Original subtitles

Here in the UK, we do love a period property.

I never dreamt that I would own a castle.

For me, it looks like a typical doll's house.

From countryside houses...

It was everything you could dream of.

It was a palace.

...to timeless terraces.

I turned up and I thought, "Whoa, this is pretty cute."

But beneath the grand facades...

Hopefully, the house won't fall down. We'll see, won't we?

..these historical homes are falling to bits.

Everyone told us to tear this building down.

All over the country, an army of renovators

are snapping them up at knock-down prices...

I think we should leave it like this, it looks old timey.

..then facing challenges of epic proportions.

I said all along to get a new build.

This series, we meet the brave new renovators...

We're looking for a bungalow with a shed.

..and return to our familiar band of determined dreamers...

Who else has got a chapel in their house?

..all risking everything...

I thought I had a good idea of what was needed.

I was quite wrong.

People think renovation's lovely, don't they?

Oh, God, I'm trembling.

..to create the forever home of their dreams...

Oh, my God, it's so nice.

Brick by brick...

Whoa! This is amazing.

..room by room...

I'm still having my "pinch me" moment.

We're nowhere near finished, but it feels like a house now.

We are a renovation nation.

Today, Rob and Tracey's 200-year-old castle in Scotland...

I don't think you're going to be able to lift that.

Oh, he's had his Weetabix!

..is giving them pre-wedding jitters.

Time is ticking, our wedding is looming.

Ben and Paul embark on a brand-new renovation

adventure just next door...

I just can't wait to get cracking now.

..where they hope to be swinging from the chandeliers.

This gallery landing across the top, you might have a chandelier.

And in the attic of a manor house in south-east Wales...

He's got this secret bookcase door, which we're going to build

an opening mechanism for.

..a hidden playroom for Faye and David's son.

Wait, weren't there two rooms here?

Whoa!

In south-east Wales, deep in the Monmouthshire countryside,

lies the sprawling, 30-roomed Clomendy Wood Manor.

Built in 1914, it was created in the Arts and Crafts style,

a movement which championed the craftsmanship of bygone eras.

It's a legacy its owners wish to continue,

festival caterers David and Faye and their son, Winston.

I have moments where I think, "This is incredible.

"How did we get here?"

Yeah. It's magical. It is. It really is.

The house, when we bought it in 2021, was £940,000.

You know, where we moved from in Somerset,

it would have been four times as much.

The Grade II listed, three-storey manor house

had remained untouched for decades,

but Faye and David were confident they could breathe new life into it.

A year ago, the seasoned renovators took on the huge challenge

of restoring their home,

with a plan to let out rooms to holiday-makers

to help pay for the ongoing renovations.

We got up this morning to soggy carpets downstairs.

That was the plan at least.

What we thought were the priorities when we first bought the property

was get the place looking nice.

What we found out once we were in,

it was just a completely different story.

Their home soon revealed its dark secrets,

namely its antiquated, century-old plumbing...

The grossest bathroom in the world.

..which pulled the plug on most of their limited budget...

The boiler needed to be replaced really urgently.

That's taken a huge chunk of the budget.

..and the couple had to shelve their guest room plans.

For me, that's off the table now.

Look at that.

With dwindling funds, they dug deep

to complete a playroom for their son, Winston.

It's going to be a lot of blooming work.

But when the festival season arrived in the summer,

they had to down tools and get back to work.

So we have no choice.

Dave is off to Glastonbury.

That's how we pay for the stupid house.

It wasn't easy, was it? It wasn't easy at all.

12 months on, David and Faye have picked up where they left off.

With paying guests still very much on the agenda,

first, they want to convert five rooms in the former attic servant's

quarters into a family space, focusing on a bathroom,

a cinema room, and the first job on the list -

the completion of the bunk room and playroom

son Winston has patiently waited for.

This room started life as a bare attic, and they've already converted

the space under the eaves to create the dream sleepover den.

These are going to be individual bunks, really,

so that when Winston's up here, his mates can stay over.

They've each got a little light.

And then just loads of beanbags,

a beautiful rug and just space for them to play.

We wanted to give Winston a space that was just his,

and we just wanted it to be exciting, really.

And for any eight-year-old,

it doesn't get any more exciting than this.

OK, it's a bookcase, but just wait.

Winston is incredibly lucky.

He's got the secret bookcase door,

which we're going to build an opening mechanism for with a book.

But look, look at this.

Isn't it amazing?

This will be Winston's HQ.

A playroom of his own to let his imagination run free.

When this is done,

and we have the big reveal and he runs in here,

I'm going to cry, obviously.

But it's a dream to be able to give him something like this.

Neither of us grew up like this.

Sustainability is a core value of this project.

Everything in this room will be repurposed or upcycled.

The desk, his command centre, is a triumph.

We rescued all of this wood from the summer house.

Dave sanded it all back, it took forever.

And then we've used some of the wood interspersed with another rescue job

that we did from our old house.

With a £26,000 budget that needs to cover the reno on the whole floor,

including a bedroom, bathroom and cinema room,

David and Faye need to get creative,

or risk their dream once again grinding to a halt.

Ultimately, we haven't got a giant budget.

There's going to be some tough choices.

We're going to be calling in some favours.

We just have to make do with what we've got

and try and make it stretch as far as we can.

270 miles away, in the Cumbrian countryside,

stands this Georgian style manor house.

Built in 1862 for a silk merchant,

its grand pillared entrance tells a story of elegance and wealth.

Over the decades, the building was divided up,

and parts of it fell into serious disrepair.

But now, West End star Ben and property developer Paul

are bringing it back to life by restoring

many of its original features,

and transforming its 22 rooms.

The most exciting part of being able

to be, like, the current custodians of this house

is that we get to look after it.

It's just so exciting that our names are on that list of people

who have owned it, and we're just part of the journey.

In like 100 years' time,

when someone else gets it and has an exciting venture,

they'll be like, "Oh, I wonder who Ben and Paul were."

Like, that's quite funny.

Earlier this week, we saw Ben and Paul put the finishing touches

to phase one of their grand renovation plans,

as they open the doors to guests.

Welcome to the Country House Cumbria.

It doesn't disappoint, does it?

I mean, it's like the nicest hotel you've ever stayed in, isn't it?

Oh, yes. Good review. It is.

But when it comes to renovating,

Ben and Paul are always looking for their next challenge.

It will be quite exciting, wouldn't it?

It would be so exciting.

The main thing for me would be the potential of reinstating

the back of the house. Yeah.

The biggest, most fabulous news

is that we've bought the wing, the servants wing next door.

The house was split in the '70s,

so it's nice to feel like it's all going to be

under one ownership again.

So that is actually the next bit of the project.

When the house was divided up, a high wall just outside the kitchen

was built to provide a boundary with a separate entrance and driveway.

We've barely just finished this project,

so to be sort of throwing ourselves into a new one,

it's quite overwhelming.

It literally makes me get butterflies in my belly

when I think about getting next door.

And just like that, Ben and Paul are ready to embark

on yet another huge renovation project.

Yippee! With bookings in the main house looking healthy...

Right, here we go.

..the three-bedroomed servant's quarters will be where Ben and Paul

make a home for themselves.

God. We've got a lot of stripping wallpaper to do.

Although this part of the building is in good condition,

the decor is dated and needs a thorough overhaul.

It isn't a conventional sort of layout or set-up,

but we know that we can definitely make it something.

We can definitely make it work.

The paving and the stone on the wall is something

that we're really excited to get off.

I think this was, like, going for a bit of a Lake District look.

Sort of a Cumbrian sort of lodge look.

Oh, and then into the living room, which is again just so '80s.

In the fireplace is exact style as the fireplace

that we have in the house next door.

It's just a different stone, which is lovely.

It just needs to feel like a new, lovely energetic space,

and not dark, which it feels at the minute.

Upstairs, it's a similar story.

Still, it's not all bad news.

Oh, no. There is a huge treasure.

There's a huge treasure in this room.

Do you want to see it?

It's a beautiful, gorgeous corner bath, toilet and bidet set.

Very, very 1980s.

Very, very fabulous.

I'm really more than happy in this bath.

I could sleep in here, actually.

You might have to. Be careful.

Mind your back.

He won't get out. Oh. That was the bath, not me.

I just can't wait to get cracking, now.

At the end of the day, if there's something really annoying,

find a way to move forward and just get on with it.

That's our motto, really. Yeah. Just get on with it.

Coming up...

In Scotland, Tracey and Rob get wedding season ready...

It still needs to have a wow factor when we open the door.

..as pressure mounts before their big day...

I don't think you should just put panelling in.

I'm not doing this.

..and Ben and Paul uncover the history of their home.

This is more than 100 years ago.

Alongside its ups...

I mean, this guy was smashing it, really, wasn't he?

..and downs.

Wow. It lost quite a lot of value.

Deep in the heart of Scotland,

in the rolling Perthshire countryside,

sits 200-year-old Culdees Castle.

In its glory days, it boasted more than 75 rooms,

including a beautiful chapel.

But after years of neglect,

the castle became a shadow of its former self and the rot set in.

Then along came events manager Tracey,

and her IT consultant partner, Rob.

They spotted the castle for sale online,

and were up for the challenge.

There's no way we'd be able to afford to buy a castle,

an eight-bedroomed house and acres of land

if it wasn't in a poor state.

They paid £730,000, moved north, and began turning Culdees

into an upmarket wedding venue.

God, it's really tough.

Earlier this week, Rob and Tracey finished renovations

on the castle's Victorian chapel.

Featuring a spectacular Italian style ceiling,

handcrafted stained glass windows and a reclaimed tiled floor.

I did that, I worked that out.

I worked out the pattern.

In three weeks' time,

all their hard work will come to fruition when they tie the knot

here in the chapel.

But with more weddings in the diary and more rooms to complete,

pressure is mounting.

I am genuinely concerned that it won't all get done.

Today in the East Wing,

work starts on the entrance and hall stairway,

where the bride and groom will walk up to the chapel.

That includes you, Tracey.

Time is ticking. Our wedding date is looming.

This is the main or the only entrance up to the chapel,

so it still needs to have a wow factor when we open the door,

and brides, grooms walk up there.

Tracey plans to transform the staircase

by adding faux panelling on each side,

and adorning it with paintings and pictures.

Similar to this sort of design, which I found in a magazine,

I'd like to have almost like artwork panes, is how I see them in my head,

so some of the squares will have wallpaper in them,

some of the squares will have artwork in.

I just need to draw it on the walls and see what it looks like.

Rob's volunteered to help draw out the hallway design.

There's a handrail going on both sides?

Yeah, the handrail has to be in the right place here,

because otherwise my squares will be wrong.

It must be 600.

If your panelling is 900,

your handrail has to be more than 900, then.

The pressure seems to be getting to Rob.

It either has to sit below, or above.

Yes, yes, I understand that.

But what I'm saying is, do you think that's too high?

No, I don't think you should put panelling here.

I'm not doing this.

We do go through stages where something happens,

and one of us is invariably super fed up.

But every now and again, one of us throws the toys out the pram.

And yesterday was my turn.

Tomorrow it'll be you.

As well as transforming the staircase,

Tracey needs to find new doors for the entrance hall.

Oh, there's loads of stuff in the way.

So it will mean upcycling one of the ones she salvaged from the castle.

You were thinking about that one there at the back?

I am, yeah, it just means I'm going to have to paint both the doors,

that's all.

We can show us a little bit and see how it comes up.

You just want to play with your gun thing, don't you? No, I don't.

Yes, you do. It doesn't need shot blasting.

I can do that with a sand...

It's just that's a lot of sanding, Tracey.

No, it's all right. Shot blasting will be quick.

Genuinely, though, I think we work well as a team,

and that's probably why we've achieved what we've done so far,

because we do bounce off of one another quite well, don't we? Yeah.

I don't think you're going to be able to lift that by yourself.

Oh, he's had his Weetabix!

Yeah, that'll work. Right, I'm bringing it back in.

With hours of stripping and repainting now on the list of jobs,

time is running out.

In Cumbria...

Ben and Paul are in phase two of their mammoth renovation.

Oh, I've done that the other way round.

Having finished the main house,

they've now purchased an adjoining wing of the original building,

to create a space just for themselves to live.

And it's got them wondering how the two sides used to fit together.

We know that when we bought the house, there was two doors

that had been boarded up. Through the... Going through to a corridor.

So when you look at the servants corridor here,

what we think is that it was linked through.

And then there was another doorway,

in the very corner, which links to our new lounge.

But when you come in the servants' entrance, there's a toilet now.

And that's actually where it all would have just connected.

It all builds that picture in your mind of the building,

and that's what I think I want to know more about.

When renovating old houses that have been home to many generations,

unpicking how the house was originally laid out and used

often needs a bit of detective work.

Excited, are you?

So Ben and Paul are heading to Cumbria Archive,

on the hunt for clues, and to ensure any reno plans honour that history.

Because we've spent so much time there,

and worked so much on the house,

you spend so much time thinking about the history

of it and what went into building it.

So it just sets your mind racing.

You just never know what could have been archived and kept on file.

Ben and Paul do know that the house was originally built

and owned by John Watson,

the son of a Cumbrian farmer, who made his money in the silk trade.

So we've got a map and a valuation of the estate in 1872.

BOTH: Oh, wow. He was quite a big landowner,

if he owned all the land around Guild Hall

and all this land as well.

The next document reveals that when John Watson died in 1872,

his assets were recorded so they could be divided up in his will,

including the value of what is now Ben and Paul's house.

£10,909. In 1872.

Wow. That's a lot of money, isn't it?

That's a lot of money.

With the house and land Watson owned,

the total value of his estate is pretty impressive too.

So is this the total, £127,947?

That's around 12.5 million in today's money.

I mean, this guy was like absolutely smashing it, really, wasn't he?

But around 40 years later, it looks like fortunes might have changed.

We've got this one here. Oh, wow, yeah.

Which is...it's the sales particulars for the house.

It lost quite a lot of value from this document,

where it was valued at £10,000.

Here it's for sale for £3,500, reduced from £4,500.

We're entering that time, kind of 1914,

when the landed upper classes,

they're losing a bit of their wealth and control,

as we're going kind of into the First World War era.

If you think about Downton Abbey. Yes.

But it's the description of the house itself

that really piques Ben and Paul's interest.

"A substantial mansion built in white ashlar and dressed stone."

I love that, "commanding the most beautiful, near and distant views

"of mountains and seas."

And it also says inexpensive.

Inexpensive to maintain. It's so not!

The domestic offices are conveniently placed for service

and comprise of servants' sitting room, spacious kitchen

and scullery combined.

I think that's in the servants' wing.

This is more than 100 years ago.

It's got so much relevant information to today.

It's so amazing to read it.

With so much information to take in,

Ben and Paul's appetite is well and truly whetted.

That was so interesting, seeing the description of the original staff

quarters of the building, and it just giving us

an understanding of how those rooms were used.

I think it's really exciting to see what we can convert it into.

And still be sympathetic to the building.

That's our biggest challenge, I think.

Coming up, in South Wales...

This one is probably the worst one...

..Dave experiments with traditional techniques...

..so we've got to make this work.

..Tracy and Rob's wedding checklist happens...

Everything's at the last minute. ..needs ticking off...

It's a huge responsibility when we have got four other weddings.

..and Ben and Paul believe bigger is better.

How sort of big are you thinking?

I'm thinking like...big.

In Monmouthshire, back at Clomendy Wood Manor,

festival caterers David and Faye have rallied the troops

to get their son Winston's new playrooms ready for action.

So close!

Faye's stepdad Barry is lending his skills, while their carpenter

friend, Barney, takes on the challenge of the secret door.

After a little bit more head scratching, when I pull this book,

pull that latch like this and then it'll spring back.

There's also a new apprentice on site.

Oh, that's it.

Eight-year-old Winston is learning the tricks of the trade,

helping his old dad to build a treehouse.

Line there to show that that's the edge.

And he is a chip off the old block.

Just being out here, spending some time together, it's magic.

And it's nice to get something at the end of it as well, isn't it?

When we're finished, it's going to be amazing.

I mean, I just can't wait.

And while the boys are grafting Faye's busy,

playing with Winston's toys.

I'm just building something to go around Winston's light switch,

so that he can add little characters and stuff onto it.

It's the little touches that they hope will fire

the imagination of their precious son.

It's the most important thing in the whole house to me.

Getting this space right is everything and he is going

to absolutely love it.

Oh, look, love!

Yep. That's level.

Aw, he is a poppet, all right! And patient.

He's still not had one sneaky peek of his new rooms.

But I know it's going to be good.

Why they're doing it is the most important part.

They're just doing it for me.

And I'm thankful for that.

So job done, bobs, isn't it? Mm-hm.

Winston doesn't have too much longer to wait.

A few weeks later, with lighting in and walls painted, David and Faye

are working on the centrepiece of his playroom...

Mm, I think that will look better.

..Winston's control centre, where the budding young animator

can create his films with his plastic characters.

All right, let's get them all off. Do not lean them on the walls.

But at the moment, his restored oak wood desk is a bit

on the wonky side.

One of the things that's always annoyed me a bit is where they join,

you can really see the bow in the wood, so we've come

up with a plan to flatten them out a bit.

Um, and just give it a nice clean finish for when he's working there.

After weeks of hard work restoring this reclaimed wood,

David's not about to give up at the final hurdle

to make it perfect.

This one's probably the worst one.

The beauty of this wood is that it's been here

on these grounds for over 100 years.

So, yeah, we've got to make this work.

He's drafted in seasoned renovator Barry to help him create a steam

chamber to soften the wood and bend it back into shape.

We're going to make a little tent for these planks.

Fill it full of steam.

We've got one of these wallpaper steamers.

That's going to generate the steam. Leave it for half an hour.

It's worth giving it a try.

Steam bending is a process dreamt up by the Egyptians

to build boats and chariots.

I'm all for experimenting.

This is where the student starts teaching the master.

Safely secured,

it's now just a waiting game to see if the steam chamber works.

No water running out at the moment. No.

Let's go grab a brew. Brew o'clock!

Oh, man!

In the meantime, Barney the chippy has a little surprise.

It's like, that looks pretty seamless.

And then, you know, it's like, I'll see you. See you later!

Brilliant!

Winston won't need to cast a spell to enter the secret room.

Absolutely fantastic!

It's all about Aladdin's cave, you know.

That's what comes to mind.

The first time he gets to have a little play on that door

to see his face, it's just going to be a picture.

It's going to be amazing.

Nearly there! Yeah!

In Cumbria, the upkeep of Ben and Paul's

Georgian-style country house keeps them busy.

But now, they've become the proud owners of the adjoining wing,

there's even more on their to do list.

Just going to do the side lawn, yeah? Yeah.

Armed with the information they gathered at the Cumbria archive,

they've invited architect Joe to help them come up with a reno

plan that has all the wow factor of the main house, while staying

sympathetic to the original building.

So, this was actually the original servants' kitchen

and the servants' living room. That makes sense.

Yeah, it kind of makes sense that the style of kitchen here.

So what are you going to do with this?

Well, that's what we want you for, really.

Ben and Paul's first problem is how to create an entrance hall

to match the grandeur of the main house.

Well, you've got a nice entrance outside coming in,

but as you burst in through the house, there's no sense

of arrival at all. It's true. When it comes to living space,

matching the scale of the main house is also at the top

of their wish list.

So, I think we're going to knock this off. Yeah.

And then build an amazing extension.

How sort of big are you thinking? I'm thinking, like...big.

And capturing those gorgeous views that stretch

all the way to Scotland.

I would just love somewhere where we can, like, make dinner, sit,

chill, watch the sunset.

It's where the barn owls fly every night.

I'm like, that's why I want to be.

I think you really see which way it would work when we start sketching.

That's going to be key for you both.

And no sooner as he puts pen to paper, there's

a light bulb moment. Well, you that there,

and I was like, oh, that would be a really nice entrance.

What if we totally took this away and this was our new front door,

and this was our hallway with the stairs there?

Ben's idea means a big layout switch,

but Joe sees a way to make it work.

So you could run the stairs up here.

Nice, gallery, landing.

Nice gallery landing

across the top and you might have a chandelier... Oh!

..as you come in.

Moving the position of the front entrance to where the kitchen

currently is would give them the grand entrance

and hallway they want.

So, this would feel really traditional in the style

of the existing property and the feel.

And it would open up the living space by embracing the hallway

and extending out.

Effectively, now, this would be extension.

Would be so nice though with the fireplace at the end as well.

The existing fireplace... And a beautiful window.

Oh, I really like that.

We've just completely flipped turn and reversed the whole idea

that we're talking about because we've sat down with an architect.

There you go.

It's all a lot to think about, but with exciting new layout

ideas to consider, Ben and Paul couldn't be more inspired.

We obsess over things and talk about stuff over and over again,

but then just to have someone else's opinion who's so experienced.

We feel like we'd exhausted every option,

and then Joe comes in and just goes, what about this?

And it's a whole new idea.

Actually, just flipping the front door to here and making

this our hallway and having like a really lovely traditional layout

would work so nicely, we would end up with this amazing view

of the countryside, and I would definitely be able to sit and watch

all my barn owls and the sunset then, wouldn't I?

In Scotland, deep in the Perthshire countryside,

the race is on to get 200-year-old Culdees Castle

ready for the wedding season.

You're doing the door facing today? Yeah.

So now, the pressure is on to transform the hall and stairs

up to the chapel into something a bit more romantic.

It's a huge responsibility when we have got four other weddings.

And I don't mean like poles apart from ours.

I mean, like, the following weekend.

We will make do, but they can't.

After rewiring the hallway lighting and securing the timber framing, Rob

and joiner Steve are battling to get the plasterboard up.

I need four sheets. Are you cutting any?

Plasterboard in the top hall today.

And, um, we're kind of on a time thing, so we're running

about like headless chickens.

Um, a bit more cooperative with Steve, but he's under pressure.

I'm just going to get on and do what he tells me. One...

So I'm coating the plasterboard sheets for the top home.

One, three, four, five.

Er... Um...

Rob's volunteered to be builder's mate,

and Steve's piling on the pressure.

I wonder if we've got a cutter upstairs.

Are you happy with that?

I might be happy with it, Steve.

What are you doing now? Stick the kettle on.

Can do.

Do what you're told, Rob!

You need to keep Steve on board

and those renovation wheels turning.

Plasterer's coming in on Monday just to put the cornice up.

So we've just got that and that and that to finish.

Everything's at the last minute.

But...never mind.

We'll get there in the end.

I know my place, in the kitchen, making tea.

He's really good to work with,

but he's terrible under pressure.

I understand it.

And I'll do whatever I need to do to just keep things going.

And if that means making tea and giving folk biscuits, so be it.

Hopefully a nice cuppa will keep everyone happy.

I haven't got your biscuits.

Look at that! It's my first box!

A few days later, with the plaster boarding now complete, it's time

for Tracy to get hands on with her panelling idea

for the whole walls.

I always have an idea in my head

of what each room is going to look like.

It does get designed on the hoof a little bit from the basis

of a very solid idea.

I just want to get the next box up.

So I've got the wee box and the big box.

But I think it's...

Creating faux panelling,

using simple battens, is an inexpensive way of recreating

period detail to a bare wall.

It doesn't look like a big skinny corridor

when this is all on.

Then, the panels need taping and filling and eventually painting.

But so far, Tracy is confident her big idea for the hallway works.

There.

Because this is just like, "Whoa, that's my room!"

Taping and filling

it's kind of decorating stuff, really, isn't it?

This is... This is the stuff that makes it the room.

Coming up...

Today is a big day. ..in Scotland, Rob and Tracy's wedding entrance...

In true Tracy fashion, I don't do anything by halves.

..is hoping to be a cut above. No pressure!

Who's making the first cut?

And in South Wales, Faye and David... Wait.

Weren't there two rooms here? No. You must be imagining it.

..are keeping the magic alive for Winston.

Whoa!

At the foot of the Scottish Highlands at Culdees Castle,

it's just three and a half weeks before Rob and Tracy are to be wed.

Today's main focus is to press on with the transformation

of the hallway and stairs that lead to the lovingly restored chapel.

With Tracy's panel designs filled and painted on the stairs...

Well, this is half a garden.

..she's now moving on to the final stage of the transformation to hang

the bespoke wallpaper designed by her friend Lucy.

Today is a big day.

Lucy's wallpaper is going on the wall.

The wallpaper is inspired by the gardens found

in the castle grounds.

That effectively is the shape of the castle garden.

This is what she classes as my duck pond.

That's a duck pond!

The wallpaper was made using block printing, which originated in China

thousands of years ago, but became popular here in the UK

in the 18th century when Culdees Castle was built.

I basically gave Lucy a load of old photographs and said,

"This is what the original parterre garden looked like.

"This is what it looked like in the 1920s, and that's

"how the garden is going to look going forward."

And I wanted a culmination of all three.

Tracy has not made things easy for herself

or painted decorator, Stevie.

In true Tracy fashion, I don't do anything by halves.

Normally, you just go and buy some wallpaper from the shop

and it has a normal pattern repeat and it just fits on the wall,

all lovely, but no, this requires some planning.

They now have to decide how the pattern will best

be displayed into each moulding section.

I'm a bit lost. Hold on, hold on. Hold on.

So, each roll has got half a garden on one side. Yeah.

So you're saying to start here? I'm just thinking...

I'm trying to work it out just now.

So, this will give us three gardens.

If we start in with the seam right in the middle there,

it gives you an idea of what it will look like.

It looks really good.

No pressure! No pressure!

Who's making the first cut? LAUGHTER

With Stevie painstakingly lining up the strips of wallpaper, it gives

Rob a chance to check on his progress.

Getting the final...

The final piece to here is the wallpaper.

Looking really good.

It was Tracy's idea.

I didn't necessarily think it was going to work.

Steve's under no pressure at all to get it done. I know!

A few weeks ago,

this space was far from being a stairway to heaven.

There's still a lot to do, but today at least has seen

one huge transformation...

I'm glad that I've got this wallpaper

because I think it looks great.

Part of its charm is that it is a little bit rusticy and a little bit

wonky, and it's not perfect lines.

It hasn't just been printed out of a machine.

..with Tracy's rescued door now painted

and hung in the chapel entrance.

I'm really, really pleased with how the colour looks

against the paintwork.

And for Tracy, it's a job fit for a castle.

No-one else is going to have this.

It's completely, completely Culdees Castle only.

Rob and Tracy are one step closer to the castle being ready

for their wedding day, but with artwork to hang, carpet to be laid,

and paint to apply, there's no time for anyone to rest on their laurels.

In southwest Wales, devoted parents Faye and David...

Nothing gets chucked away. This is all Arts and Crafts stuff

that he's had for years.

..have been decorating the spectacular bedroom and secret

playroom for their now nine-year-old son, Winston.

Today, it's all about finishing touches.

He's so excited about getting up here, being able to give

this to Winston and be like, "Yes, you!"

You know, "We've worked so hard on this and this is for you."

I think that's what counts. Oh, don't. I'm going to cry!

After four months, they are on the final stretch.

Today's job is to fit the reclaimed oak pieces that will form Winston's

new wrap around desk.

Hopefully, if I take these clamps off, that side doesn't move.

I don't think it's going to move.

After two attempts to flatten the warped wood with steam,

for the last couple of days, they've been attached to pallets,

in the hope they'll dry flat.

So, moment of truth.

There we go.

Yeah, it's looking really good.

It's still zig-zagy, but the main thing is they're flat.

Let's go see!

The last few pieces of the jigsaw.

The newly flat desk drops neatly into place and David's delighted

with the end result.

See how much that's brought that down?

As the last drawer slides into place...

Nice!

..Winston's patient wait for his new room is almost over.

Look at that!

Oh, man, he's going to absolutely love it!

Two days later and there's an air of excitement

at Clomendy Wood Manor.

Finally, the sleepover room and secret hidden playroom

for nine-year-old Winston are complete.

Two years ago, these rooms were dusty and forgotten,

home only to pipework and junk...

It's hard to remember what these rooms were like before we started.

It was a mess!

..now transformed into two amazing spaces

linked by a secret door hidden in the bookcase.

The adjoining bunk room and playroom are bright, modern and welcoming,

with the beams and the floors a nod to the age of the house.

With a budget of next to nothing and almost everything recycled

or reused, the space is a beacon of sustainability and testament

to the time and effort Faye and David have poured

into these rooms.

This is the highest point in the house.

And I think to do this first and do all the dirty work up here first...

It's sensible. It's unheard of for us!

Now, along with his cousins Sofia and Ada,

Winston is ready to see his new rooms for the very first time.

..Two, one. Go, go, go! Go, go, Winston!

Whoa! This is amazing!

Wait... Oh, those are where the beds are going to be.

Light switches in here as well. Yeah.

So far, so good.

But eagle0-eyed Winston has remembered something important.

Wait, weren't there two rooms here? No. You must be imagining it.

There's only ever one room here. Well, there were. There were two.

Time for a spot of magic.

How do you think you get in here? How do you think? The bookcase.

There's one of those books which looks a bit different.

This.

Oh, wait for Ada. Come on, Ada! Whoa!

So, this is where you put all of it?

Whoa! And this is where my animation stuff is!

We just wanted to give Winston something solid,

something, somewhere to escape to.

Having a space just for him to take over is why we started here.

No! This is amazing!

Him being happy, the little look on his face,

all of that is worth 20 bathrooms and a finished house.

Every kid's kind of got their own kind of like dream room

that they would have,

and I just like to think that in some respects,

this is Winston's.

And Winston's verdict? I like how the bookcase opens for a door.

And I like what they've done with my toys and my animation sets.

I like both rooms a lot, but I have to say I like the second

one more than the first one.

Now that this is done, once those bedrooms are done,

we'll be able to escape up here,

whilst we completely trash the rest of the house. Yeah!

This is amazing.

I can't wait, I might even sleep in here tonight.

It's mind-blowing, isn't it? It really works.

It reassures you, doesn't it, that the vision for the rest

of the house is OK?

Next time,

Childhood memories inspire a chic bedroom

transformation in Northumberland.

My dad's brother was a sea captain.

He used to bring us back dolls from all the countries he visited.

She's going to be the perfect addition to my oriental room.

At Culdees Castle,

Tracy and Rob get sentimental over historical artefacts.

I never dreamt I would own a castle. It's always something

as a little Scottish boy, you'd always dream of.

It really pulls at our emotional strings that I didn't know I had.

And David and Faye create an Art Deco cinema in the attic

of their Monmouthshire manor.

I think it looks great!

You can see everything start to take shape now.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media