Maximum temperature today 34C, minimum 22C. Dry. 14km/h South-easterly winds with gusts up to 30 km/h. Some cloud around today which has cooled things off a bit. 39C yesterday!!
The narrow road outside our house; only one other resident at the end and they also have another entrance as well.
Our house was originally 3 houses 200 years ago.
The window and little door belong to our bedroom. The more recent acquisition is the barn you see on the right
Just another view.
The back of the house. The two windows are our lounge. The doorway goes into a short passage.
Our lounge. All African paintings in here. Buffalo fire guard and note the giraffe on the right (Well you can just see his head). The circular table has the 'Big 5' carved onto the top of it.
The short passage, see the outside of the door above. Hmm, I could have straightened up the doormats!
Lounge at the end and the passage that leads to our bedroom....
The passage as it was in 2005. Painted midnight blue!
Our bedroom (this was originally just one house).
I should have tidied up before I took photos!! There is now a 1/2 glass door behind the closed curtain.....
The bedroom as it was in 2005. The low ceiling now removed, upstairs is where they stored the hay for the animals
The dining area in what used to be a bedroom. We removed the wall and see below....
now made into a kitchen/diner.
The kitchen as it is now....
and how it was when we bought the house in 2005.
Our steep steps up to the top of the barn which is now our offices - you have to remember which foot to use!! At the bottom on the right is a small spare bedroom. On the left is the lounge.
At the top, we have an office each, one on either side of the main beam, behind me while taking this photo is the other very small spare room
See also my Bird blog
Gosh you have done so much restoration work Diane, your house looks gorgeous now 💙 I hope the weather is kind to you over the weekend. It doesn't seem that long ago when you were hoping for warmer weather.. just not that warm ✨
ReplyDeleteGrace I can always get cool if too hot (and we have no air con it makes me ill), I cannot always get warm when cold. Hope you have a good weekend Diane
DeleteYour house looks very appealing, Diane, and very very interesting too. I can only imagine that it must have been a bit of a daunting task to envision and then execute all the changes you have made. From what I can see it appears that you hired good tradesmen who knew their métier and did a fine job. Perhaps one day I will get to see it.
ReplyDeleteDavid most of the heavy work, like removing beams and plastering, was done by a Frenchman who went bust, thankfully when the heavy work had been pretty much finished. The trouble was his guarantee went bust with him! When we wanted to claim we then discovered he was only registered as a carpenter not for anything else!! He came highly recommended!!! I lived in France for 7 months of the year, every year until Nigel retired and I did pretty much all the inside work except when Nigel helped out if he came over for long weekends.
DeleteEnjoy your weekend. Diane
I am glad that in the end everything turned out well.
DeleteHis bad workmanship with the fosse cost us a lot of money and the problem is still not sorted out to the satisfaction of the French powers that be. They now need all the drainage changed which means digging up 1/2 the garden. The last quote we had was ridiculous so we said it can wait. There is not an obvious problem, but if we wanted to sell, which we don't, it would have to be done!!
DeleteYou have transformed your home into a beautiful comfortable place. I can see it took a lot of time and work. I like your Africa room.
ReplyDeleteThanks Terra, we love it here. Take care and enjoy the weekend Diane
DeleteAbsolutely adorable!!!!!!!!! Hugs, Diane.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mia I hope you have a good weekend. Take care Diane
DeleteThe back of your house is so inviting. Each room is so comfortable looking and I feel welcome. It is just lovely.
ReplyDeleteHi Emma you are always welcome. Enjoy your weekend Diane
DeleteYou did a great job on the place. A two hundred year old house is unheard of here. Wonderful job, Diane.
ReplyDeleteEuropean history is soooooo much older than your history. Thanks Marie , enjoy your day. Diane
DeleteI like it! But those stairs are SCARY. 😱
ReplyDeleteOnce you are used to them they are easy. Only used by us generally to go up and down to the offices. Thanks for the comment Diane
DeleteDiane, what amazing and beautiful house, looks lovely and I love your kitchen !
ReplyDeleteIs amazing to think 200 years ! Fun how many stories and things in all these years.
Hugs
Gloria
Yes Gloria if only those walls could talk :-) Have a good day Diane
DeleteOh my goodness, what a gorgeous home you have Diane. Very warm and inviting. Enjoy your weekend :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Denise, we love it though up-keep is far harden on an old house then to a young one. It seems never ending.
DeleteHave a good weekend Diane
You have transformed the old house into a beautiful house. You did a great job. Now it look so spacious and gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nancy, hard work but worthwhile. On-going work though because it is so old!! Keep well Diane
DeleteYou have a very lovely home. I remember well when you and Nigel were first renovating and restoring. You certainly have done a lot of work and made a house a home.
ReplyDeleteThanks Penny, yes I think you have been following me right from the very beginning. One of my longest blog friends I think. Take care Diane
DeleteWhat a beautiful house. Love it. That lounge!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Aritha, we love it I have to say :-) Keep cool Diane
DeleteI remember watching some of your home updating but truly love this house tour. You took this place and made it into a beautiful home.
ReplyDeleteThanks Gaelyn, yes I think you and Penny (Joyful) have been with me right from the beginning and have seen all the ups and downs along the way. Keep well Diane
DeleteWhat a beautiful home you've created, Diane. I have read the replies to comments above and see it didn't come easily. Such a beautiful warm looking interior. Please do tell when you come to SA again. I know you were here in the Central Drakensberg not too many years ago. I would love to meet you. Have a great weekend Jo PS has the heatwave passed?
ReplyDeleteThanls Jo, email sent with replies. Take care Diane
DeleteI found this very fascinating... and mind boggling. Firstly by the age of your house, and secondly by how much work you have done. Wow! What a wonderful home you have created.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lynda, 200 years old in not old for Europe but it certainly is to the rest of the'new' world. Masses of work, but we have a home now that we love though there is always upkeep! Hope all is well over there Diane
DeleteOH...thank you...I have been wanting to ask for a while to see the inside of your 2000 yr old home. That is adorable. How long have you lived there? I love it. Now....the backyard and all the plants. I see bits and pieces here and there but would love to see it all so I can understand it all. WOW..that drive goes so close to the house!! Hoping no one ever bumps the home.
ReplyDeletePam firstly the house is only two hundred years old, not 2000. There is only one other family at the bottom of our road and they have another entrance as well, so nobody is likely to drive into the house. We bought the house in 2005 which I mentioned above. The heading of this post is you have seen the garden and now the house, so there is no more to see and you commented on the garden as well! We only have one flower bed which is posted. All else is trees, shrubs and lawn and of course quite a big vegetable garden. Not interesting photography! Not sure there is anything else to see you have it all! Hope you are well Diane
DeleteExquisite. Great restoration. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the comment and the visit, appreciated. Have a great week Diane
DeleteWow, your kitchen is so big, I dream about this kind of kitchen:)
ReplyDeleteI have to say I so appreciate it. We planned it well 😉 Enjoy your week, Diane
DeleteSo great to see your beautiful home! I love how much you have done to update it but have still kept it's rustic charm. I love the exposed beams and rock walls. So pretty!
ReplyDeleteWe tried to keep it original as possible while trying to make it a bit warmer than it originally was. Think we have mostly succeeded. Thanks Pam, enjoy your week, Diane
DeleteYou have done a fabulous job at restoring three 200 year old houses to make a lovely home.
ReplyDeleteThanks Diane, it was hard work but we did enjoy most of it!! Hope all is well over there, t'other Diane
DeleteWhat a lovely home. I love the mix of old and new, especially those beams in the ceilings.
ReplyDeleteThanks Monica. We loved the beams and the stonework so tried to leave as much as possible original. It was hard work though fun. Cheers Diane
DeleteYou have a beautiful home, Diane. I've enjoyed seeing the photo's. And, those steps? I've never seen any like that before, and I guarantee you I'd fall after one step! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing with us!
xoxo
The steps are not actually a problem so long as you know what you are doing and there is a good hand rail. I seldom use it going up, but I never come down without one free hand to hold the rail!! Keep well and thanks for the comment. Take care Diane xx
DeleteI've always been impressed by the photos you take in your wonderful garden, Diane. Your beautiful home, however, is just fabulous! You have clearly done much great work, whilst conserving the character of a building of this age.
ReplyDeleteMy best wishes to you both - - - Richard
Thanks very much Richard, we tried to keep it in character as much as possible. Despite changing the windows for double glaze we had the frames especially made in oak. Being old though, there is still lots of upkeep!
DeleteKeep well and hope that you have a good weekend, Diane
Thank you for sharing the link with me...I love it. So adorable looking. YOu have done a lot of work also.
ReplyDeleteWe did masses of work but it was all worth while. I love the house and the garden. Diane
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