Completion of The Manor House

With the deadline of last Saturday to meet, we had an incredibly busy couple of weeks doing the finishing touches to our latest renovation, The Manor House.

It has had a real transformation, although we didn’t need to do any structural changes, apart from knocking down a stud wall in the room that has become the kitchen.  Mostly it has been decoration;  the old artexed ceilings have been skimmed flat and the pine panelled ceilings in the dining room and hallway painted white.  Central heating has been installed along with LED lighting throughout.

We have kept two former features, the log burner in the lounge and the Aga in the dining room.  The hidden concrete plinth that the Aga stands on still has the date of 1975 with Andrew’s name and the price of the Aga when they fitted it; £550!  It has cost us that to get it sand blasted and re-sprayed!!  It is no longer functioning, but looks grand in its former position and our carpenter, Peter, has built it around a cupboard.

The area under the stairs used to be open and contained a desk, useful for a farmer to do his paperwork, but not much use to a family on holiday!  So we built a large cupboard to create a den/snug for the children to hide in!  We’ve added a TV with an in built DVD player and some bean bags.  Our boys thought they’d better test it out to make sure it’s ok!

We’re so pleased how it’s all come together, we like to use local businesses where possible; the kitchen, bathrooms and all the furniture and flooring has been sourced within 10 miles, as has the small, but expert team of workers!

Andrew and Janice renovated the house in 1975 from a previously empty shell, almost derelict.  It was a happy home for them for over 10 years, until they swapped with Andrew’s parents and moved into the farmhouse.  Andrew’s parents, Edgar and Margaret, built the extension which houses the lounge.  Shaun and his siblings spent much time in the house, living there for their former years, then having many roast dinners and happy days with their grandparents!

We are sure that the house will enjoy it’s next chapter, witnessing many a happy holiday with all the future families that come to stay within its walls!