with HELLO! and OK! magazines, but one of her favourite memories was welcoming chart-topping girl group Little Mix to film scenes for their 2016 hit single Hair.
Two years later, inspired by the home she had lovingly renovated and decorated, she launched her interior design business from the property. It was there that the idea for My Secret House was born.
“It wasn’t on display as a showroom, it was my house, and I didn’t really advertise it,” Deborah explains. “Hence the name ‘My Secret House.'”
As the business flourished and expanded to a team of eight, Deborah began searching for a permanent home that reflected her ambitions. That search eventually led her to a building on Chew Valley Road in Greenfield.
“I loved the building because of its symmetry,” she adds. “The door in the middle, the windows either side and the three windows across the top just really suited me.
“I could see its potential straight away. I knew I could make it into something special, and I felt I could grow into the building.”
In reality, it was the building that had to grow into Deborah’s vision.
She dedicated three years to completely transforming the property.
Every joist, wall, floor and door was replaced as she meticulously redesigned the building into a collection of immersive studio spaces that perfectly embody the My Secret House brand.
Earlier this year, after years of dedication and craftsmanship, My Secret House officially opened the doors to its permanent home, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter.
Deborah’s passion extends beyond creating beautiful interiors; it is about understanding how spaces make people feel. Every detail inside the studio has been carefully selected, with furniture, lighting, tiles, doors, accessories and even candles all available to purchase.
With price points ranging from affordable homeware to bespoke interior design, the studio has been created to be accessible as well as inspiring. The result is a space that feels less like a traditional showroom and more like a welcoming home.
That is exactly the point.
“Houses shouldn’t feel like museums,” Deborah told Saddleworth Independent. “They should feel like a hug.”
That philosophy lies at the heart of everything she has created. My Secret House is not simply a business Deborah has built; it is a reflection of her family, her heritage and a lifelong passion for design.
It is a place where visitors can find inspiration, feel at home and experience first-hand the power of thoughtful, beautifully crafted interiors.
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