Pennod 18 04 Wal

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-04Wal is ten years old.

-We'll feature homes from 2008

-in this programme.

-First, two large homes

-in the old Merionethshire.

-One is in Aberdyfi

-and the other is in Dolgellau.

-Ann Hughes is a familiar face

-to 04Wal viewers.

-We've seen many of her

-design projects in the past.

-Today, we're at the home of Ann

-and Gareth her husband in Aberdyfi.

-What first attracted you

-to this house?

-The location.

-We're opposite the beach,

-so it's lovely.

-It had wonderful potential.

-I'd never buy

-a perfect, renovated house.

-I enjoy putting my own stamp

-on my home.

-How difficult is it to create

-a certain look for your own house?

-You're used to

-designing for other people.

-When I ask a client a question,

-they give me an answer.

-It's hard to even

-ask myself the question.

-I've created a house for us,

-as a family.

-I didn't want to create

-a show house.

-We want to relax here

-and live here as a family.

-This is the extension,

-where the kitchen now stands.

-You've created something...

-..which blends in

-with the rest of the house.

-The roof lantern

-is a Victorian feature.

-We were keen to create a feel...

-..in keeping with

-what had already been created here.

-It's an elegant room, so we wanted

-to have coving in the new extension.

-The aim was to keep the same feel

-as we have in the original room.

-This wooden floor helps to knit the

-house and the extension together.

-Yes, it helps create a flow between

-the old part and the new part.

-I'm very fond of oak flooring.

-It was hard for the builder,

-but he succeeded. It's fantastic.

-What about this room appeals to you?

-Everything in this room

-is very personal to us as a family.

-The dresser reminds me of the one we

-had on the farm when I was young.

-We had some of these on the farm.

-The mug commemorates the centenary

-of Ysgol Llanllwni in 1970.

-I was at the school

-during those celebrations.

-We bought this dresser second-hand

-when the children were young.

-It evokes happy memories

-of the past 20 years.

-As we move through the room...

-..we see more and more

-bits and bobs which belong to you.

-Yes. This is where we tend to relax.

-I enjoy having my things on display.

-There's a story behind each item,

-and it's all very personal.

-I enjoy surrounding myself

-with these things.

-Architects say

-the peak of their careers...

-..is designing

-their own personal space.

-You've already done that,

-three times over!

-Is this the last time you'll do it?

-It's the last time we'll do it

-for a while.

-Life is changing.

-The children are growing up.

-We've decided

-not to renovate another property.

-We would like to see the world

-while we can.

-Hopefully, we'll be happy

-in this house for some time.

-Debra Harris, Steve - her husband,

-and Isaac - their son...

-..are adapting to a slower life

-in a large, Victorian house.

-It stands like a sentry

-above Dolgellau.

-We lived in London

-and I worked long hours.

-I spent almost five hours a day

-commuting to and from work.

-Life is now completely different

-and I have time on my hands.

-Time to explore the area, to see

-friends and to be with my son.

-It wasn't possible before, so it's

-been a complete change of lifestyle.

-I'd yearned

-to return to this area for years...

-..but there's little work here.

-You must sometimes create something

-rather than look for a new job.

-My family is from Dolgellau,

-so the town means a lot to me.

-I wanted a slower pace of life and

-the potential to do something new.

-How did you feel

-when you first saw this house?

-I didn't like it.

-I thought it was too big

-and too cold.

-There was something frightening

-about the large, grey stone walls.

-Having viewed it four times,

-I agreed it had potential.

-I could see its potential

-by that stage.

-The rooms are spacious, allowing

-us to do what we set out to do.

-They also give us

-a large living space.

-This is the first thing people see

-when they enter the house.

-What are you aiming to convey here?

-What are you aiming to convey here?

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-A sense of total comfort.

-People walk in, see the sofa...

-..and want to kick of their shoes,

-have a cup of tea and relax.

-When you usually enter a hotel,

-there's a formal reception area.

-This is like

-walking in to someone's parlour.

-Yes. We wanted

-to create something different.

-This huge sofa

-seems to reach out and hug you!

-Yes, once you sit on it,

-it's difficult to get up again.

-Even if you're not a fan

-of Victorian design...

-..you must admire

-the standard of their craftsmanship.

-No detail escapes

-the designer's attention...

-..from the stair post

-to this magnificent window here.

-This is the only source of natural

-light in this part of the house.

-There's no great view

-through the window...

-..so it's a chance

-to display good craftsmanship.

-# Lacrimosa

-# Dies illa

-# Qua resurget

-# Ex favilla

-# Judicandus

-# Homo reus #

-This is the landing, which leads

-to the hotel guest rooms.

-When you stand here, you realize

-you've only seen half the house.

-There's another part to it -

-what was the staff quarters.

-When this was a rectory,

-the house was split in two.

-That's how it was originally

-and that's how it is today.

-Debra, Steve and Isaac

-live in that section.

-There are three bedrooms

-in the hotel at this stage.

-They're named after

-Debra and Steve's grandmothers.

-Each room reflects the character

-of that particular grandmother.

-This room is called Myfanwy.

-They tell me Myfanwy

-was a traditional lady.

-There's a traditional feel

-to this room...

-..although the colours

-have a modern hint about them.

-The walls create a wonderful canvas

-on which to exhibit the furniture.

-There are contemporary colours here.

-The striped chair,

-the green cushions and the curtains.

-It's a fusion of styles.

-We're not in this to make a fortune.

-It's more about attaining

-the lifestyle we want for ourselves.

-We'd love to make pots of money

-from the business...

-..but we just want to make enough

-to run it and live comfortably.

-Will this be your forever home?

-My heart is in the mountain.

-I'd love to create

-something similar there.

-Another hotel?

-Another hotel?

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-Maybe.

-A property in the countryside.

-A place to keep

-a few sheep and hens.

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-Welcome back.

-We stay in Gwynedd

-but we'll focus on kitchens.

-We'll see Kathy Gittings's kitchen

-in Pwllheli...

-..and Nia Medi's kitchen

-in Dolgellau.

-First, to Robert David's

-vast kitchen in Lleyn.

-Robert, you're in the process

-of moving into your new home.

-How long has this project taken?

-The building work

-took around three and a half years.

-The planning process

-took almost a year.

-Add that to the equation and

-it's taken four and a half years.

-I'm exhausted but I'm delighted

-to finally move in today.

-It now looks like a row of cottages.

-My cousin asked if I lived in number

-one, two, three or four Mill Street!

-It's a long, narrow building.

-It has little depth

-but it does look like a street.

-This kitchen

-has come together really well.

-You could have

-divided it into several rooms.

-Yes, it's a big room.

-I liked the fact

-this table fitted in the kitchen...

-..and I could have an island, too.

-There's a range of furniture

-from different periods in here.

-Yes, I like the fact it's eclectic.

-We combined

-mine and Karl's furniture.

-Karl had the red settee

-in his living room...

-..and I thought it was striking.

-The Welsh dresser and

-the dining table and the chairs...

-..came from the farmhouse.

-We combined two styles.

-This place is close to your heart...

-..and the restoration process

-was arduous.

-Are you happy with the result?

-Are you happy with the result?

-

-Yes, I'm very happy with it.

-It's been an interesting journey.

-I was sometimes in despair

-about setbacks which happened.

-It was also a long journey

-and it felt endless, at times.

-It was my childhood dream

-to live here...

-..and actually being here now

-is an amazing feeling.

-I wouldn't change it for anything.

-Having visited Lleyn on holiday

-regularly for some years...

-..Kathy Gittings upped sticks

-and moved to Pwllheli.

-We're here

-to film her very special kitchen.

-It's both a gallery

-and a practical space.

-Is the kitchen important to you

-on a personal level?

-Yes, indeed.

-We all enjoy ourselves

-in the kitchen.

-I'm a mother of four

-and my children visit me regularly.

-The numbers go up

-to between eight and ten people...

-..and Mam sits on the end, telling

-stories, until the small hours!

-For me, the kitchen is the

-most important room in the house.

-Did you have a strong idea of the

-way you wanted the kitchen to look?

-Yes, in that

-I wanted an informal space...

-..because this is where

-I spend my time.

-It had to be comfortable, practical

-and informal.

-I can walk into a room,

-close my eyes...

-..and see how the end result

-will look.

-It's strange, isn't it?

-In a long, wide kitchen like this...

-..you need something

-to divide one side from the other.

-That's the dining side.

-This is the business side,

-where the food is created.

-There's an Aga behind me

-and a sink over there.

-Was this table made to measure?

-Yes, but I worked on it

-with the carpenter.

-A local man, from Pontrobert,

-worked on it with me.

-I wanted something simple with

-plenty of room for the whole family.

-It's made from sycamore.

-I love unusual wood.

-This bar separates one area

-of the kitchen from the other.

-It's a magnificent bar, mind you.

-This is ash.

-I carried it up here

-all the way from Meifod to Pwllheli.

-It took a long time to tidy it up...

-..and make it practical

-for the kitchen.

-It feels wonderful, doesn't it?

-I feel compelled to touch it!

-This long wall is very convenient.

-It's like an additional gallery

-for you.

-It's the work

-of Jennifer Brereton...

-..who lives on the border between

-Shropshire and Montgomeryshire.

-It's a piece of Montgomeryshire,

-which is important to me.

-One of them

-is especially dear to me.

-It reminds me of helping Dad

-with the milking herd.

-It evokes sweet memories of home

-and that's important to me.

-Actress and designer, Nia Medi,

-has a shop in Dolgellau.

-She's restoring a house

-in the town...

-..and her kitchen is very different

-from what we've just seen.

-I've always been a fan

-of the Shaker movement.

-I love clean, neat,

-painted furniture.

-That was the root of my inspiration.

-Nothing matches,

-other than the bespoke units.

-Everything else

-has happened to fit in.

-That makes it quite Welsh.

-When most people design a kitchen,

-they go to a kitchen shop...

-..and say, "I'll take that one!"

-This feels organic, somehow.

-It wasn't easy.

-Choosing a kitchen off the shelf

-or from a catalogue is easy.

-This involves more work but

-you end up with something unique.

-It's not to everyone's taste.

-It suits a vintage, shabby chic,

-retro chick, like me!

-I prefer a kitchen

-with a homely feel to it.

-This table

-belongs to a farmhouse kitchen.

-I like to think several

-sturdy ladies, other than me...

-..have rolled their pastry

-on this table on a Sunday afternoon!

-Formica is very homely.

-My granddad's sisters

-had similar tables in the 1960s.

-It's a solid, oak table

-with a Formica top.

-It's totally practical.

-I bought that cupboard

-at an auction in Bala.

-I paid 5 for it.

-I sanded it

-and gave it a coat of paint.

-I bought the top of the dresser

-at an auction in Dolgellau.

-I think I have a designer's eye.

-I think 99% of people would see

-that cupboard and dismiss it.

-It was full of straw

-and hen droppings!

-Few people

-would have looked twice at it.

-I see potential in things

-and I see how they can be used.

-It's all about recycling.

-This is a simple, tidy kitchen

-but it has mod cons and more!

-This is Satan's cupboard!

-Whiskey and chocolate. Shame on you!

-Is there room, in a

-practical kitchen such as this...

-..to create a pretty space,

-using jugs and so on?

-I've been collecting crockery

-since I was ten years old.

-My husband isn't happy!

-He wants the kitchen

-to be totally practical.

-He wants to pull things

-off the shelves and use them.

-I scream, "You can't put the gravy

-in that! It's an antique!"

-I like to look at them.

-I didn't collect them

-just to shove them in a cupboard.

-Looking at them makes me happy.

-Is it practical? No.

-They gather dust.

-I like them, so they're staying!

-Does the fact you've collected

-items from various sources...

-..make this kitchen more personal?

-I chose everything.

-I worked on them

-and I painted them all.

-There's something nice about that.

-You may not think it to look at it

-but I've worked hard to create this.

-I know everything has come

-from different places.

-Everyone who comes here

-assumes it's always been there.

-That's a compliment.

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones

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