Lily Pebbles Home Renovation
In 2017, lifestyle Youtube personality Lily Pebbles and her husband Rich moved into their new London home. While the home was fine for the first few months, they knew they wanted to renovate. “It’s not ours and it feels a bit like we are living in someone else’s house,” Pebbles wrote in a blog post. Things that needed changing were the electric systems, new carpets, built-in wardrobes, shutters, and a bathroom re-do for the upstairs, while the downstairs would see major changes in a kitchen extension, an outdoor deck, new floors, wall redecoration, shutters, and a fireplace removal. Documenting the entire process for her viewers, the whole project took 123 days (Pebbles found out she was pregnant the day they moved in). The best part of her house is the shade of the master bedroom: a lovely color called Setting Plaster by Farrow & Ball.
Where to watch: Lily Pebbles Home Renovation
How to Renovate a Château (Without Killing Your Partner)
In 2019, Englishwoman and former fashion designer Anna, and her Italian filmmaker husband Philipp left their busy, city lives for an adventure in the French countryside. Situated on the beautiful Normandy coast, the charming home they chose was the Château Gonneville sur Honfleur. This 18th-century building is now the center of the couple’s life savings and is a luxury bed and breakfast, the profits of which are used to restore the rest of the Château, the outbuildings, and the gardens. The channel is an interesting look at the realities of a huge project, and how to have fun while doing it.
Where to watch: How to Renovate a Château
The 2nd Empire Strikes Back
The 2nd Empire Strikes Back is a channel dedicated to showing the progress of the renovation of a derelict Victorian mansion. St. Louis’ Charles S. Brown house was built in 1879 and owned by Charles S. Brown, president of the Hall and Brown Machine Co. Its new owner, Kaleb Higgins, plans to restore it to its former glory, using period-appropriate wooden fixtures and other decorative elements, the journey is documented online for those who wish to watch.
Where to watch: The 2nd Empire Strikes Back
Doing It Ourselves
The Château de la Basmaignée is located in Mayenne, the North West of France, close to the village of Montenay. Sitting over 60 acres of parkland, which includes a private chapel, a traditional walled garden, six cottages, and 25 acres of forest with a secluded lake, the locale is a wonderful place to visit. Over the years, ownership of the entire estate has changed. Built in the 18th century by the Duke de la Basmaignée family, and then taken over by the State during the Revolution, the château also saw time as the home to a member of Napoleon’s entourage. It has been rebuilt and renovated a couple of times, the last time being in the early 1900s. During WWII it was used as a hospital for the injured before the Basmaignée family was able to own it once again for the last 80 years. In 2016, Gwendoline and Billy, a French-Anglo couple purchased the château, and with the help of their family have been doing their best to renovate the estate. The house had not been lived in for the last 20 years. Due to the huge undertaking, the couple’s family and friends have chipped in, all of who play a huge part in making the channel such a fun one to watch. The château is also available for short stays.
Where to Watch: Doing it Ourselves
