The Great House B&B Exmoor Videos

A series of personal challenges led to us pursue our dreams and move to Exmoor, taking on this huge Grade II Listed property and restoring her to run as a luxury B&B. We’ve hit some obstacles (Covid, anybody?) but put all the money back into the renovations which we are doing ourselves as and when funds allow. Follow along as we uncover some truly incredible original features! #englishcountryhouse #livingthedream #restoration #renovation #georgian #tudor #followyourdreams #lifeistooshort

Hmm, this one had me stumped for a while, I must admit, and it took a lot of research to find out why exactly overmantle panelling was designed like this over 300 years ago. I could find just half a dozen images of similar era houses with the same panelling AND a mirror, but it seems that the large top panel was meant to display a painting, and the narrow section beneath was for a ‘landskip’ mirror, whose purpose was to reflect candlelight around the room before the invention of gas lighting. The mirrors were missing when we bought the house, but we commissioned replicas on the back of all the research, as this fascinating bit of history is certainly a talking point!! If anyone can add to this or give me any more information whatsoever, I would be most grateful! #landskipmirror #englishcountryhouse #originalfeatures #panelling #paneling #georgian #luxurybnb #chimneypiece #overmantle #fireplace

To be fair, this window in Fred’s bedroom is the worst one (“Really?” I hear you say!) which still can’t be replaced due to our Grade II status, but, to quote Baldrick, we have a cunning plan… Bruce is going to remove the rotten sections and splice in new wood, as the other nine parts to the bay window are solid. We’re going to attempt to DIY it, because….why not? We’ll get the professionals in if it doesn’t go according to plan, but we’re always up for teaching ourselves a new skill if at all possible. What keeps you awake at night? #rottenwindow #oldhouseproblems #englishcountryhouse #diy #homerenovation #windowrestoration #singleglazing #historicpreservation

How we made the half tester - a quick overview, as YouTube is the place for detailed tutorials, but I hope some of you find it useful.

Ad - Fred’s Room Reveal! Well, it took two months and a lot of work to overcome some pretty big challenges, but it’s finally (pretty much) finished! Warner House have been a brilliant partner to work with ever since they got in touch to say they wanted to help, and the result is an elegant, yet masculine room that Fred loves. Yes, we still need a new carpet and Fred would definitely prefer a mattress that fits the bed properly, but is a room ever really completely finished?!

Can you believe we’re STILL uncovering hidden features 4 years after moving in? If this is YOUR vibe, welcome to our voyage of discovery! #restoration #englishcountryhouse #originalfeatures #hidden #fireplace #oldhouse #17thcentury #renovation #hiddengem #myperiodhome #hiddenfeatures #labouroflove #oldhomesofinstagram

Before you ask, no, there aren’t any Delft tiles waiting to be discovered because this fire surround was moved from its original position during a period of Victorian modernisation around 150 years ago, and this tiny opening is the original one!The surround is so huge that the chimney breast was enlarged to accommodate it, and the tiles added to fill in the massive space around the opening.Identified as Ashburton Red marble, it was quarried locally in the neighbouring county of Devon back in the late 17th century, and is absolutely contemporary to the 1690 build.Interestingly, the matching marble hearth wasn’t moved and still sits tantalisingly in its proper place, albeit now paired with a ‘modern’ Victorian marble surround and….identical Delft tiles still buried behind!😭*The house is Grade II Listed which, sadly, prohibits us from putting the surround back in the right place and revealing the Delft tiles.#englishcountryhouse #marblefireplace #fireplaceremodel #fireplacerenovation #antiquefireplace #originalfeatures #periodfeatures #fireplacerestoration #17thcentury

SO many questions about our copper bath on Stories the other day! Back story:- The bathroom floor joists were so rotten that the floor was sagging and had to be replaced. We took the opportunity to install a large shower and relocate the antique bath (c.1890) to our bedroom. There was never any question of replacing it with a brand new copper bath; a) because it’s been in the house for 130 years b) copper baths cost thousands! c) our budget was £50😬 Yes, the bedroom still needs renovating - I’m working on a Moodboard right now…😃 #copperbath #copperleaf #diycopperbath #antiquebath #rolltopbath #copperbathtub #diycopperbathtub #englishcountryhouse

Ad | It’s probably a bit premature to put the cushions out, but Fred couldn’t wait, so here they are - and, yes, Leopard print IS a neutral! Like everything else from @warnerhouse_1870 the quality is superb. From the paint and wallpaper, to the cushions and curtains, EVERYTHING is from Warner House, which made ordering easy and stress free. Done be afraid to ask for advice and tap into their expertise. If you love a particular wallpaper, they are happy to suggest paint colours to go with it. Fallen for a specific fabric? They can help you make it even more special by recommending a trim. My Top Tip? Order free samples! I had samples of every single thing before finalising my selection, which helps avoid expensive mistakes! Best of all, Fred loves his new bedroom so far - when the half tester goes up, will it be the most elegant teenage boy’s room ever?! #warnerhouse_1870 #teenageroom #englishcountryhouse #englishstyle #englishdecor #greenandwhite #greenbedroom

People walk straight past it all the time, thinking it’s just a broom cupboard, but let me introduce you to what is surely a candidate for the smallest Bar in England! Measuring a cosy 7’7 x 6’11, the record for the most people to fit within currently stands at 17 - the original definition of ‘Snug’?! Often likened to the Speakeasy bars of the American Prohibition era, this is, however, very much an English Pub, albeit on a smaller scale. Who would like a drink in here?🍺 #speakeasy #englishcountryhouse #secretroom #homebar #englishpub