Pennod 9 04 Wal

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-On 04Wal tonight, an organic house

-in the Dysynni Valley...

-..a contemporary, white space

-hidden behind a Victorian facade...

-..and a unique house full of

-memories from all over the world.

-An architectural enigma

-nestles at the foot of Cader Idris.

-The architect was a sculptor.

-The house's unique shape

-blends perfectly into the landscape.

-There's nothing uniform

-about this house.

-Everything, including the gates,

-were designed especially.

-Once you think you've

-found something conventional...

-..you realise it's far from that.

-Look at this curved roof.

-There are arches here and there

-to break up the shape.

-The stone, slate and wood

-is all local.

-The only predictable detail

-of this house is the chimney.

-It looks like

-a chimney you'd find on a cottage.

-These buttresses

-almost give the house its roots.

-It reminds me

-of the bottom of a tree trunk.

-It's as though

-it grows out of the ground.

-It's amazing.

-In essence, the house was built

-on three levels.

-The bedrooms above, the kitchen and

-lounge here and the sunroom below.

-It's warm there, even in the winter.

-The garden, around the house,

-is divided into small patios.

-Each patio area is enclosed

-by a curved, dry stone wall.

-They're perfect -

-a work of art, in themselves.

-The most striking thing

-about this house is the roof.

-Its peaks and troughs,

-the changes in pitch...

-..echo the shapes

-of the surrounding hills.

-There's no need for a downpipe -

-water cascades into these pools.

-The sound of water is ever-present.

-When it isn't raining,

-water is pumped around...

-..to maintain the trickling sound.

-It's a pleasure to sit here.

-Wow!

-Two doors lead you into this house.

-One takes you into the kitchen

-and one takes you into the hall.

-This staircase

-leads to the bedrooms.

-What first strikes you

-is the beautiful wood.

-The fusion of different styles

-makes this house unique.

-There's a touch of the Greek villa

-about the plastered, curved walls.

-The curves soften the shadows.

-There's also a hint of Spain here.

-There's an organic feel here,

-as though things were still growing.

-The banister is actually

-made of a single piece of wood.

-It may have been grown

-to fit that space perfectly.

-There's a hint of hobbit here, even!

-I expect to see Bilbo Baggins

-walk through these curved doorways!

-The various parts of the house

-are all off this central hallway.

-The kitchen is there,

-the lounge is there...

-..and I'm sure

-there are some bedrooms down here.

-Even this handrail is handcrafted.

-Every door opens and closes

-with a latch.

-The detail in this house

-is all-important.

-The door is ash

-and the handle is oak.

-The pegs along the top

-are Welsh yew...

-..apart from this one,

-which is Irish yew.

-It adds variation to the colour.

-Each and every door

-closes with a satisfying clunk.

-Almost like Rolls Royce doors.

-There are several other features

-in this room.

-This plastered wall is unique.

-You can't help but touch

-the bannister.

-It's a very tactile house.

-This is the main room of the house.

-It's used as a lounge,

-as you can see.

-There's a plasma television

-over here.

-There are two dining areas here

-and they're on different levels.

-The ceiling looks as though it's

-been chiselled from the mountain.

-It almost feels like a cave.

-The owners usually dine in there.

-This is the formal dining room.

-There are many windows in order to

-capitalise on the breathtaking view.

-You can see Cader Idris,

-Craig yr Aderyn and Bryncrug.

-It's truly jaw-dropping, isn't it?

-The bedrooms are upstairs.

-This gallery was lovingly created,

-just like the ground floor.

-Even the skirting boards curve,

-with the wall.

-There's almost a semicircle here.

-There are three bedrooms,

-on this floor.

-Each has its own en suite.

-This is the pick of the bunch.

-Here it is.

-This is a special bedroom

-with a very special view.

-The bathroom is stunning.

-This is one of six bathrooms

-in this house, by the way.

-The jewel in this room's crown

-is this wall of wardrobes.

-As amazing

-as the view of the Dysynni Valley.

-The door shapes are eye-catching...

-..and the wood grain is unbroken

-from one door to the next.

-It moves, like corn in the wind,

-doesn't it?

-I've come over all poetic

-but this is truly a work of art.

-I want it!

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-I've lived in

-other Victorian houses...

-..where there were lots of walls

-and it was dark and pokey.

-This house seems more roomy,

-thanks to the variety of shapes.

-It's very open and light floods in.

-This is the home of Catrin Whitmore

-and her family, in Cardiff.

-Designers transformed it to create

-a series of simple, white spaces...

-..each flowing seamlessly

-into the next.

-The result is a new house

-in an old shell.

-A light, modern home.

-I like the fact

-it's traditional on the outside...

-..with an open, modern interior.

-It's been designed to be modern

-and with minimal clutter.

-That's the whole concept.

-I'm gradually adding cupboards...

-..where I can store

-my children's toys and books.

-We all have such things in our lives

-and we need storage space for them.

-Wow!

-We can forget preconceptions

-about dowdy, Victorian houses.

-There's nothing

-traditional or Victorian about it.

-It's very open - I can see out,

-into the garden, from here.

-There's a huge lounge, in here.

-The wall has disappeared.

-This whole space has been opened up

-but it doesn't feel like a hangar.

-Hangars don't feel cosy,

-unlike this house.

-To define the spaces

-within the house...

-..they've kept

-sections of certain walls.

-It defines the rooms within

-this space, making it far cosier.

-The rear of the house,

-on this level, is all glass.

-There are glass panels here

-and a glass ceiling there.

-Light floods in.

-I like

-having the kitchen downstairs.

-We eat down there

-and the light can be subdued.

-I can cook

-while people sit at the table.

-I can chat and cook,

-at the same time.

-It's also good to walk away from

-the mess and go upstairs, to relax.

-This kitchen really is tucked away.

-It's hidden from the

-rest of the house, in the cellar.

-There probably wasn't a cellar

-this big here, originally.

-Everything in the kitchen

-is hidden behind cupboard doors...

-..or some sort of door.

-They have breakfast here.

-There's a picture of Al Pacino

-in 'Scarface' on the wall.

-I wouldn't want to see that,

-as I ate my breakfast.

-Each to their own.

-These drawers are very smooth.

-They close, like this.

-I sometimes have a hankering for

-a splash of colour, here and there.

-I may add some dark grey

-to the lounge, eventually.

-Apart from that,

-I'm taken with the white.

-The furniture and the wood

-in the house add natural colours.

-If I see something I like,

-I won't rest until I find it.

-The kitchen chairs came from Canada

-and this chair came from London.

-I saw the brown, leather chair

-in a hotel in Somerset...

-..and I found it in London.

-I've bought furniture from Italy.

-I had the dressing table shipped

-back after a visit to South Africa.

-There are only four bedrooms

-but each has an en suite bathroom.

-The master bedroom is quite floral.

-I like Cath Kidston designs.

-It's a Victorian guest house theme!

-I think it's comfortable.

-I have French blankets on the bed

-and I have old, painted furniture.

-My baby's bedroom is white,

-with a splash of red.

-I bought the Babar poster

-in America.

-It's out of the ordinary.

-My daughter's bedroom

-is full of quirky items.

-She has several pictures

-and she tends to like magnets.

-We painted

-the alcoves in her room blue...

-..because she's hankering after

-some colour.

-We allowed that

-and we'll see how she likes it.

-The guest bedroom

-is quite old-fashioned.

-There's an antique,

-French bed in there...

-..with an old, Welsh bedspread

-on it.

-I think

-it belonged to my grandmother.

-One wall is a mustard colour.

-I bought one painting

-in an antique shop in London.

-The other one was a present

-from my great-great-aunt.

-How do you see this house

-developing?

-I want to see some more art

-on the walls.

-I may also add

-some more traditional furniture.

-The lounge is quite stark,

-at the moment.

-It's good for someone who wants

-to keep it neat and tidy...

-..but I want to add

-a 1970s sideboard.

-I'd like to add

-some old furniture...

-..and then, it will be finished.

-I don't feel lonely,

-even though I live here alone.

-I'm surrounded by memories

-of family members.

-Comforting memories.

-I don't feel lonely here.

-Morfudd Clark moved back here,

-to Ceredigion, over 25 years ago.

-Her father's work took

-the young Morfudd around the world.

-They lived in Spain, Venezuela,

-Mexico, Bolivia and Nicaragua.

-The family then

-returned to the family home...

-..with a wealth of memories

-and a houseful of possessions.

-What connects you to this house?

-What connects you to this house?

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-It's a family connection.

-My grandmother's father

-built the original house.

-We have all lived here,

-at one time or another.

-When was the house built?

-It was built in 1873.

-I've lived here since 1950.

-Did your mother live here,

-at that time?

-Yes. The house was divided in two.

-My grandparents lived in one half.

-Our mother and us children

-lived in the other.

-Was this kitchen

-part of the original house?

-No, not all of it.

-The floor is original.

-Do you have memories of

-sitting by the Rayburn, as a child?

-No, the Rayburn wasn't here

-when I was young.

-We had a Triplex,

-or something like that - a cooker.

-This part of the kitchen

-was different, when I was young...

-..but this was here, back then.

-You hang your laundry on it.

-The cupboard was also here.

-I imagine it's easy

-to live in this house.

-I'm not sure

-everyone would agree with you!

-I could have added

-some modern touches to the house.

-I really like the windows.

-Yes, they let in

-lots of natural light.

-It's a pleasure to be in the house,

-especially on a sunny day.

-I enjoy being outside, too.

-Do you spend most of your time

-in the front rooms?

-Yes, in the summer

-but I live in here in the winter!

-That's because

-it's lovely and warm in here.

-I come downstairs in the morning

-to a warm welcome.

-When the family's here,

-we eat in the dining room.

-We do use it.

-All the rooms are used.

-It's nice to have plenty of room,

-when guests come to stay.

-Your grandfather planted

-most of the plants in the garden.

-Yes, he was a talented

-and enthusiastic gardener.

-He took real pride in the garden.

-When we came home from school...

-..we had to go and check on

-the plants and the vegetables.

-There's a wonderful orchard

-here, too.

-Yes - my grandfather planted it.

-Are you keen to preserve this house,

-without making changes?

-I have no wish

-to carry out alterations.

-I would get rid of a few items

-that are beyond repair...

-..but I wouldn't change many things.

-Items like the throws on the chairs

-came from your travels.

-Yes. I couldn't get rid of them.

-They're a part of me.

-I'm a hoarder.

-Whoever clears up after me

-will have their work cut out!

-How does this house

-compare with modern houses?

-This house is far more cluttered

-than a modern one!

-When you see a lot of modern houses,

-you have no clue who lives there.

-You have no sense

-of the occupants' interests...

-..or where they've been.

-They clear the decks

-and leave no trace of who they are.

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones