Episode Information Gloucester: The Farmhouse

Date Published:

10/06/2008

When lawyers Jeremy and Louise Brown walked into Upthorpe Farm in Gloucester, they couldn't believe their eyes. It was like stepping back in time. Apart from a few minor alterations, the Grade II listed 16th-century farmhouse had barely been touched for over 400 years and was completely unmodernised with lots of original features.

Now that they've purchased the property their ambitious design plan is to bring the farmhouse into the 21st century, blending the original historic features with modern simplicity and luxury. Kevin watches on intrigued as they tackle the challenge of reconciling the very old and the very contemporary.

Budget And Build

The Cost

House: £445,000
Estimated budget: £70,000
Final budget: Approx £300,000

Finance

This is a building with wobbly old walls and crooked beams and also modern lighting and luxurious fittings. It's a blend of the very old and the very new. Just repairing the place will cost a small fortune. Louise and Jeremy have already sold their flat in Bristol, moved into a caravan and stopped their pensions to save money.

Design

Part Elizabethan manor house and part working farmhouse, the building is grade two listed, so Louise and Jeremy can only make small changes to the layout. On the ground floor they plan to move a wall in the sitting room to revert it to a very early arrangement. Next door there'll be a formal dining room.

The old kitchen is going, and new one will be built in an extension linked to the house by a thoroughly modern glass link. Upstairs above the dining room, the cheese room will become Louise and Jeremy's enormous bedroom and across the landing they'll install a modern luxury bathroom. They also plan to knock two rooms together to re-create a large bedroom, complete with ensuite.

At the top of the house, the old hayloft will be converted into yet two more bedrooms and a bathroom. With a landing where they can sit and enjoy the sunset through a newly built window. But as well as repairing this ancient building, Louise and Jeremy want to introduce a contemporary feel, based on their favourite hotel.