Georgina Philipps is used to challenges.With 30 years' experience in the glamorous world of interior design, she has worked on the refurbishment of castles, historic homes, French chateaux, fabulous houses, hotels and apartments around the world.

But none has given her as much pleasure as her involvement in the creation of Slebech Park - a £5 million conference centre with luxury holiday apartments on the banks of the Eastern Cleddau.

The development is the brainchild of Georgina, and her husband, Geoffrey. They live at Slebech Hall, which is set in a 600-acre estate amid some of the most stunning natural scenery in Europe.

The project has been seven years in the making.

Having recognised the potential of developing the grade two listed coach house as a national and international conference centre, Geoffrey and Georgina backed their vision with solid market research.

On their doorstep is a wide range of outdoor pursuits, from fishing, cycling, canoeing, horse riding and walking, while woodland and waterside habitats are home to a variety of wildlife.

A scheme was put forward for the creation of exclusive facilities for corporate groups, sporting, leisure and celebration parties and top quality holiday accommodation. The first phase has now been finished and the whole project is due for completion in 2006/2007.

Those staying at Slebech Park for conferences, a weekend break or longer can be assured of sophisticated, tasteful, understated, up-to-the-minute comfort that blends in with the historic setting and takes nothing away from the magnificent scenery which reaches in through every window.

This is what Georgina aims to achieve and she has a wealth of experience from which to draw.

After studying history of art in New York, Georgina completed a three-year apprenticeship with George Spencer of Sloane Street - one of only five interior decorators in the country at that time.

This was followed by a year working in the Victoria and Albert Museum, studying fine art. After a year out, Georgina headed for Hong Kong, where she spent two years working with a leading American hotel designer.

Her next post would be envied by most interior designers. For two years, she worked for the ambassador for the United Arab Emirates on a series of houses in Europe.

For a number of years now, Georgina has run her own interior design business combining it with bringing up her three children - Alexander, now aged 20, Lara, 18, and Leonora, 15.

She has concentrated on the top end of the residential and corporate market - country houses, hotels, company boardrooms and directors' dining rooms and has worked extensively abroad.

At Slebech Park, three apartments - one suitable for a disabled person - have been completed and this number will be increased to 12.

Georgina has been responsible for all the interior design.

There are no loud patterns, fuss or frills. Styles, furniture, fabrics and colours have been chosen to achieve a contemporary, calm, relaxing atmosphere.

"Practically every window has breathtaking views and the last thing we want to do is detract from that," said Georgina. "It is very much harder to achieve a sophisticated uncluttered look."

Because of the importance Georgina places on the comfort of beds, those at Slebech Park have been supplied by the bedmaker who provides beds for the Savoy Hotel. But as far as possible Georgina has used local craftsmen and women.

A workroom has been created at Slebech Park where Georgina worked with Tydfil Morgan from nearby Deep Lake on bedspreads, cushions and window screens. James of Ratford Bridge has done a spectacular job on making wardrobes, headboards and shutters to Georgina's specifications.

And she worked closely with handweaver Ritta Sinkkonen-Davies to achieve the right colours and effects for the wallhangings.

Paintings by local artists such as Gillian McDonald, Annabel Greenhalgh, Andrea Kelland, Graham Brace and Simon Swinfield have also been carefully chosen. With such an old building, the rooms are not very large and have difficult corners and niches. These have all been cleverly used.

Concealed lighting and spotlights, televisions and microwaves built into the walls, a radiator above the stairwell and carefully positioned mirrors, all create the feeling of more space.

The eye for detail is amazing.

A unique solitaire set fashioned from estate oak, by gardener Bruce Wright, who also turned his hand to making the coat pegs ... wastepaper bins, designed by Georgina bearing scenes from the surrounding countryside - including one of her husband in a canoe on the river ... a table lamp with a base made out of driftwood ... a novelty ornament ... all these add to the ambience.

When the project is finally completed, Georgina would like to set up a shop so that visitors to Slebech Park can purchase these items for their own homes.

"We are keen to work with local suppliers," said Georgina. "There are so many opportunities not only with local artisans but also with so many talented providers of activities who we are working closely with to put Pembrokeshire on the quality map and ensure our clients benefit from the true Pembrokeshire experience."