It all seemed like such a good idea at the time, but now we’re in the middle of complete and utter devastation I’m wondering what on earth we were thinking!!

As is usual these 1st few weeks of January Rothay Manor closes for a short break, which is always a good time to get some renovations done.  This year we are under-taking the complete refurbishment of 9 bedrooms, the upstairs corridor and, to top it all off, we decided to re-fit the kitchen too!!  It will be amazing when it’s all done, but in the meantime I am getting a few more grey hairs, and drinking a little bit more wine…!

Not quite sure what all of these wires are for, but they’re probably very important!

In modernising the kitchen we will be losing the noisy extractor fan, which some guests have noticed turn off at night, and turn on again in the morning (during kitchen hours).  Our new kitchen doesn’t require such a unit as it will be using electric and not gas, therefore the bulky extractor will become a relic of the past.

The refurbished bathrooms are designed with metro wall tiles and Victorian style floor tiles and feature baths and separate walk-in showers.  The bedrooms are country-house styled, think Morris & Co wallpapers, feature beds, wood-panelling and rich shades of creams, greens, blues and burgundies.  Each room is individually styled to reflect the charm and heritage of Rothay Manor.

We are definitely at the point of no return now…everything has been stripped back, the faded wallpapers have gone, the jaded curtains are no more, the bathrooms are just empty shells, and in a few weeks time (I’m not actually counting in case the panic spreads in) everything will be finished and beautiful!

Bit drafty at the moment for a relaxing bath!

It’s certainly not been without its dramas: we have water pipes bursting, items not in stock, radiators that need to be moved from one side of a room to another, and ceilings falling down.  Anyone who has ever done a little “refurbing” will understand that it can be just a tad stressful, but I know it will all be worth it in the end!

Right, best go, I’ve got another problem to solve, another question to answer, and I definitely need a cup of tea…keep an eye on our instagram account for further progress reports!