- 2 days ago
Chateau DIY S11E24
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00:00Across France are thousands of breathtaking chateaux.
00:06Many fallen into ruin.
00:08Oh, wow.
00:10Oh, gosh.
00:10There will be a stretch of our skills.
00:14Are being restored by brave new owners.
00:18We've started now, so we can't stop.
00:21They're taking on the challenge
00:25of saving these forgotten buildings.
00:28It's just the trickiest room to work in.
00:33Creating incredible homes.
00:35Oh, wow.
00:37It works, doesn't it?
00:38It does.
00:39And businesses.
00:42There'll be successes.
00:44That looks superb.
00:46High five.
00:47And setbacks.
00:49I'll just watch as the giant hole opens up in our barn.
00:52But with great challenge.
00:54It's just peeling off.
00:56And I've never had this happen before.
00:58Comes great reward.
01:00It was a complete shell.
01:02And now it's becoming a home.
01:05As they get to live the dream.
01:08Cheers.
01:09As kings and queens of their very own castle.
01:16Today.
01:17See all the bees coming out.
01:19One Chatelain has some unwanted guests.
01:22Did you get stung?
01:23Yeah.
01:24In the eye.
01:24Just in there.
01:26Another couple.
01:27Believe it or not, this was my Christmas present from Paul.
01:32Has a DIY disagreement.
01:34I wasn't too amused.
01:35And will a third be chateau ready for their first ever wedding.
01:42Let's see what tomorrow brings.
01:44I'll be doing lots of praying tonight.
01:54In Brittany, in northern France, is the 19th century Moulin du Guénon.
02:02Closed over 40 years ago, the abandoned water mill towers over two medieval bridges, comes with five open plan floors,
02:15enormous concrete silos and is the second property in France that experienced renovators Donna and Paul have taken on.
02:27This time, though, it's personal.
02:30In the previous project, because of its business orientation, I think, well, it wouldn't really quite fit there because it's
02:36not what the general public want.
02:38Whereas here, there's nothing really stopping us.
02:39And I think that freedoms also excites us as well.
02:42So we can just do whatever we want to do for us.
02:45Yeah.
02:46And, you know, to hell with everyone else.
02:49Yeah.
02:50So it's going to be very quirky.
02:53No doubt.
02:56Located a few miles south of Mont-Saint-Michel, Donna and Paul bought the whole property in early 2024 for
03:05less than 100,000 pounds.
03:08And it wasn't long before they felt the full force of nature.
03:13When we purchased the mill, the water was high, but we took encouragement from that because it never actually came
03:18inside the building.
03:19We thought, OK, we'll probably get away with not doing a great deal of defensive work here.
03:23But we recently returned from holiday and there was about two feet of water in the basement.
03:29Rather, it happened now, isn't it, before we actually start fitting it out.
03:37Subsequently, Donna and Paul have turned their attention to the sous-sol, the basement area at the back of the
03:44property.
03:45Installing new windows and getting a close-up view of the local wildlife.
03:52Catching sight of a coipu or a ragandale just outside on the tree trunk.
04:01Today, they're back and the river is once again playing a part in their plans.
04:12We've got a door to go in this elevation, but the lintel is lower than we had anticipated.
04:17And rather than kind of lower the door, because we've had the flooding issue before,
04:20we're now considering whether we move it to the left-hand side, which actually has a higher lintel.
04:25But on the upside, I can get the jackhammer out and we can demolish this big lump of concrete here.
04:29It also means they can now brick up the massive hole where the door was going to be.
04:38That is, as soon as Paul's done his demolition.
04:46Upstairs, Donna also has some jackhammering to do, but on a smaller scale.
04:53Believe it or not, this was my Christmas present, well, one of my Christmas presents from Paul.
05:00As you can imagine, I wasn't too amused at the time when I opened it,
05:03but now I've kind of started doing my walls with it.
05:07It's digging out all of the old grout and concrete and everything else.
05:11It's saving so much of my time.
05:19Removing the loose mortar and grout from the sandstone walls, though,
05:23proves far easier than Paul's task for the day.
05:30I did a bit more with my miniature jackhammer and got my sandstone wall nearly complete now.
05:38Yeah, and I think we've sorted, kind of sorted, what we're doing with the door and window
05:42in this location in the basement, in the Sioux Salt.
05:45And then that just leaves us with a large lump of concrete,
05:47which we're working on as a, you know, kind of job of not get that finished and put my feet
05:52up.
05:52But it's a hard piece of concrete, so...
05:55I had a feeling it would be.
05:56Yeah, it'll take me slightly longer than I had anticipated to get this out, but, you know...
06:01Everything was made to last in them days.
06:03Watch this space. It won't beat me. I won't get it out, so...
06:06Yeah, I'll just see you in the morning.
06:08Yeah.
06:10It looks like it's going to be a long night ahead for this demolition duo.
06:21Nestled amongst the countryside of Limousin in central France
06:25lies the enchanting Chateau de la Grieire.
06:30Its graceful towers and fairy-tale turret create the wow factor,
06:36while inside it boasts 12 bedrooms and two grands salons.
06:43It became home to Sharon, a retired district nurse,
06:47and Tim, a former construction manager, in 2022,
06:53when they bought it fully furnished for £500,000.
06:58There's a sense of surrealism living in a chateau.
07:02Every time I go out and I see it, I think, wow, that's amazing.
07:07And I've done it a fair few times now over two and a half years,
07:10but it never loses its power.
07:12There's a sense of unpredictability.
07:14We never know what we're going to find, what we're going to come across.
07:17There's still areas that we haven't seen.
07:19Yes, it is.
07:20It's always exciting, slightly nervous, what we're going to come across.
07:24But it's part of it.
07:29Located 25 miles south-east of Limoges,
07:34the last time we saw them...
07:36I'm with the gold.
07:38Yeah.
07:39Tim and Sharon had just completed their first guest room.
07:44Well done, you did it.
07:45Good job.
07:46Turning a neglected, drab space
07:50into a floral extravaganza
07:54with a matching en suite
07:56inside one of the chateau's circular towers.
08:04Today, their first paid booking is just six weeks away
08:09and they still have another en suite bedroom to transform.
08:15So I'm on my own today in the chateau work
08:18and because Tim isn't very well, he's got an upset stomach.
08:22So today, it's taking the coving down,
08:24wallpaper off the walls and removing the skirting boards.
08:28So they're my jobs for today.
08:31Get those done.
08:35Voila!
08:43Oh, my lord.
08:46It's insects.
08:49You never know what you're going to find, do you?
08:54Last piece.
08:58And it didn't break.
09:02Okay.
09:03Taking off the wallpaper.
09:20My biggest stress is Tim because he's, um, he's, he's so particular
09:25and I'm so not particular.
09:30Tim turns a blind eye to what I'm doing until he has to see it.
09:34But, uh, we couldn't have retired and done nothing.
09:37That's why we've taken on this job.
09:41However skilful her scraping, it's slow going.
09:45So Sharon decides to speed things up
09:48with a half mix of vinegar and water.
09:55Well, maybe slightly better.
10:00Look, there we go.
10:01Now we're in business.
10:04There's a bit of return from the hard work.
10:06It's when you get no return for it.
10:09You've just got to not mind the smell of vinegar.
10:14Sharon's made a start, but there's a long way to go
10:18before it's anywhere near ready for paying guests.
10:27Still to come.
10:29I hope we've done enough to please them.
10:31There are wedding jitters.
10:33Because you don't want an upset bride on their wedding day.
10:37So that nest is absolutely huge.
10:40And stinging critters.
10:42And it is not dormant.
10:44For us to get them out is going to be an age of piece of work.
10:55Situated amongst the sweeping pastures of southwest France
11:00is the impressive Chateau d'Aaron.
11:04A striking property with three and a half acres,
11:07it boasts 17 rooms and several outbuildings.
11:14In 2023, the Chateau charmed international fund manager Carlton
11:20and wife Alicia,
11:23who after living in nine different countries,
11:26decided it was the perfect place to put down roots
11:29with their three children.
11:32You need to have a lot of energy.
11:34A lot of energy and a positive attitude
11:38because there are some days where you just think,
11:40why are we doing this?
11:42I also think it gives you some humility as well
11:44because we're all capable of rising to every challenge,
11:47but you do sometimes think,
11:50oh God, I'm useless.
11:51But then the next day you manage to solve it.
11:53So it's an interesting journey.
11:58Located not far from the Pyrenees,
12:01the couple purchased the Chateau for £690,000
12:06and have recently been getting ready
12:11for their first ever wedding reception,
12:14being held here for a young local couple.
12:17We've got to finish the last set of Vole shutters
12:21and this is a critical one for the wedding.
12:24Last time we saw them,
12:26they were sprucing up the Tower bathroom suite.
12:29After the paint's dried,
12:31I've got some gold strips
12:32just to give it a little bit more pizzazz.
12:36And preparing the Chateau's barn for the reception,
12:39which the wedding party will decorate.
12:43But with just a few days to go,
12:45there's been a change of plans.
12:50We had this idea
12:52that we were going to live out the rest of our days here
12:55and then my husband got a job offer
13:00that was basically too good to miss.
13:05But it means the whole family
13:07relocating 10,000 miles away to Fiji.
13:12So while Carlton and the children have gone ahead,
13:15Alicia has stayed behind
13:17to ensure the Chateau's wedding-ready.
13:21The moment we've been sort of working towards,
13:24it's a very bittersweet moment
13:27because this is the first wedding
13:30and potentially the last.
13:37Top of Alicia's long list of jobs to complete
13:41is the Tower bathroom.
13:44So these were really old units that came with the house.
13:47The doors have been upcycled.
13:51I decided against the gold trim.
13:55So now I'm just putting the doors back on.
13:59The wedding party arrive in two days' time.
14:02They're going to stay here for three nights.
14:05And so this is final finishing touches.
14:10There we go.
14:11Not too bad.
14:13It looks better than it did before.
14:15Not perfect, but not too bad.
14:22Next, Alicia needs to finish off
14:24one of their biggest jobs,
14:26transforming the Chateau's ancient barn,
14:29which has just been used for storage,
14:33but is now a rustic, blank canvas
14:36ready to be turned into the perfect party space.
14:41Once Alicia has tidied up
14:43the three-metre-high tulle backdrop...
14:46..there's patchy areas.
14:48So I'm just trying to even it all out
14:52so that it sits well.
14:55I really wish Carlton and the kids were able to be here
14:59because everybody's done their little bit
15:01and it's a shame that they don't get to see the end.
15:05I hope we've done enough to please them
15:08because you don't want an upset bride on their wedding day.
15:12I'm more excited than nervous,
15:14but I think a little bit of nerves is healthy.
15:20I'm pretty happy with that.
15:23I think it looks nice and even.
15:24It covers what it's meant to cover
15:27and it has a nice wedding feel to it,
15:30so I'm really, really happy.
15:32I think job done.
15:35But with the wedding party on their way,
15:39Alicia can only hope everything goes without a hitch.
15:52Five hundred miles away in Brittany,
15:55Donna and Paul have been busy in their basement.
15:58The lump of concrete has been demolished
16:00and the couple have fitted new windows
16:02and a door above the flood line.
16:05Their workload, though, has just got bigger.
16:10We're on the piece of land at the back of the property.
16:14The task for today is to block up this opening.
16:17There's also a crack a couple of feet to the right
16:21and we kind of feel that we might as well
16:24kind of take that opening to that crack.
16:28I'll probably demolish the wall.
16:30Donna will be mixing up some mortar in the interim
16:32and then I'll be laying the block
16:35with my young assistant here.
16:40As they're hoping to transform the basement
16:43into a swimming pool,
16:45ensuring everything is watertight is critical.
16:50But first, Paul needs to get the big guns out.
17:18Once Paul's demolished the cracked concrete on the side,
17:25it's time for a bit of landscaping.
17:31We're trying to stabilise this area a bit more,
17:34so we're using all the rubble to do that.
17:38With the river just metres away,
17:41they'll need to lay a new concrete base for the wall.
17:45So we'll clear this out, see what's loose.
17:47If it's loose, we're just going to remove it.
17:48There's no point building a new wall and a poor foundation.
18:06Is that all right?
18:08What we've done,
18:08we've just taken off all the loose mortar and stone
18:11and then we put a shutter on the outside.
18:13We've also put in some bars
18:14just to add a bit of a key
18:15for the small foundation that we're going to build.
18:19Donna's going to mix up some concrete
18:21and then we're just going to try and level that.
18:22So we've got a level platform to start our block work.
18:26You want this quite thick here?
18:28Yeah, I don't want it too wet.
18:40This particular job may have just begun,
18:42but the couple have achieved an extraordinary amount
18:46since they bought the property just over a year ago.
18:50The Seussall, when we first arrived,
18:53was a pretty awful place.
18:55Now, with all of the windows and the door,
18:58it's a wonderful place to be.
19:00I could happily get a deck chair out there
19:02and sit and just enjoy the river, you know?
19:04No, you can't.
19:15We've got the kind of foundation done for the new walls,
19:18so we'll let that go off
19:20and then we can get some mortar on it
19:21and then start with the block work.
19:23It's a good start,
19:25but there's still a long way to go
19:27before the Seussalls sorted.
19:37In Limousin, Sharon and Tim are racing
19:40to finish the bedroom and bathroom
19:42of their last guest suite
19:44before their first booking arrives.
19:49Unfortunately, we've had a turnaround today.
19:51I'm better from yesterday
19:53and now Sharon is laid in bed not feeling so good today,
19:56so we'll start taking the bathroom out today.
20:01But also, there's an urgent job
20:04he needs to deal with in the bedroom.
20:07Morning, mate.
20:08Hello, Wayne. You all right?
20:09Yeah, good, thank you.
20:11Armed with special equipment,
20:13the local chimney suite's been called to investigate
20:16whether they have a live bees' nest.
20:22And first, he needs to check
20:25whether it's blocking the chateau's main chimney.
20:29Yeah, that's come right through, mate.
20:32It's good news,
20:34but there's still a nasty surprise waiting.
20:38See all the bees coming out?
20:40There we go.
20:41Did you get stung?
20:42Yeah, in the eye.
20:43Yeah, I'm just in there.
20:47So do you think there's obviously a nest in there, then?
20:50Until we get the camera up, we don't know.
20:55And it doesn't take long to spot it.
20:59See, there's the top of the chimney.
21:01See that white dot there?
21:02Yeah.
21:02What I can see, I think,
21:04is movement at the very, very, very top,
21:07near the light.
21:09That's part of the nest.
21:10That's the nest.
21:11There you go.
21:12Oh, look at them all.
21:12Look at them all.
21:13Can you see them?
21:14So that nest is absolutely huge.
21:16Yeah.
21:17And it is not dormant.
21:19No.
21:19The simplest way to stop them coming down
21:22is you get yourself a chimney sheep.
21:25Yeah, so a chimney sheep.
21:27What's a chimney sheep?
21:27This cushion that goes up your chimney,
21:29and nothing comes down.
21:34They've been there longer than we've been here,
21:36so they've probably more entitled
21:38to being in the chateau than we are.
21:40For us to get them out fully,
21:42and probably safely,
21:43and be able to give it somewhere else
21:45is going to be a major, major, major piece of work,
21:48which we're not in a position to do, I don't think.
21:51The bees have kept Tim busy today,
21:54and with a plan in place to safely quell
21:57the buzz around the bedroom,
21:59the work on their last guest suite can continue.
22:07Still to come, at Alicia and Carlton's...
22:11I cannot wait to see what the barn's going to look like.
22:14Wedding preparations are in full flow.
22:20And Tim's next project...
22:22Building things is fun.
22:24..confirms what buying a chateau is all about.
22:28It's like being a kid again.
22:36In south-west France, at Alicia and Carlton's,
22:40the chateau is buzzing with activity.
22:43The wedding party have arrived earlier than planned,
22:46and they're in full swing, setting up the barn.
22:50So I'm just going to try and not disturb them too much,
22:53but get on and finish the last things that I have to do.
22:57There's still a lot to prepare,
22:59and the clock is ticking to get the place looking its best
23:02before the bride and groom arrive.
23:06So this magnolia tree, as much as I love her,
23:10she drops leaves all year round.
23:19Getting there, and you bet you anything,
23:24a big gust of wind will come and blow a ton more down,
23:28cos that's normally what happens.
23:33But elsewhere, it is roots, not leaves,
23:37that are causing headaches.
23:39The mother of the bride wanted to plant her own flowers
23:42into the pots, but she can't get them deep enough,
23:48because the roots are still there, and they're in there solid.
23:54So it's up to Alicia to roll up her sleeves.
23:59Well, yeah, so we've got the roots out.
24:06While the mother of the bride gets busy planting,
24:11Alicia swaps her gardening gloves for housekeeping duties.
24:20Everything's done.
24:22Yeah, I'm happy.
24:30It's taken weeks of work,
24:32but the chateau is finally wedding-ready.
24:37The uninspiring tower bathroom,
24:40now revamped with a bold modern look.
24:46The gold flecks of the new floor tiles,
24:49complementing the dramatic wallpaper,
24:52while the tired vanity unit is now fit for a bride.
24:59Outside, the grounds have been swept clean,
25:02and the chateau's shutters given a fresh lick of paint.
25:06The whole house, fully prepared for a fairy-tale wedding.
25:19And the bride and groom, Marie and Loïc,
25:24are utterly delighted.
25:26To do the test, it will be perfect.
25:29Do you want to look at me?
25:30No, I don't look at me.
25:31Oh, no, no!
25:36The other room here, the cell phone,
25:40it's just renovated.
25:42Oh, yes, it's all new?
25:43It's all new.
25:44It's all new.
25:48You're extremely well renovated, Alicia.
25:50Oh, thank you.
25:51The paintings are great, it's done with a good taste.
25:56Oh, super.
25:59Google Happy.
26:02It's an upcycle upcycle.
26:07It's very good.
26:10With the view.
26:12It's beautiful.
26:13It's one of the places I prefer.
26:16It's beautiful, we love it.
26:18We love it.
26:19We have a lot of chance to do it here.
26:22We are lucky.
26:24I leave the key to the house and I wish a good marriage.
26:32Thank you Alicia.
26:34The moment I've been waiting for such a long time.
26:37The couple are in, I've shown them the house.
26:41They're happy with the space.
26:44Let's see what tomorrow brings.
26:46I'll be doing lots of praying tonight.
26:50With the final touches in place and guests beginning to gather, Chateau d'Aron is almost set for the big
26:59day itself.
27:05Back in central France, at Sharon and Tim's, now the chimney is safely blocked, the bedroom is free of bees
27:13and the couple are fighting fit, they can crack on preparing for their first paying guests.
27:21Today, we're carrying on with the bedroom because those guests are probably packing their cases.
27:27I like each room to have something different.
27:29For this particular room, I think it's really nice to have a window seat so that's going to be its
27:34feature is a lovely window seat because it's got such a nice view.
27:38We've got timber that we've taken down from different areas that are going to reuse for this because it's all
27:42going to be hidden away.
27:43And as long as the timbers good, it doesn't matter if it's got paint on or not, it's usable and
27:48we like to reuse things in this place if we can.
27:57I love doing what I do in the Chateau because I love to do, if nobody sees what I've done,
28:03I've done a good job.
28:07If I come through and bring everything up nice and level and straight, at the end when you come to
28:13put the finishes to it, it works, it's nice, it fits.
28:26Tim is also planning to redo some of the electrics, so he's asked Sharon and her sister Cheryl to help
28:34by feeding three cables through a seven metre long pipe or conduit.
28:42He's already threaded a thin metal wire through.
28:46All Sharon and Cheryl need to do is make sure all three cables are firmly attached to it.
28:53And pull.
28:56Ready?
28:57Great.
29:03Tim and myself did this once and I merrily yanked the whole thing through and we were like half a
29:09metre to the end.
29:10And it snapped because I pulled it too much.
29:14We had tea in silence that day.
29:18It's quite difficult actually.
29:31Is it nearly at the end?
29:33No.
29:34It's longer than you think, innit?
29:36It is.
29:40Stay there!
29:41I can't because you couldn't pull it too tight.
29:45Don't want it to snap.
29:48I'd hate to lose it right at the end.
29:53That's enough?
29:54Yay!
29:56Woo!
30:00You got it all?
30:01Yep.
30:01I don't.
30:02I don't want this job though.
30:04I should have mecked it up so I don't get given it again.
30:06But it's another of the guest suite's tasks wound up.
30:15That's it.
30:17And Tim hasn't exactly been sitting down on the job either.
30:23It's a very enjoyable thing.
30:25It's sort of one of those things that you go back to when you were a child to build things.
30:28And I think that's why people, or all my mates, stay in the building industry.
30:34It's because building things is fun.
30:35And it's like being a kid again.
30:39I think it adds a nice little touch of interest, don't you?
30:42It's not just a root with a bed and a wardrobe.
30:45It's got a fireplace.
30:46Now it's got a lovely little window seat.
30:48I think it's a really nice touch.
30:50Gonna try it?
30:51I will, if I may.
30:57Nice.
30:58I can see you laid there with your dress on and your glass of rose.
31:03Yeah, it's very nice.
31:05Good job.
31:07Yeah, good job.
31:09Sharon and Tim have the foundations of a window seat for their guest suite.
31:15Now, the decorating can begin.
31:28At Moulin du Cuenon, Donna and Paul are beginning some basement block work.
31:35The concrete has gone off.
31:37It's not permanently set, but it'll help me get a bond with a mortar.
31:40So, I'm gonna crack on and get the first course laid.
31:46It's good.
32:00It's good.
32:13But, you know, the plan is to make more use of this area.
32:17So, you know, we'll, even in the winter, we'll be able to sit out on the various balconies or on
32:22the terrace above and still appreciate our surroundings.
32:26All right.
32:27You could go back and fill these for me, hon.
32:29Yeah.
32:38They're heavy to move about, aren't they?
32:39Yeah.
32:40Yes.
32:41Yeah.
32:42But Paul's backache will be worth it, as these solid 20-kilo blocks may have to withstand the full force
32:52of a flood.
32:53So, hopefully, irrespective of whatever height the water goes, we won't get any ingress.
33:00If the river does flood again, Paul's new dam shouldn't be busted.
33:13So, that's the first course done.
33:15I'm just gonna drill some reinforcement into the structure, and then that'll act as a tie into the block work.
33:23Once they're embedded in the mortar, the metal ties will strengthen the join between the old and new wall.
33:43Don't know if it's me, but these blocks seem to be getting heavier every time I lift one up.
33:48It's a job, though, that needs to be done sooner rather than later.
33:53The kind of time pressure on this is for the renderer to come.
33:58He's due to come in about eight to ten weeks' time, and we have to have this wall all built
34:04and mortar-sealed ready,
34:06and there's various other bits of repairs that we need to do, ready for him to make it all beautiful.
34:13MUSIC PLAYS
34:32It's looking good.
34:34Is that you? Done job today?
34:36Yeah, I think that's me, Dan. I don't want to put too many courses on,
34:38otherwise the mortar will just squeeze out their heavy bricks, so we've got a good start.
34:43It hasn't been a bad place to work today, has it?
34:46No, it's been fine. It's always a nice day when I'm working beside you.
34:51Oh, you sweetie.
34:56A few more days' hard work. The wall is built, a new window has been fitted,
35:03and as soon as Paul has finished pointing, it'll be time for the next stage.
35:11Can't wait to see this rendered. It'll be kind of a beige, creamy colour,
35:17which is... It's just going to transform it, isn't it?
35:20It's just going to look wonderful and make the grey windows really pop.
35:24I think that's it.
35:26I could just forget. If I keep playing with it, I'll fall out.
35:29There's a lot more work to do at the back,
35:31but what they have done in a year is extraordinary.
35:40What was once a solid concrete silo,
35:43now has a magnificent 80 square metre roof terrace.
35:49The reinforced walls studded with 18 windows.
35:54The interior flooded with light for the first time in its history.
36:00But Donna and Paul can't rest on their laurels just yet.
36:05At least we're ready to get the sills and things like that on
36:08and finish the balcony and do the terrace and put the slid tops on.
36:16All right, I get it, I get it.
36:17I mean...
36:18Let's go do one of these five tasks then, yeah?
36:21One.
36:24For now, though, Donna and Paul can consider their work here in the sous-sol,
36:30a job well started.
36:36Still to come...
36:38I just do the donkey work and Cheryl will make the choices.
36:40That's not entirely true. I do ask for your opinion.
36:44Tim and Sharon agree...
36:46But I normally go with my gut.
36:47..to disagree.
36:49Salut! Oui, ça va et vous?
36:52And the big day has arrived at Alicia and Carlton's.
37:03In central France, at Château de la Grière,
37:08Sharon and Tim have a decorating deadline
37:11to get their guest suite ready for their first paid booking.
37:16I brought a bed a week ago
37:19and I'd like to get the headboard into the room
37:21because I've got some wallpaper samples on the wall
37:23and I want to see what they're going to look like together.
37:26I just do the donkey work and Cheryl will make the choices.
37:29That's not entirely true.
37:31I do ask for your opinion.
37:33Sometimes you make me think twice, but I normally go with my gut.
37:40Any one of them stand out for you?
37:42The green one isn't the right one.
37:44OK, yeah, I agree.
37:46But I'm not sure about all the others.
37:47I think out of all those in the process of elimination,
37:51they're pastels, they're nice, they're gentle.
37:53I was going to say it's a soft feel.
37:55And it's what I want in here. It's got a calm feel to it.
37:57It's got calm, it's soft-paced, it's got the light.
38:00OK, so can we sign that one off?
38:02I think we can, yeah.
38:04Good job.
38:04One job done.
38:06One decision made.
38:07Well done.
38:09Yeah, OK.
38:16Wallpaper chosen, Sharon has another decorative project in mind.
38:22This mirror was in the bedroom that we're doing now,
38:25so it was already in there.
38:26And I do like to keep a piece and work round it.
38:29And I'm going to paint it,
38:32and then I'm going to maybe put some other contrasting colour on it
38:37and just see how it looks, really.
38:41It's a subtle colour.
38:43It's quite muted, and I think that will go nicely.
38:46A calm feel to it with the bedroom,
38:48with the nice sunlight coming through.
38:49I don't want anything too gaudy, too bright.
38:57I like to do a bit of art.
38:59I like to upcycle things.
39:01I'm not sure I'm any good at it,
39:03but I like the opportunity to show off my artistic streak.
39:09I've got these lovely ornate pieces attached on the front,
39:14so I'm going to think what sort of colour can I put on this?
39:17Maybe a gold to lift the mirror, bring it to life.
39:23That's it.
39:27Once dry, Sharon can add some chateau sparkle.
39:31I like the mirror as it is.
39:34I think for the bedroom,
39:36it might get a little lost in the wallpaper,
39:39so I've been thinking, how can I make it pop a little more?
39:48The gold is actually looking better
39:51than I thought it would against the muted colour.
39:57When we get our first paying guess and subsequent guess,
40:00I would like when they come into the chateau
40:03to feel like they're stepping into history.
40:05It's not a regular house, it's not a hotel,
40:07it's a chateau,
40:08and I want them to absolutely embrace it and live the chateau.
40:14When this mirror's finished,
40:15I think it's going to look really nice for the bedroom.
40:17It's got a subtlety, it's got a peacefulness,
40:20and that's what I want for the bedroom, peace.
40:22So I think this is going to fit in really lovely.
40:26The mirror, though, is only a small part of Sharon's vision.
40:31It's still taken a bit of imagination
40:34to figure out how it's going to end up.
40:38It is, but we've been here and done this before.
40:41Another couple of weeks and we won't be far off starting to think about
40:44putting some wallpaper on, putting some tiles on.
40:47We're getting closer.
40:49But with their first paying guests due soon,
40:53all Sharon and Tim can do is hope everything goes to plan.
41:02300 miles away in southwest France,
41:06it's the morning of Alicia and Carlton's first ever wedding reception.
41:12They stayed the night, all of the guests, and the houses held up.
41:16There were no phone calls through the night,
41:18saying anything had gone wrong.
41:20The family and friends of the lucky couple
41:23have also been busy decorating the barn.
41:27Yesterday I got a little bit of a glimpse of some of the tables and things,
41:32but it wasn't dressed yet.
41:34So I'm excited to see it.
41:38Salut!
41:39Oui, ça va, vous?
41:47Untouched for years,
41:49Alicia and Carlton's rustic barn was a dusty and neglected dumping ground.
41:55But after a lot of hard work by the whole family,
41:59the space has been transformed.
42:05Alicia's white gauze curtains provide the perfect backdrop for the wedding party's decorations,
42:14making the barn a beautiful setting for the celebration ahead.
42:19Oh, pretty.
42:22Very pretty.
42:24The flowers look great.
42:26The stairs look great.
42:27It's got the rustic and it's got the elegant.
42:31It's really transformed it.
42:36Everything that I've been dreaming of for the last,
42:40gosh, I'm not sure how many years, has finally come to be.
42:44I'm proud of what we were able to do to help Marie and Loic's wedding day take shape.
42:51I'm really looking forward to them, you know, really enjoying themselves and, you know, having the best time of their
42:57lives.
42:59And now they're back from the ceremony.
43:03The party can begin.
43:19C'est un, le cadre, le cadre est exceptionnel.
43:22C'est une maison de maître fabuleuse, qui est spacieuse, qui a été rénovée avec beaucoup de goût.
43:28C'est un endroit extraordinaire, vraiment.
43:31C'est le plus beau jour de notre vie.
43:34L'endroit est magnifique.
43:35Alicia a été super.
43:40Je vous souhaite une bonne nuit, une bonne vie.
43:47Profitez bien.
43:48Merci beaucoup, merci Alicia.
43:50Merci.
43:51Avec plaisir.
43:54With the day running like a dream,
43:56it's time to leave the guests to their celebrations.
44:00My job is done.
44:02They are happily married, enjoying celebrating with their friends and family.
44:08There's nothing more for me to do, so time for me to leave.
44:14Alicia and Carlton's efforts have paved the way for a blissful wedding day at the Chateau,
44:20setting the stage for memories that will last a lifetime.
44:29Next time, nerves run high.
44:32I'm a little bit worried that it's suddenly all going to go down in one hit.
44:36There are pre-wedding jitters.
44:39I think I need to rewrite the wedding vows.
44:42Thou shall not do so much manual work.
44:46And a risky demolition.
44:49It's holding.
44:49It's holding.
44:51It's holding, but for how long?
45:18It's holding, but for how long?
45:19It's holding, and the opening, it's holding...
45:22You going studyingهم?
45:25They'll be, and you or see.
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