Pennod 3 04 Wal

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-Tonight, a trip to Cwm Teigl

-to see Richard Hughes's haven.

-We also visit Cilfig Lodge,

-Llanelli...

-..the home of author,

-Catherine Tregenna.

-First, we see

-the fruits of Pat Morris's labour...

-..in a house

-heavily influenced by Provence.

-Welcome to 04Wal.

-Pat Morris was over 50 years old

-when she designed this house.

-She wasn't a qualified designer.

-In fact, she doesn't have

-a single 'O' Level to her name.

-This is a testament to determination

-to succeed, against the odds.

-Did you have any design experience

-before you tackled this house?

-No, I don't have an O Level

-or a GCSE in any subject.

-I didn't pass a single exam.

-How did you obtain enough

-information to design a house?

-It's a case of being practical.

-Some people are practical

-and some aren't.

-Pat Morris is certainly practical.

-This house was built on land

-behind the old, family home.

-Pat also designed that house,

-back in the 1970s.

-Cilfa is the unique home

-of Pat and Gareth, her husband.

-I wanted to live

-in a lovely house...

-..but I didn't want to

-live in that massive house.

-I wanted to build a house

-which fitted the plot.

-When the brickie first came here,

-he said the house didn't fit.

-He told me it was impossible.

-I said, "OK. Well, just try

-turning it six inches this way."

-Once we'd done that,

-it fitted perfectly.

-I had designed it to fit the plot!

-An architect

-did the drawings for you?

-Yes, but I didn't let him

-alter a thing.

-Not a single brick.

-I didn't leave anything to chance.

-Nothing at all.

-You've ventured into a man's domain.

-You've ventured into a man's domain.

-

-Yes, and it was brilliant!

-Having one man work for me

-was great.

-Having two was fun.

-Having three or four was fabulous!

-I didn't boss them around -

-I just enjoyed it.

-I like natural materials.

-I like leather, quarry tiles, wool,

-cotton and wood.

-I like natural materials.

-I like space in which to relax.

-I also like to talk to people,

-when I'm cooking.

-The style of the house

-is a little bit Provencal.

-I did one room

-before I went to Provence.

-I wrote a postcard to everyone

-at home, when I was in Provence...

-..and said,

-"I have found my spiritual home".

-There were lavender fields

-everywhere.

-It was wonderful.

-I know what I like.

-A lot of people know

-what they don't like...

-..but I know exactly what I like.

-If I like something, I go straight

-for it - I don't hesitate.

-I designed this kitchen

-to be multifunctional.

-Every corner is special,

-in one way or another.

-This large cooker

-is the focal point of the kitchen.

-You have a special sink, over there.

-What can you tell us about it?

-I like the colour purple,

-so I ordered that sink from France.

-I wanted a purple sink,

-to match the tiles.

-We use it for drinking water,

-to wash vegetables...

-..and to fill the kettle.

-The water is filtered.

-I have a different sink

-for the washing-up.

-Your servant

-washes the dishes, presumably?

-Naturally!

-Gareth is easy-going.

-I cook and he clears up.

-He does the washing up, then?

-He does the washing up, then?

-

-Yes.

-Where are your pots and pans?

-Where are your pots and pans?

-

-On the rack, in the pantry.

-I like pretty pantries.

-There's a fireplace

-and a television, over here.

-Your guests can watch television

-or warm themselves, by the fire...

-..while you cook.

-Gareth enjoys watching the news.

-I avoid watching the news, whenever

-possible, so that's Gareth's corner.

-Everything is made to measure.

-My dresser fits exactly

-between the two doors...

-..with room for a bank of switches.

-I designed the house

-around my furniture.

-You can visualise it

-and it makes it easier.

-Do you believe in feng shui?

-I didn't know much

-about feng shui...

-..until I came across a man called

-Song Pong, or something like that.

-He came to the house and he told me

-he'd been a Buddhist monk...

-..and he knew a lot about feng shui.

-There's a hill behind us...

-..and the slope and the sea and

-everything are in that direction.

-He said

-the house conforms with feng shui...

-..but that was through instinct,

-rather than knowledge.

-I like the phrase,

-"Go with the flow".

-Let's take a look at the garden.

-Gareth's room

-is just off the kitchen.

-Also, on the ground floor,

-in what was a garage...

-..stands the dining room.

-This staircase leads from

-the kitchen to Pat's studio.

-It's like a lavender tunnel!

-Pat is an artist.

-This is also a lounge area.

-Pat and Gareth relax here,

-in the evenings.

-The lovely thing about this room

-is its openness.

-The use of space in this room

-is excellent.

-There's a bed on the windowsill!

-Extend the windowsill

-and have a bed there.

-The curtain gives the napper

-some privacy.

-Two bedrooms

-lead off this large space.

-Both bedrooms

-have en suite bathrooms.

-If we walk beyond the easel,

-where Pat paints...

-..we'll find a balcony.

-When you need a break from the paint

-you can step out, onto the balcony.

-You can see across the bay,

-along the Gower Peninsular.

-This faces the back garden...

-..but this actually looks like

-the front of the house.

-The great thing about the house

-is the fact we use it all.

-We use every single room

-in the house.

-I move around the house,

-during the day...

-..for various reasons.

-It all depends on what I want to do.

-You can have a change of scenery,

-but remain in the house.

-You've moved in to

-two or three houses designed by Pat.

-Have you had any say at all...

-..in the design

-of any of those houses?

-No. Not a lot!

-I didn't want a say.

-I'm not interested in design.

-I benefit from the fact

-Pat is a designer.

-Her talents have given me

-a very comfortable life...

-..and I'm proud of her.

-It's peaceful here.

-I'm comfortable here.

-It's warm and cosy.

-I enjoy welcoming guests

-and hearing them say how nice it is.

-People tell me

-there's a nice atmosphere here.

-That's because we're happy here.

-It's a home, not a show house,

-and that's important to me.

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-This is Cilfig Lodge, Llanelli...

-..the home of Catherine Tregenna

-and Cerian, her daughter.

-Pat Morris, Catherine's mother...

-..did the renovating

-and all the designing.

-How long have you lived here?

-How long have you lived here?

-

-About 18 months.

-We moved in a year, last April.

-Your mother tells us

-you're not interested in houses.

-That's true.

-That may be laziness, on my part!

-I'd be happy enough

-to live in a simple house...

-..but I can't deny I enjoy

-living in a place like this.

-Are you fond of your mother's ideas?

-Are you fond of your mother's ideas?

-

-It's comforting,

-whenever I feel a bit homesick.

-The essence of the family home

-is here, in my present house...

-..and that's great.

-I do play a part in it -

-I tell her what I like.

-She takes that on board...

-..and she knows what will suit me.

-The shape is amazing.

-Someone said it reminded them

-of the Vicar of Dibley's cottage!

-I like the shape of the windows.

-I like the fact

-it's such a long building.

-The wood in this house is lovely.

-I love the textures.

-Mam has included

-lots of different shapes.

-No matter where you sit,

-you see something pretty.

-Living here

-has given me so much pleasure.

-I've learned a lot about the

-importance of other people's lives.

-Writing can be

-an extremely selfish process.

-I get a call from home and I say,

-"I'm busy! I have a deadline."

-It's forced me to be less selfish

-and I think that's a good thing.

-The ground floor

-is one, large room...

-..divided into several areas.

-Yes, they're like compartments.

-I write over there.

-People peer in, through the window,

-and look over my shoulder.

-It can make me feel

-a little bit edgy.

-I feel on display, like one of

-those people who sit in St Fagans.

-"Writer at work"!

-This was more than one room,

-originally...

-..but you now only have one,

-central fireplace.

-Yes, and it's fantastic.

-It's easy to operate.

-You put paper and kindling in there

-and you're off.

-It's lovely.

-You can see the flames,

-when you sit on the sofa.

-It heats the whole house.

-It's nice that my things

-and my taste...

-..complement my mother's design.

-She put those shelves on the wall.

-Wood and wrought iron is a theme

-which runs through the house.

-It's very striking.

-So it feels like your own home?

-Yes, definitely.

-Let's see the kitchen.

-It's a very neat kitchen.

-You can't socialise in here.

-You can't socialise in here.

-

-No, we do!

-We don't have dinner parties,

-but people come here, after the pub.

-It's great.

-We cook everything on the Aga.

-On the rare occasions where I do

-some baking, I do it in this oven!

-We cook on the hob.

-The food preparation area

-leads you out, into the garden.

-Yes, it's like a separate room.

-The house is divided up into

-small spaces, within the structure.

-The garden is very alluring

-in the summer.

-This staircase is a bit narrow,

-if you want to shift furniture...

-..but, ingeniously,

-these railings are detachable.

-Pat has added a curved wall

-up here, on the landing.

-It's handy because you utilise

-the space in an interesting way...

-..and it also creates extra space

-in the bathroom.

-That's Cerian's bedroom.

-Cath's bedroom is over here.

-This is another interesting space.

-These beams are new, by the way.

-They're not original.

-They add to the cottage-like feel

-of this house.

-The window

-is an alcove within an alcove.

-Two curved walls

-lead you to the window.

-This rich shade of blue on the walls

-is very striking.

-All the furniture

-is part of the same collection.

-The bed, the wardrobe

-and the dressing table all match.

-What a gorgeous wood.

-What's it like

-to live in this house?

-It's great.

-Sitting here, listening to music

-and sipping wine...

-..still gives me great pleasure,

-18 months on.

-I love the idea of opening

-the front door and knowing I'm home.

-It makes me feel safe.

-I work from home and it's important

-I can be creative here.

-I need freedom

-to think about different things...

-..and I enjoy feeling secure

-and protected from the world.

-Cae Canol Mawr

-stands in an isolated spot...

-..in Cwm Teigl, Llan Ffestiniog.

-It was given to Richard Hughes

-by a friend...

-..who hadn't visited the place

-for 20 years.

-It's a perfect haven

-for Richard to do his writing.

-T S Eliot and George Bernard Shaw

-have visited this house.

-What makes this place so special?

-What makes this place so special?

-

-Its history.

-Driving along Cwm Teigl

-is like travelling back in time.

-What do you know

-about the history of this house?

-The house was built

-somewhere around 1580.

-I think it was linked

-to the wool industry.

-The house is too special

-to have been a farmhouse.

-A farmhouse would stand

-in the middle of the land.

-This is up the mountain.

-Do you feel like the caretaker

-of a national treasure?

-Yes, definitely.

-This house has stood here

-for 400 years.

-People have lived here

-through the centuries...

-..and people will live here

-in centuries to come.

-This is the hall.

-The fire gives off

-a tremendous amount of heat.

-Clearly, it was designed

-to heat this part of the house.

-Yes. It's effective.

-The house is very spacious.

-Yes. It was a very grand,

-16th century house.

-The roof is church-like.

-It's too big

-for a small cottage, like this.

-It's well crafted.

-This isn't a cottage, in truth.

-No, it has three bedrooms,

-a kitchen, a dairy and a lounge.

-Yes. There's plenty of room

-in this house.

-Several windows

-have been blocked up.

-That was a window, wasn't it?

-Yes. That's evident

-from the outside.

-It was once a window.

-What's your favourite thing

-about this room?

-There's space for everything.

-There's room for my books

-and my computer.

-I also eat in here.

-I spend most of my time

-in this room.

-Friends visit me

-and we sit and chat in here.

-That sort of thing.

-Where there was once a ladder,

-there is now a slate staircase.

-The steps are inlaid in the wall.

-It looks like a floating staircase.

-I wouldn't feel safe here,

-after a couple of shandies!

-It's certainly very striking.

-There was once a shelf here.

-Someone put their candle here,

-on their way to bed...

-..and scorched the wood,

-as you can see.

-This was a sleeping area.

-You can really appreciate...

-..the timber framework of the hall

-from here.

-The bedchamber was through here.

-How would you sum up

-the way you feel about this house?

-It's a retreat.

-I see the world from a

-different perspective when I'm here.

-I can think here.

-It's a new beginning.

-Embarking on a new journey.

-It may be a short journey,

-but that doesn't worry me.

-S4C subtitles by

-Eirlys A Jones