Escape to the Chateau (2016–2019): Season 7, Episode 2 - Sloe Gin, Library & Ceiling Rose - full transcript
Dick is determined to make sloe gin with the last of the berries. Angel gets to work creating a library in the pepper pot tower and brings a ceiling rose back to its former glory.
(birds chirping)
[Narrator] In the heart
of the French countryside,
a magnificent Chateau stood
uncared for and abandoned.
Then, six years ago,
everything changed
when an intrepid British
couple
- Turn, turn, turn, turn. Wow!
[Narrator] unlocked
its front door.
- Everything is gorgeous.
[Narrator] Fell in love
with its grandeur
and embarked on an adventure.
- It's so incredibly important
to bring it back to life.
[Narrator] Since they moved
in, engineer, Dick Strawbridge
and his wife, designer Angel,
have transformed almost all 45
rooms, including four
sumptuous guest suites
for their wedding
and events business.
But despite their hard work,
their dream often
resembled a nightmare.
- You should not be able to
see the sky out of your roof.
- Behind every romantic
story is the reality.
[Narrator] This year, life
at the Chateau
has been rather different.
- I'm on Heron Island
[Narrator] with no weddings
and events to host.
- I think we need
a roof garden up here.
- All level mathematics
from 1975.
[Narrator] They can tackle
bigger projects than ever.
- This I'm thinking is
a big swimming pool.
- I've got a headache
[Narrator] and there are lots
of surprises in store.
- Come on, let's have a little
look. I got a couple open
[Narrator] as the
Chateau reveals more secrets.
- I love it.
It's so me.
[Narrator] It's time to
find out what
happens next in this 21st
century French fairy tale.
- I think this is a good
reason to buy a horse.
(laughter)
(slow enchanting music)
[Narrator] The seasons
are changing
and autumn is beginning
to make its presence felt
at the Chateau.
With twelve acres
of land to explore.
- The adventure starts.
[Narrator] Dick and Angel are
keen to show Dorothy and Arthur
the colorful changes happening
right on their own doorstep.
- It's a lot of conkers
falling down now.
[Narrator] And there
are a few things
more [indistinct] than a forest
floor covered in conkers.
- I've never
seen one like that
They're all odd shapes because
they've all been grown together.
This is a sweet chestnut.
Arthur, come here a
second.
And it's a tickle job.
Look at me.
(laughter)
You cannot walk with conkers
in your pocket like that.
(laughter)
If you let me know
when we're about to head back.
[Narrator] Just
further up the path,
there's another seasonal site
and it's a Strawbridge
family favorite.
- Yeah.
You can just see the blue
of how many there are there.
Oh, they're ready
because they're big.
We never use to collect sloes
until after the first frost.
But if we leave those for much
longer, there won't be any
because the bird loves
them.
With this year sloe gin.
I think we have
to get sloe gin on the go.
- Yeah, I think so.
[Narrator] It may
be the beginning
of autumn,
but Dick came to keep
the summer days going
for just a little bit longer.
- I think I need ice cream
after that adventure.
Who wants an ice cream?
(enchanting music)
[Narrator] When Dick and Angel
first moved into the Chateau
five years ago, their to
do list was interminable.
- Asbestos lead paint,
200 plus pages of
reasons not to buy a house.
[Narrator] and the sheer scale
of work has meant some
of their original dreams are
still waiting to be realized.
- I've got my notebook
as requested.
[Narrator] But this year,
with more time on their hands,
two rooms can finally receive
some extra attention.
The family Salon and it's
adjoining turret,
a space Angel has had designs
on since the very first
moment she saw it.
I'm thinking that every thing
is around with shelves
and we just sit
here with our books.
- But how high?
- Up to the ceiling.
- The original plans were five
years ago so all bets are off.
Can we talk,
part of this that
I don't remember properly.
From here,
going all the way around,
there'll be bookshelves.
Window gap bookshelves.
Hold on.
If we take as an example,
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,
maybe we come down
to the bottom,
make the 10th one,
and then there's a bit
sort of column three.
That's 30.
That's 120 of those
bookshelves that size.
That's quite a lot
of book shelving.
[Narrator] The Turret Run
fits within the Chateau's
Pepperpot Tower with its
distinctive curved walls.
The shelves that circle the
room will have to curve too.
- Do you know what the most
interesting thing is gonna be
is finding on the books
and seeing how many have got.
- I can't wait, honestly.
- Okay, plans.
[Narrator] Moving through
to the salon.
Angel has high hopes.
- When we first came,
this ceiling was really,
really worn and the rose.
It was kind of gray
and worn, and I loved it.
But when the ceiling got
painted, it stuck out
like a sore thumb.
And honestly, it was like the
day or two for our wedding.
And we ended up just saying,
let's get it painted and then
we'll deal with it later.
- I'm honing in on what
has to be done.
Just that ceiling?
- No.
So the ceiling, I'm going
to do it in the luster
that's on the walls.
- A lustered ceiling?
- Lustered ceiling,
it's just going to give it
a little bit of texture
and I'm going to fill it,
the rose.
I'm happy that I can
deal with the ceiling.
[Narrator] Dick may
think he's got off
lightly, but Angel is
about to illuminate him.
- The lights never been right.
And I have found a design
that I like, and it's,
it's just beads. Again,
don't worry about it
until I'm a step ahead
but it's a big chandelier.
- There's pain
behind my left eye
that comes up when you
sort of say things like
don't worry about that yet.
- I will need your
help with the wiring.
I mean, I will need
your help with that.
- Yeah, but hold on.
I'm just going to say
the thing that annoys me most
about this light is
the lack of light.
If you're making a light
feature, you have to think
about the light getting out.
- I will, I'll think
about that.
- Oh, that just
sounds so much,
there, there Dick.
I always feel like
you're putting me
in my bald patch there.
[Narrator] Having just
about convinced
Dick of her vision for a new
light to enhance the salon,
Angel and Sasha,
set to work clearing
the room in readiness
for operation ceiling rose.
- I'm gonna put
this on the sofa.
So it's all,
get comfy right.
There we go.
(upbeat music)
(children laughing)
- Oh my goodness.
You are making me dizzy.
Your voice echoes.
Come.
- I always wanted to do this.
(screams)
[Narrator] Once the rooms
new acoustics
have been tested by Arthur
and Dorothy,
Angel can get
on with decorating
with her all time
favorite luster paint.
- This paint, I love it. Just
brings whatever it is.
If it's a dilapidated
wall or is it a color
I don't quite like. I put this
on it and it's magical.
[Narrator] Before applying
even a lick of paint
to the ceiling, there's the
rather necessary prep to do.
And for Angel,
it's something of a passion.
- I actually genuinely love
cleaning. I'm like
a brilliant cleaner.
Satisfying, isn't it?
All right.
[Narrator] But
before committing to
an entirely lustered ceiling,
Angel does a test patch.
(adventurous music)
It is how I pitched it, being
quite dappled because you know
the light hits it in so
many different places.
I think I'm just going to go
for it and then work out what
I came to do.
Because that's kind of the way
that I always roll.
(birds chirping)
[Narrator] Also on a
roll, is Dick.
With an abundance of sloe
berries on their doorstep.
Dick is on a mission
to harvest them in time.
- The things you have
to do for your sloe gin eh?
[Narrator] However, there's one
thing standing in his way,
bramble bushes.
- I get a bit scratched up.
Never mind.
[Narrator] Despite the prickly
conditions, Dick battles
on, determined
nothing will come between
him and his gin.
The salon ceiling has now been
painted in glorious luster
and all it needs is sticks,
not of approval.
- Hi, baby.
- Have you changed
the ceiling?
[indistinct]
- No, I'm not.
- What do you mean if I
changed it? Have I painted it?
- That's the new color?
- Yeah
- okay, I didn't realize.
Are you happy?
- Yeah, I'm happy.
I found some brilliant
filler that I think we've
got to potentially try and
fill some of the edges in.
- First things
first, we get rid
of the light.
I have no idea
how I attached that.
I've forgotten completely.
- I know how you attached it.
- How?
- With a grumpy face.
(laughter)
(laughter)
- We'll turn the power off.
If I can remember
which bloody switch it is.
Salon.
Are the light off Angela?
Angela?
- No.
Light's off?
Yep,
they're off now, baby.
- Nothing like a bit
of communication.
Lights are off.
[Narrator] Dick can now safely
examine the wiring.
And to do that,
he needs to use his head.
- Right, Mrs.
and we're off.
- Alright,
so we're going to have a light
bulb hanging from there,
aren't we?
Yeah, it's better than
no light, isn't it?
- Yeah.
[Narrator] Now it's up to Angel
to turn the electricity back on.
- There's only
one switch down.
That's a the one.
- Turn it up? all right.
[Narrator] Using
the same clear
communication
method as before.
- You have to
shout quite loud.
- Okay, I'm turning it on.
Is it on?
- No.
- Really?
- Yeah.
Thank you.
- I think that was on.
All right, good.
- Makes you ask why we
need a chandelier at all.
Look at that, thing of beauty.
I'll never get away with it.
[Narrator] As the leaves start
to turn on the trees,
the Chateau is gearing up
to turn heads with Angel's
plans for an eye catching
chandelier in the salon.
- Is this the one you wanted?
- Yes.
[Narrator] 60 CM in diameter,
this rusty metal ring has
given her a light bulb moment.
- That is call it a seven by,
so it's twice as long.
So that means it's going
to be 1.2 meters.
That's huge.
- It is
but it needs to be.
The issue is, is that if we
find the light fit in, they
have to be connected to this.
Otherwise,
I just get a straight line
and they have to be curved.
[Narrator] Angel's
been inspired
by the 19th century Empire
style, made fashionable
by Napoleon's first wife,
Josephine.
- 19th century here, yeah?
- Well, it become popular
with the first 1st Empire.
French Empire.
That's why people always.
- Napoleon?
- Yeah, Josephine.
This is
the exact shape.
This is the Empire shape.
[Narrator] To
illustrate her vision,
Angel has a
miniature example.
- Can I suggest we take
off all the crystals?
These are really good
for Christmas trees.
Remember, our first Christmas
had no money?
We had to use the crystals
for our chandelier?
- Lovely.
You come up with that idea?
Your creative side darling.
- Yeah, I
let it out for a minute.
I must have had
a bottle of Port.
I'm finding the component
parts.
[Narrator] Now Crystal free
the structure of this mini
chandelier will form the top
of their new light.
How come we've ended up
with an extra Dingle dangle.
- I like that.
Don't take that way
just yet. It's broken.
- You've just broken it?
It wasn't broken before.
- I can fix that.
Do you give me this?
We'll just do a very simple
world famous knot.
This is going to be
the distance below
that, that you want.
- Yeah.
Measure the vertical
separation, please.
Between those two circles.
- Okay,
don't move it off, like you
just move them a little bit.
[Narrator] But if Angel
wants her dream
light realized, she'll need
to channel her inner Empress
to keep Dick on side.
Okay, I can see that face.
-Yeah.
- This is where I've
become Josephine.
- Jezebel, Jezebel,
get thee behind me, right?
- Okay.
He's offering
them by a light.
(adventurous music)
[Narrator] And every
show stopping light
needs a solid stage
to perform from.
- My mission is to have a look
at the rose and see
what state it's in.
I am really nervous
because I'm not an expert.
Definitely.
I thought like that is such
an artisan type of job,
but I know that there are
a couple of really big cracks,
and there is some really
big gaps that scare me.
Oh gosh, it doesn't look
in brilliant order.
I don't want to,
but I think there is some
filling that I
can't not address.
I've never done this before.
I mean, how do you practice?
How do you practice?
Like a rose on a ceiling?
That's 150 years old.
[Narrator] Angel though,
does have one skill
that might just give
her an advantage.
- I guess I'm not terrible
sort of like, icing cakes.
This has turned
into a really big job.
But actually,
this Christmas is going
to be magical in here.
(birds chirping)
(children playing)
[Narrator] Restoring
the ceiling rose is
one thing,
creating a new chandelier
quite another.
And to do that, Angel has had
to enter forbidden territory.
Dick's new workshop,
but neither glass nor
crystals in sight.
Because Angel's design
is made from wood.
- If you think how
many of these
little beads are going to take
to actually make
the chandelier, it's gonna
be, it's gonna be thousands.
[Narrator] All angel
needs is quite a bit
of time and a lot of patience.
- This is going to be
a time consuming job.
I know that.
But what I love is
that the lie
is part of the Chateau
and, you know, friends
and family like, you lie.
It's a lovely story to tell.
(drilling)
(upbeat music)
[Narrator] Once
Dick has reclaimed
residency of his man cave.
The focus turns from woodwork
to metal work.
- Angela
always makes things really
easy when it comes to lights.
So I got to suspend my Crown
above my bottom
in three places.
So I'm sort of getting
my head around this.
(drilling)
I'm just getting the flaky
bits off, that's all.
Because Angela
wants this look,
the chandelier
is a lot of history.
This part of it, it must
be an old barrel ring.
A Cooper 100 years plus ago
will have made this to hold in
the specially shaped bits
of wood from the barrels.
I don't know where she came up
with the idea from,
and quite honestly, it's.
My problem is, beads are not
known for letting light
out some trigonometry.
Is it trigonometry?
As last time I did that?
10, 60
degrees equals
opposite over adjacent.
This is 200.
So
if I multiply 200 by the ton
of 60, which is 1.732,
that's going to be a 346.
That gives me 120
degrees there.
All level
mathematics from 1975.
(hammering)
I have here.
This is the equivalent
of this being here.
This being here.
What I have to do is get
my piece of metal to go
from this point to this point
with a nice curve on it.
(adventurous music)
(drilling)
That's the first element done.
To be fair, I don't think you're
going to see much of any
of this, except for the bit
sticking at the top.
When she's finished,
we shall see.
Light.
That's what I need next.
[Narrator] As Angel'
elegant vision starts
to come to life, in the salon,
she checks up on her
ceiling rose handiwork.
- That is solid.
I am so, so, so
[indistinct] that but
I'm two steps away from having
this rose finished.
[Narrator]A quick standing and
undercoat Angel's ready to paint
and no prizes for
guessing which color.
I love this so much.
I just want to paint
everything in it.
It's quite a bit
of bling, that it.
But it's subtle.
I think that's
quite like me.
This.
This is gorgeous.
The little great
sort of calming down and
just the little flowers.
It's truly, truly stunning.
Just put luster
over things.
It does bring out detail
because the light reflects
on it in a different way
to obviously, light reflects
over matte, and I'm liking it.
I want to see that detail,
but I don't want to have
it shoved in my face.
[Narrator] It's not just the
rejuvenated ceiling rose
and the bespoke chandelier
on Dick and Angels to do list.
- I need to understand
what goes where.
[Narrator] There's also
the transformation
of the Pepperpot tower
into a vast floor
to ceiling curved library.
- Water book and training
probably should've looked at it.
- No, I'm going to.
- She's not a puppy anymore.
[Narrator] And that
means just
one thing, shelves
and lots of them.
- Okay, so where do we start
the bookshelf?
How does it go around?
- That's interesting,
because I always thought
it would come to the door.
Can I walk in through.
The doorway starts to feel.
- I think
they have to go back to.
- I agree as well.
But not too much like sort
of my hands width.
- Right there?
- Yep.
- Okay.
About there.
Okay.
[Narrator] Over the years,
Dick an Angel have collected
hundreds of books.
- Books, books, books,
books, books.
[Narrator] But before
they can display
them, they first
need to find them.
- I'd forgotten clean
about these.
Upstairs, my room.
Oh, look.
- Only you could have a
book on camouflage.
So in here, children's,
children's.
One, two, three.
- That's an
awful lot of books.
I haven't seen
some of these.
- Well, you bought me a lot
of these
- or maybe I have.
Look, do you remember this?
The modern bakers?
Honestly, I think that was our
second Christmas and this one
the complete Hostess guide.
I mean, it was the
best couple ever.
[Narrator] Soon,
Dick and Angel forget the job
and are lost
in precious memories.
- Yep,
look at that one.
I didn't know you had this.
- We'll you bought me that.
I just need to kiss you.
- I didn't, cause I've got
my version downstairs.
What is this?
- The modern cook.
- That is beautiful.
There is history in there.
[Narrator] But this
kind of peace
at the Chateau
never lasts for long.
- I'm looking at this,
and I think sorting the books
is going to be as big as task is
actually just building shelves.
- No you've got
the biggest task, Babe.
- No, no, wait.
I want them sorted.
- Don't underestimate the
shelf making task.
I want sorting to be
taken equally seriously.
- Let's go
straight to the gate.
[Narrator] It may only
be the beginning
of autumn, but the Strawbridge
family is already thinking
ahead to Christmas and are
on a forage for sloe berries
for Dick's homemade sloe gin.
- Sloe's around the corner.
[Narrator] However,
Dicks earlier endeavor's
to clear the bramble bushes
may have been fruitless.
- I think the birds have
already started eat them.
There's no sloes on there.
- Is this the right bush?
- I'm feeling pain.
Do you see one?
There's one.
I found another one.
There's two is the second one.
The second one over here.
Drink responsibly.
[Narrator] Sadly two sloe
berries
do not effective liquor make.
Luckily things might
be looking up.
- Look all these but
we can't reach those.
- Oh, well we'll have
to get a ladder.
[Narrator] Thankfully
there's someone on
hand to
engineer a solution.
- Give it you say,
pick up the bamboo.
We're now taking this up.
I had the sort of image of just
coming along and just picking
gently, right.
- Okay, I have a
little look around.
These are the ones that you
just shook off.
[Narrator] With half a kilo of
berries needed per bottle,
the family can't stop
picking quite yet.
- These are probably
the plumpest sloes
I've ever seen.
So that's about
first punch down, yeah?
- Yeah,
good.
The joke of this is that we
have talked about this sloe
and sloe gin for such a long
time that I think we feel
that we can't fail on this.
So we are going to have
sloe gin this Christmas
- Our sloe gin, thank you.
- Well done, team.
If you have those
on the bottom without any
brambles, it would be easy.
[Narrator] Back at
the Chateau
- Come here dog, lie down.
[Narrator] Dicks keen to get
on with a bit of kitchen alchemy
- Sloes.
[Narrator] While the fleshy
berries are still fresh and
juicy.
- I like making my sloe gin
and this sort of thing,
but we have a slight issue
with the Chateau de la mot
sloes,
look at that.
Yes.
So we go for a fat bottle.
Were pricking these so that
the actual
juices from the sloes
a more accessible and going
to the gin more so you get
more flavor coming through.
Here we go.
Wow.
I need a little cut off
funnel, some sugar.
So this is very important
that you get exactly the right
of my sugar in here.
[Narrator] And this year's sloe
gin will be a sweet affair.
- Now, nice and simple gin
from some stressful recipes.
(gulping sounds)
Lid on and every day
turn it upside down.
There will be no sugar.
It'll all be dissolved
in the tin and that will
mature
over the months to Christmas
and it'll be the most amazing
color and very, very tasty.
Here we go.
Bottle of sloe gin.
(birds chirping)
[Narrator] As the night
draws in, the push is
on the Angel to finish
her chandelier.
All she needs to do, patch
around 3000 wooden beads.
I have got lots of these lovely
little balls that I sprayed
a little bit white
and it took forever.
So I bought some.
There's this sort of balance
of it still being handmade,
but actually I needed
to feed the kids do washing.
(laughter)
Go to bed.
So, Dick set me up this little
sort of contraction.
So I'm going to use fishing
line because
I think that that is going
to be honestly,
if you just can't break this
so that's a very,
very good start.
I got a few on.
(soothing music)
Two more.
See where I'm at.
That one looks like it's
sort of, the right angle.
The dangle angle
but I don't know
until I've done it all.
I've done the section anyway.
Let's get on with it.
(relaxing music)
[Narrator] Angel's
dream to transform
the fairytale turret room
into a library large enough
to hold all the Chateau's
books is a giant task.
But the magic is
already happening.
- I leave her for two
minutes and she wallpapers.
At least I found out
now that the backdrop
for the books is
gonna be wallpaper.
[Narrator] But wallpaper is the
last thing on Dick's mind.
- I have to produce
the curved shelves and the two
walls are completely
different.
[Narrator] Dick may have
put up countless
shelves over the years,
but a 150 year old Pepperpot
tower comes with its
own unique challenges.
- That's got a quite a nice
sweeping curve to it.
But when I come over here,
that's got a bit of a curve.
And then for some reason
it's been flattened. Inside
the shelves will have the same
curve to them
so the symmetry in that.
[Narrator] With
a building of this vintage,
there's no flat pack
alternative to help with this
curved conundrum.
- As long as I keep
this as near
as to right angles,
we've cracked in.
Okay, that's all I need.
[Narrator] Dicks job now is
to accurately transfer his
sums into something
resembling a shelf.
- This is a roughly
curved piece of card.
I now need to turn
it into a template.
That is the curve of my wall.
Let's cut that out.
I'm going through quite a lot
of hassle doing this because I
know I've got ten
shelves on each side.
It's a lot of shelves.
Get this right once.
And I've got a template that's
the shape of me shelves.
(laughter)
[Narrator] Angel's chandelier
is also taking shape.
- Oh gosh, it's quite heavy.
All right
Now I can really
envision it.
And there are absolutely some
finishing touches that are
going to make this sing.
And Dick's got
to do the lights
but I've got the bottom to do.
[Narrator] While beading her
Empire shaped
chandelier, Angel's run into
a rather delicate problem.
- My dangle is too...
Too plump
I'm going to take off four.
Let's see, try
my dangle there.
Got a bit too saggy.
I guess I'll keep coming
on until I love it to bits.
(birds chirping)
[Narrator] In the workshop,
Dicks moved from paper to
wood, and he's determined not
to waste an inch of Oak.
- Forty at the first one,
slide them up, then
five and six.
Give me a second one,
seven and eight.
well, give me a third one.
That means it has
to be joined together.
Of course.
[Narrator] All he needs
to do now is
to try and create 20 perfectly
curved shelves out of it.
It's a biscuit jointer, I'm
joining using biscuits.
[Narrator] And after several
days of gluing,
hammering
clamping.
- I'm working
against the clock.
[Narrator] And
precision cutting.
Success is within sight.
- They you go.
One nicely curved
on the inside.
All wonky on the outside.
That's one done right.
[Narrator] Having made
enough shelving
to hold thousands of books.
- Production is now going,
I'm going to save here.
[Narrator] And 90
brackets to support them.
(upbeat music)
It's time to put Dick's
mathematical skills
to the test.
- Straight bits of wood on
round walls.
(drilling)
It's time to make
the next one.
- Dick?
- Yes, beautiful.
- My big tooth is
really wobbly.
- Is it?
- Yeah, I could barely
eat one sausage.
- You can barely
eat the sausage?
Oh, I can rip that
out if you want?
- No, goodbye.
- Ok, You won't be
doing that then.
[Narrator] While
Dorothy might be
expecting a visit
from the Tooth Fairy or as
it's known in France,
the tooth Mouse,
there's no magic solution
to Dick's mammoth task.
Three shells up.
- They're all aligned.
That's good.
And they're actually
aligned and vertical.
You see, the little
bubble not bad, is it?
[Narrator] Just 15 more and 75
wall mounts to go.
- It's a process.
It's actually
quite high up here.
The pros are never read.
Go to the top.
(upbeat music)
[Narrator] Dick has been busy
with the shelves
in the library,
but there's no letting up.
Angel's chandelier is finished
and in need of light.
- It's looking quite
good, actually.
I'll give her that,
don't tell her.
Having said that, wood stops
light getting through.
I was told to get little
candle lights.
Somehow it always happens.
Ange is upstairs
putting the two to bed.
I'm down here
working on lights.
Thing I like most about this
is we have to slow
down and do it.
And at the end of the day,
there will be light.
[Narrator] There's
no putting off the inevitable.
- Going in. If I knock
a bead off here,
I'm going to be in the poop.
There you go.
Ha.
Come on.
It looks like this has
been put there on purpose.
Good.
Next one.
(upbeat music)
[Narrator] The day
has finally arrived
to hang Angel's beaded
labor of love.
- It's not exactly light, but
it's not frightfully heavy.
Hold on.
Set we are.
- yeah, good.
- Yeah.
It has to be right there.
- I'm scared to go down.
- Why?
Just in case I don't like it.
(laughter)
- That would be pretty
terrible.
[Narrator] After all
the hard work,
the final verdict is literally
hanging in the balance.
- Well?
- I love it.
That's the right answer.
- You know what?
Just sets this room.
I just knew it would.
But let me see what it
looks like from over here.
It looks good, Babe.
It does actually
look good.
- Right, We need to turn
lights on and see if it works.
- I'll run down.
- You run down
(suspenseful music)
before you turn the switch on,
do you know
what I'm looking at?
Six bulbs working.
You're looking
at how it looks.
You ready?
Here we go.
Turn it off.
It's beautiful.
[Narrator] Just four
of the six bulbs
of working. Undeterred
Dick turns detective.
- You're thinking
it might be a light bulb?
- Yeah, I just got one
from the box.
Turn it on.
Hooray! Because I knew it
wasn't my electrical circuits.
Right?
We're done.
[Narrator] Dick may
think the work is
finished, but Angel
has other ideas.
Now that this is up,
actually, I'm not sure about
the color of the band,
but you know what?
It's just tweaks now
and I'm well happy.
- But it stays up now?
- It stays up.
- It stays up.
That's the result.
And the chandelier
didn't fall off yet.
I'm done.
(adventurous music)
- I love it.
[Narrator] Angel's
chandelier wasn't
the only project
on the to do list.
The turret library is almost
complete, but not before
some serious heavy lifting.
- This is a light one.
Oh, my goodness me.
- This is heavy.
It's not even that many.
- Are your shelves
gonna seriously hold these?
- We're going
to find out, aren't we?
I want a whole pile of books
on dogs so Petal can find them.
Here we go.
We got Mrs.
Beeton's and the household
encyclopedia.
I love this one,
Dick's Angel.
- Dick's Angel is in DIY.
This is quite a special book,
Dick's Angel.
And also the taxidermy
ones are pretty ugly.
- I put three books
in and you put them in a
completely different order.
(laughter)
Look at the children
and the children.
- You are kidding me.
Did you actually manage
to seriously do that?
It's a full box of books.
Oh goodness me.
[Narrator] However,
there may have been
an ulterior motive to bag
the best spot for their own
section in the library.
- Okay
- Good Housekeeping.
- Dictionaries.
- Little book can go up there
with the little pretty books.
My wine book
that's been hidden
for the five, six years
we've been here, upstairs.
[Narrator] Dick and
Angel's book
collection may be enormous,
but it's soon cut down to size
by the sheer amount
of shelving.
- We finally got any books.
We need more.
- What you got?
[Narrator] Happily, Dorothy and
Arthur can help with that.
- It's for you.
Open it.
- Mommy has wrapped this book
so so carefully, haven't you?
- The kids wrapped it.
- This is a special book.
This is a special book.
Wow.
Frankatelle.
- It's the first edition.
- No way.
English version.
This man,
look, I see that man?
Very handsome
he is. He was
Queen Victoria's chef.
And this is his book.
And do you know when he was
writing? Seven years before
the Chateau was built?
So what had happened,
by the way
the people who have been
eating here would probably be
looking at some of the recipes
at the Queen
of England was eating.
And Frankatelle was a man
doing it for Queen Victoria.
(kiss)
- Who loves our library?
Wow, but you're much more
interested in your cardboard
robot hand, aren't you?
That's beautiful.
I can't wait to sit
down and read it.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Wow.
[Narrator] With Dick's
new book joining
the library, it's time to get
the salon back in order.
- Right?
Ready to pick it up.
Two, three.
Up.
- Oh, oh, it's too heavy.
- You're supposed
to help carry it.
(laughter)
It's still your fault.
- That's certainly
my fault, right.
- Oh, that's nice.
See, I haven't seen
it there before.
I haven't quite decided because
that scaffolding was in there.
That looks nice there, doesn't
it? We like that a lot.
Okay.
(birds chirping)
[Narrator] As the hub
of the family home,
the salon was an Angel
favorite, with one exception.
But now Angel's
Empire shaped
chandelier has thrown a whole
new light on the room.
The luster painted rose
shines with original details.
And between Dick's clever
lighting, an Angel's design,
the room is now complete.
What was once the mere
derelict turret
and a distant dream.
- I'm thinking that
everything is a round
shelves.
[Narrator] Is now finally
filled with books.
To become the Chateau's
cherished library.
And Angel couldn't be happier.
- I love this room so,
so much.
This is family.
And I've got the chandelier.
I absolutely love,
love the shape.
And it's got a story.
No, I love all of that.
It's got the Crown from
vintage rotisserie days.
It's got wood from
Dick's workshop.
And it's got a belly band
from a barrel that was used at
the Chateau a long time ago.
And I love it so.
[Narrator] And Dick has also
found something he can get
passionate about, if not
quite as romantic.
- Eggs a la, trifle. Eggs
cooked like trifle.
I never even thought of that.
- Baby, you look so, so,
so happy.
- Darling I'm going to work
my way through these now.
You may never get any
more work from me.
Looking around here,
there's a lot shelves.
The very first year we
were here, five years ago
now, six?
The library was a vision
that we had and I said,
there's no way I was going
to be able to do it
until I had some time.
And I couldn't think
of an excuse this time.
- Now all that's
missing is the kids.
- It's nice and quiet.
Leave him outside.
Who has the violin?
All right, you two.
We're gonna play a game.
Go on mom, grab the game.
[Narrator] And of course,
it wouldn't be the Chateau
without using up every scrap
of leftover materials.
- Brilliant kin link.
Lots of surface area.
Dorothy, you're going
to start first.
[Narrator] And
ever resourceful,
Dick has even made a family
game from the wood,
which all add up to a perfect
family evening at the Chateau.
- We have to get mommy.
What number do you need?
- Ten.
- Mommy beat the children.
Come on.
I want to rematch.
[Narrator] Next time it's sink
or swim for the Strawbridges.
- This, I think it is a big
swimming pool.
- I've got a headache.
[Narrator] The battle of the
Bonsai's begins.
- I'm not being competitive,
by the way.
You're the competitive
one in our family.
[Narrator] And Things don't
quite measure up.
- I don't think the children
get any bigger.
We're just getting smaller.
[Narrator] In the heart
of the French countryside,
a magnificent Chateau stood
uncared for and abandoned.
Then, six years ago,
everything changed
when an intrepid British
couple
- Turn, turn, turn, turn. Wow!
[Narrator] unlocked
its front door.
- Everything is gorgeous.
[Narrator] Fell in love
with its grandeur
and embarked on an adventure.
- It's so incredibly important
to bring it back to life.
[Narrator] Since they moved
in, engineer, Dick Strawbridge
and his wife, designer Angel,
have transformed almost all 45
rooms, including four
sumptuous guest suites
for their wedding
and events business.
But despite their hard work,
their dream often
resembled a nightmare.
- You should not be able to
see the sky out of your roof.
- Behind every romantic
story is the reality.
[Narrator] This year, life
at the Chateau
has been rather different.
- I'm on Heron Island
[Narrator] with no weddings
and events to host.
- I think we need
a roof garden up here.
- All level mathematics
from 1975.
[Narrator] They can tackle
bigger projects than ever.
- This I'm thinking is
a big swimming pool.
- I've got a headache
[Narrator] and there are lots
of surprises in store.
- Come on, let's have a little
look. I got a couple open
[Narrator] as the
Chateau reveals more secrets.
- I love it.
It's so me.
[Narrator] It's time to
find out what
happens next in this 21st
century French fairy tale.
- I think this is a good
reason to buy a horse.
(laughter)
(slow enchanting music)
[Narrator] The seasons
are changing
and autumn is beginning
to make its presence felt
at the Chateau.
With twelve acres
of land to explore.
- The adventure starts.
[Narrator] Dick and Angel are
keen to show Dorothy and Arthur
the colorful changes happening
right on their own doorstep.
- It's a lot of conkers
falling down now.
[Narrator] And there
are a few things
more [indistinct] than a forest
floor covered in conkers.
- I've never
seen one like that
They're all odd shapes because
they've all been grown together.
This is a sweet chestnut.
Arthur, come here a
second.
And it's a tickle job.
Look at me.
(laughter)
You cannot walk with conkers
in your pocket like that.
(laughter)
If you let me know
when we're about to head back.
[Narrator] Just
further up the path,
there's another seasonal site
and it's a Strawbridge
family favorite.
- Yeah.
You can just see the blue
of how many there are there.
Oh, they're ready
because they're big.
We never use to collect sloes
until after the first frost.
But if we leave those for much
longer, there won't be any
because the bird loves
them.
With this year sloe gin.
I think we have
to get sloe gin on the go.
- Yeah, I think so.
[Narrator] It may
be the beginning
of autumn,
but Dick came to keep
the summer days going
for just a little bit longer.
- I think I need ice cream
after that adventure.
Who wants an ice cream?
(enchanting music)
[Narrator] When Dick and Angel
first moved into the Chateau
five years ago, their to
do list was interminable.
- Asbestos lead paint,
200 plus pages of
reasons not to buy a house.
[Narrator] and the sheer scale
of work has meant some
of their original dreams are
still waiting to be realized.
- I've got my notebook
as requested.
[Narrator] But this year,
with more time on their hands,
two rooms can finally receive
some extra attention.
The family Salon and it's
adjoining turret,
a space Angel has had designs
on since the very first
moment she saw it.
I'm thinking that every thing
is around with shelves
and we just sit
here with our books.
- But how high?
- Up to the ceiling.
- The original plans were five
years ago so all bets are off.
Can we talk,
part of this that
I don't remember properly.
From here,
going all the way around,
there'll be bookshelves.
Window gap bookshelves.
Hold on.
If we take as an example,
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,
maybe we come down
to the bottom,
make the 10th one,
and then there's a bit
sort of column three.
That's 30.
That's 120 of those
bookshelves that size.
That's quite a lot
of book shelving.
[Narrator] The Turret Run
fits within the Chateau's
Pepperpot Tower with its
distinctive curved walls.
The shelves that circle the
room will have to curve too.
- Do you know what the most
interesting thing is gonna be
is finding on the books
and seeing how many have got.
- I can't wait, honestly.
- Okay, plans.
[Narrator] Moving through
to the salon.
Angel has high hopes.
- When we first came,
this ceiling was really,
really worn and the rose.
It was kind of gray
and worn, and I loved it.
But when the ceiling got
painted, it stuck out
like a sore thumb.
And honestly, it was like the
day or two for our wedding.
And we ended up just saying,
let's get it painted and then
we'll deal with it later.
- I'm honing in on what
has to be done.
Just that ceiling?
- No.
So the ceiling, I'm going
to do it in the luster
that's on the walls.
- A lustered ceiling?
- Lustered ceiling,
it's just going to give it
a little bit of texture
and I'm going to fill it,
the rose.
I'm happy that I can
deal with the ceiling.
[Narrator] Dick may
think he's got off
lightly, but Angel is
about to illuminate him.
- The lights never been right.
And I have found a design
that I like, and it's,
it's just beads. Again,
don't worry about it
until I'm a step ahead
but it's a big chandelier.
- There's pain
behind my left eye
that comes up when you
sort of say things like
don't worry about that yet.
- I will need your
help with the wiring.
I mean, I will need
your help with that.
- Yeah, but hold on.
I'm just going to say
the thing that annoys me most
about this light is
the lack of light.
If you're making a light
feature, you have to think
about the light getting out.
- I will, I'll think
about that.
- Oh, that just
sounds so much,
there, there Dick.
I always feel like
you're putting me
in my bald patch there.
[Narrator] Having just
about convinced
Dick of her vision for a new
light to enhance the salon,
Angel and Sasha,
set to work clearing
the room in readiness
for operation ceiling rose.
- I'm gonna put
this on the sofa.
So it's all,
get comfy right.
There we go.
(upbeat music)
(children laughing)
- Oh my goodness.
You are making me dizzy.
Your voice echoes.
Come.
- I always wanted to do this.
(screams)
[Narrator] Once the rooms
new acoustics
have been tested by Arthur
and Dorothy,
Angel can get
on with decorating
with her all time
favorite luster paint.
- This paint, I love it. Just
brings whatever it is.
If it's a dilapidated
wall or is it a color
I don't quite like. I put this
on it and it's magical.
[Narrator] Before applying
even a lick of paint
to the ceiling, there's the
rather necessary prep to do.
And for Angel,
it's something of a passion.
- I actually genuinely love
cleaning. I'm like
a brilliant cleaner.
Satisfying, isn't it?
All right.
[Narrator] But
before committing to
an entirely lustered ceiling,
Angel does a test patch.
(adventurous music)
It is how I pitched it, being
quite dappled because you know
the light hits it in so
many different places.
I think I'm just going to go
for it and then work out what
I came to do.
Because that's kind of the way
that I always roll.
(birds chirping)
[Narrator] Also on a
roll, is Dick.
With an abundance of sloe
berries on their doorstep.
Dick is on a mission
to harvest them in time.
- The things you have
to do for your sloe gin eh?
[Narrator] However, there's one
thing standing in his way,
bramble bushes.
- I get a bit scratched up.
Never mind.
[Narrator] Despite the prickly
conditions, Dick battles
on, determined
nothing will come between
him and his gin.
The salon ceiling has now been
painted in glorious luster
and all it needs is sticks,
not of approval.
- Hi, baby.
- Have you changed
the ceiling?
[indistinct]
- No, I'm not.
- What do you mean if I
changed it? Have I painted it?
- That's the new color?
- Yeah
- okay, I didn't realize.
Are you happy?
- Yeah, I'm happy.
I found some brilliant
filler that I think we've
got to potentially try and
fill some of the edges in.
- First things
first, we get rid
of the light.
I have no idea
how I attached that.
I've forgotten completely.
- I know how you attached it.
- How?
- With a grumpy face.
(laughter)
(laughter)
- We'll turn the power off.
If I can remember
which bloody switch it is.
Salon.
Are the light off Angela?
Angela?
- No.
Light's off?
Yep,
they're off now, baby.
- Nothing like a bit
of communication.
Lights are off.
[Narrator] Dick can now safely
examine the wiring.
And to do that,
he needs to use his head.
- Right, Mrs.
and we're off.
- Alright,
so we're going to have a light
bulb hanging from there,
aren't we?
Yeah, it's better than
no light, isn't it?
- Yeah.
[Narrator] Now it's up to Angel
to turn the electricity back on.
- There's only
one switch down.
That's a the one.
- Turn it up? all right.
[Narrator] Using
the same clear
communication
method as before.
- You have to
shout quite loud.
- Okay, I'm turning it on.
Is it on?
- No.
- Really?
- Yeah.
Thank you.
- I think that was on.
All right, good.
- Makes you ask why we
need a chandelier at all.
Look at that, thing of beauty.
I'll never get away with it.
[Narrator] As the leaves start
to turn on the trees,
the Chateau is gearing up
to turn heads with Angel's
plans for an eye catching
chandelier in the salon.
- Is this the one you wanted?
- Yes.
[Narrator] 60 CM in diameter,
this rusty metal ring has
given her a light bulb moment.
- That is call it a seven by,
so it's twice as long.
So that means it's going
to be 1.2 meters.
That's huge.
- It is
but it needs to be.
The issue is, is that if we
find the light fit in, they
have to be connected to this.
Otherwise,
I just get a straight line
and they have to be curved.
[Narrator] Angel's
been inspired
by the 19th century Empire
style, made fashionable
by Napoleon's first wife,
Josephine.
- 19th century here, yeah?
- Well, it become popular
with the first 1st Empire.
French Empire.
That's why people always.
- Napoleon?
- Yeah, Josephine.
This is
the exact shape.
This is the Empire shape.
[Narrator] To
illustrate her vision,
Angel has a
miniature example.
- Can I suggest we take
off all the crystals?
These are really good
for Christmas trees.
Remember, our first Christmas
had no money?
We had to use the crystals
for our chandelier?
- Lovely.
You come up with that idea?
Your creative side darling.
- Yeah, I
let it out for a minute.
I must have had
a bottle of Port.
I'm finding the component
parts.
[Narrator] Now Crystal free
the structure of this mini
chandelier will form the top
of their new light.
How come we've ended up
with an extra Dingle dangle.
- I like that.
Don't take that way
just yet. It's broken.
- You've just broken it?
It wasn't broken before.
- I can fix that.
Do you give me this?
We'll just do a very simple
world famous knot.
This is going to be
the distance below
that, that you want.
- Yeah.
Measure the vertical
separation, please.
Between those two circles.
- Okay,
don't move it off, like you
just move them a little bit.
[Narrator] But if Angel
wants her dream
light realized, she'll need
to channel her inner Empress
to keep Dick on side.
Okay, I can see that face.
-Yeah.
- This is where I've
become Josephine.
- Jezebel, Jezebel,
get thee behind me, right?
- Okay.
He's offering
them by a light.
(adventurous music)
[Narrator] And every
show stopping light
needs a solid stage
to perform from.
- My mission is to have a look
at the rose and see
what state it's in.
I am really nervous
because I'm not an expert.
Definitely.
I thought like that is such
an artisan type of job,
but I know that there are
a couple of really big cracks,
and there is some really
big gaps that scare me.
Oh gosh, it doesn't look
in brilliant order.
I don't want to,
but I think there is some
filling that I
can't not address.
I've never done this before.
I mean, how do you practice?
How do you practice?
Like a rose on a ceiling?
That's 150 years old.
[Narrator] Angel though,
does have one skill
that might just give
her an advantage.
- I guess I'm not terrible
sort of like, icing cakes.
This has turned
into a really big job.
But actually,
this Christmas is going
to be magical in here.
(birds chirping)
(children playing)
[Narrator] Restoring
the ceiling rose is
one thing,
creating a new chandelier
quite another.
And to do that, Angel has had
to enter forbidden territory.
Dick's new workshop,
but neither glass nor
crystals in sight.
Because Angel's design
is made from wood.
- If you think how
many of these
little beads are going to take
to actually make
the chandelier, it's gonna
be, it's gonna be thousands.
[Narrator] All angel
needs is quite a bit
of time and a lot of patience.
- This is going to be
a time consuming job.
I know that.
But what I love is
that the lie
is part of the Chateau
and, you know, friends
and family like, you lie.
It's a lovely story to tell.
(drilling)
(upbeat music)
[Narrator] Once
Dick has reclaimed
residency of his man cave.
The focus turns from woodwork
to metal work.
- Angela
always makes things really
easy when it comes to lights.
So I got to suspend my Crown
above my bottom
in three places.
So I'm sort of getting
my head around this.
(drilling)
I'm just getting the flaky
bits off, that's all.
Because Angela
wants this look,
the chandelier
is a lot of history.
This part of it, it must
be an old barrel ring.
A Cooper 100 years plus ago
will have made this to hold in
the specially shaped bits
of wood from the barrels.
I don't know where she came up
with the idea from,
and quite honestly, it's.
My problem is, beads are not
known for letting light
out some trigonometry.
Is it trigonometry?
As last time I did that?
10, 60
degrees equals
opposite over adjacent.
This is 200.
So
if I multiply 200 by the ton
of 60, which is 1.732,
that's going to be a 346.
That gives me 120
degrees there.
All level
mathematics from 1975.
(hammering)
I have here.
This is the equivalent
of this being here.
This being here.
What I have to do is get
my piece of metal to go
from this point to this point
with a nice curve on it.
(adventurous music)
(drilling)
That's the first element done.
To be fair, I don't think you're
going to see much of any
of this, except for the bit
sticking at the top.
When she's finished,
we shall see.
Light.
That's what I need next.
[Narrator] As Angel'
elegant vision starts
to come to life, in the salon,
she checks up on her
ceiling rose handiwork.
- That is solid.
I am so, so, so
[indistinct] that but
I'm two steps away from having
this rose finished.
[Narrator]A quick standing and
undercoat Angel's ready to paint
and no prizes for
guessing which color.
I love this so much.
I just want to paint
everything in it.
It's quite a bit
of bling, that it.
But it's subtle.
I think that's
quite like me.
This.
This is gorgeous.
The little great
sort of calming down and
just the little flowers.
It's truly, truly stunning.
Just put luster
over things.
It does bring out detail
because the light reflects
on it in a different way
to obviously, light reflects
over matte, and I'm liking it.
I want to see that detail,
but I don't want to have
it shoved in my face.
[Narrator] It's not just the
rejuvenated ceiling rose
and the bespoke chandelier
on Dick and Angels to do list.
- I need to understand
what goes where.
[Narrator] There's also
the transformation
of the Pepperpot tower
into a vast floor
to ceiling curved library.
- Water book and training
probably should've looked at it.
- No, I'm going to.
- She's not a puppy anymore.
[Narrator] And that
means just
one thing, shelves
and lots of them.
- Okay, so where do we start
the bookshelf?
How does it go around?
- That's interesting,
because I always thought
it would come to the door.
Can I walk in through.
The doorway starts to feel.
- I think
they have to go back to.
- I agree as well.
But not too much like sort
of my hands width.
- Right there?
- Yep.
- Okay.
About there.
Okay.
[Narrator] Over the years,
Dick an Angel have collected
hundreds of books.
- Books, books, books,
books, books.
[Narrator] But before
they can display
them, they first
need to find them.
- I'd forgotten clean
about these.
Upstairs, my room.
Oh, look.
- Only you could have a
book on camouflage.
So in here, children's,
children's.
One, two, three.
- That's an
awful lot of books.
I haven't seen
some of these.
- Well, you bought me a lot
of these
- or maybe I have.
Look, do you remember this?
The modern bakers?
Honestly, I think that was our
second Christmas and this one
the complete Hostess guide.
I mean, it was the
best couple ever.
[Narrator] Soon,
Dick and Angel forget the job
and are lost
in precious memories.
- Yep,
look at that one.
I didn't know you had this.
- We'll you bought me that.
I just need to kiss you.
- I didn't, cause I've got
my version downstairs.
What is this?
- The modern cook.
- That is beautiful.
There is history in there.
[Narrator] But this
kind of peace
at the Chateau
never lasts for long.
- I'm looking at this,
and I think sorting the books
is going to be as big as task is
actually just building shelves.
- No you've got
the biggest task, Babe.
- No, no, wait.
I want them sorted.
- Don't underestimate the
shelf making task.
I want sorting to be
taken equally seriously.
- Let's go
straight to the gate.
[Narrator] It may only
be the beginning
of autumn, but the Strawbridge
family is already thinking
ahead to Christmas and are
on a forage for sloe berries
for Dick's homemade sloe gin.
- Sloe's around the corner.
[Narrator] However,
Dicks earlier endeavor's
to clear the bramble bushes
may have been fruitless.
- I think the birds have
already started eat them.
There's no sloes on there.
- Is this the right bush?
- I'm feeling pain.
Do you see one?
There's one.
I found another one.
There's two is the second one.
The second one over here.
Drink responsibly.
[Narrator] Sadly two sloe
berries
do not effective liquor make.
Luckily things might
be looking up.
- Look all these but
we can't reach those.
- Oh, well we'll have
to get a ladder.
[Narrator] Thankfully
there's someone on
hand to
engineer a solution.
- Give it you say,
pick up the bamboo.
We're now taking this up.
I had the sort of image of just
coming along and just picking
gently, right.
- Okay, I have a
little look around.
These are the ones that you
just shook off.
[Narrator] With half a kilo of
berries needed per bottle,
the family can't stop
picking quite yet.
- These are probably
the plumpest sloes
I've ever seen.
So that's about
first punch down, yeah?
- Yeah,
good.
The joke of this is that we
have talked about this sloe
and sloe gin for such a long
time that I think we feel
that we can't fail on this.
So we are going to have
sloe gin this Christmas
- Our sloe gin, thank you.
- Well done, team.
If you have those
on the bottom without any
brambles, it would be easy.
[Narrator] Back at
the Chateau
- Come here dog, lie down.
[Narrator] Dicks keen to get
on with a bit of kitchen alchemy
- Sloes.
[Narrator] While the fleshy
berries are still fresh and
juicy.
- I like making my sloe gin
and this sort of thing,
but we have a slight issue
with the Chateau de la mot
sloes,
look at that.
Yes.
So we go for a fat bottle.
Were pricking these so that
the actual
juices from the sloes
a more accessible and going
to the gin more so you get
more flavor coming through.
Here we go.
Wow.
I need a little cut off
funnel, some sugar.
So this is very important
that you get exactly the right
of my sugar in here.
[Narrator] And this year's sloe
gin will be a sweet affair.
- Now, nice and simple gin
from some stressful recipes.
(gulping sounds)
Lid on and every day
turn it upside down.
There will be no sugar.
It'll all be dissolved
in the tin and that will
mature
over the months to Christmas
and it'll be the most amazing
color and very, very tasty.
Here we go.
Bottle of sloe gin.
(birds chirping)
[Narrator] As the night
draws in, the push is
on the Angel to finish
her chandelier.
All she needs to do, patch
around 3000 wooden beads.
I have got lots of these lovely
little balls that I sprayed
a little bit white
and it took forever.
So I bought some.
There's this sort of balance
of it still being handmade,
but actually I needed
to feed the kids do washing.
(laughter)
Go to bed.
So, Dick set me up this little
sort of contraction.
So I'm going to use fishing
line because
I think that that is going
to be honestly,
if you just can't break this
so that's a very,
very good start.
I got a few on.
(soothing music)
Two more.
See where I'm at.
That one looks like it's
sort of, the right angle.
The dangle angle
but I don't know
until I've done it all.
I've done the section anyway.
Let's get on with it.
(relaxing music)
[Narrator] Angel's
dream to transform
the fairytale turret room
into a library large enough
to hold all the Chateau's
books is a giant task.
But the magic is
already happening.
- I leave her for two
minutes and she wallpapers.
At least I found out
now that the backdrop
for the books is
gonna be wallpaper.
[Narrator] But wallpaper is the
last thing on Dick's mind.
- I have to produce
the curved shelves and the two
walls are completely
different.
[Narrator] Dick may have
put up countless
shelves over the years,
but a 150 year old Pepperpot
tower comes with its
own unique challenges.
- That's got a quite a nice
sweeping curve to it.
But when I come over here,
that's got a bit of a curve.
And then for some reason
it's been flattened. Inside
the shelves will have the same
curve to them
so the symmetry in that.
[Narrator] With
a building of this vintage,
there's no flat pack
alternative to help with this
curved conundrum.
- As long as I keep
this as near
as to right angles,
we've cracked in.
Okay, that's all I need.
[Narrator] Dicks job now is
to accurately transfer his
sums into something
resembling a shelf.
- This is a roughly
curved piece of card.
I now need to turn
it into a template.
That is the curve of my wall.
Let's cut that out.
I'm going through quite a lot
of hassle doing this because I
know I've got ten
shelves on each side.
It's a lot of shelves.
Get this right once.
And I've got a template that's
the shape of me shelves.
(laughter)
[Narrator] Angel's chandelier
is also taking shape.
- Oh gosh, it's quite heavy.
All right
Now I can really
envision it.
And there are absolutely some
finishing touches that are
going to make this sing.
And Dick's got
to do the lights
but I've got the bottom to do.
[Narrator] While beading her
Empire shaped
chandelier, Angel's run into
a rather delicate problem.
- My dangle is too...
Too plump
I'm going to take off four.
Let's see, try
my dangle there.
Got a bit too saggy.
I guess I'll keep coming
on until I love it to bits.
(birds chirping)
[Narrator] In the workshop,
Dicks moved from paper to
wood, and he's determined not
to waste an inch of Oak.
- Forty at the first one,
slide them up, then
five and six.
Give me a second one,
seven and eight.
well, give me a third one.
That means it has
to be joined together.
Of course.
[Narrator] All he needs
to do now is
to try and create 20 perfectly
curved shelves out of it.
It's a biscuit jointer, I'm
joining using biscuits.
[Narrator] And after several
days of gluing,
hammering
clamping.
- I'm working
against the clock.
[Narrator] And
precision cutting.
Success is within sight.
- They you go.
One nicely curved
on the inside.
All wonky on the outside.
That's one done right.
[Narrator] Having made
enough shelving
to hold thousands of books.
- Production is now going,
I'm going to save here.
[Narrator] And 90
brackets to support them.
(upbeat music)
It's time to put Dick's
mathematical skills
to the test.
- Straight bits of wood on
round walls.
(drilling)
It's time to make
the next one.
- Dick?
- Yes, beautiful.
- My big tooth is
really wobbly.
- Is it?
- Yeah, I could barely
eat one sausage.
- You can barely
eat the sausage?
Oh, I can rip that
out if you want?
- No, goodbye.
- Ok, You won't be
doing that then.
[Narrator] While
Dorothy might be
expecting a visit
from the Tooth Fairy or as
it's known in France,
the tooth Mouse,
there's no magic solution
to Dick's mammoth task.
Three shells up.
- They're all aligned.
That's good.
And they're actually
aligned and vertical.
You see, the little
bubble not bad, is it?
[Narrator] Just 15 more and 75
wall mounts to go.
- It's a process.
It's actually
quite high up here.
The pros are never read.
Go to the top.
(upbeat music)
[Narrator] Dick has been busy
with the shelves
in the library,
but there's no letting up.
Angel's chandelier is finished
and in need of light.
- It's looking quite
good, actually.
I'll give her that,
don't tell her.
Having said that, wood stops
light getting through.
I was told to get little
candle lights.
Somehow it always happens.
Ange is upstairs
putting the two to bed.
I'm down here
working on lights.
Thing I like most about this
is we have to slow
down and do it.
And at the end of the day,
there will be light.
[Narrator] There's
no putting off the inevitable.
- Going in. If I knock
a bead off here,
I'm going to be in the poop.
There you go.
Ha.
Come on.
It looks like this has
been put there on purpose.
Good.
Next one.
(upbeat music)
[Narrator] The day
has finally arrived
to hang Angel's beaded
labor of love.
- It's not exactly light, but
it's not frightfully heavy.
Hold on.
Set we are.
- yeah, good.
- Yeah.
It has to be right there.
- I'm scared to go down.
- Why?
Just in case I don't like it.
(laughter)
- That would be pretty
terrible.
[Narrator] After all
the hard work,
the final verdict is literally
hanging in the balance.
- Well?
- I love it.
That's the right answer.
- You know what?
Just sets this room.
I just knew it would.
But let me see what it
looks like from over here.
It looks good, Babe.
It does actually
look good.
- Right, We need to turn
lights on and see if it works.
- I'll run down.
- You run down
(suspenseful music)
before you turn the switch on,
do you know
what I'm looking at?
Six bulbs working.
You're looking
at how it looks.
You ready?
Here we go.
Turn it off.
It's beautiful.
[Narrator] Just four
of the six bulbs
of working. Undeterred
Dick turns detective.
- You're thinking
it might be a light bulb?
- Yeah, I just got one
from the box.
Turn it on.
Hooray! Because I knew it
wasn't my electrical circuits.
Right?
We're done.
[Narrator] Dick may
think the work is
finished, but Angel
has other ideas.
Now that this is up,
actually, I'm not sure about
the color of the band,
but you know what?
It's just tweaks now
and I'm well happy.
- But it stays up now?
- It stays up.
- It stays up.
That's the result.
And the chandelier
didn't fall off yet.
I'm done.
(adventurous music)
- I love it.
[Narrator] Angel's
chandelier wasn't
the only project
on the to do list.
The turret library is almost
complete, but not before
some serious heavy lifting.
- This is a light one.
Oh, my goodness me.
- This is heavy.
It's not even that many.
- Are your shelves
gonna seriously hold these?
- We're going
to find out, aren't we?
I want a whole pile of books
on dogs so Petal can find them.
Here we go.
We got Mrs.
Beeton's and the household
encyclopedia.
I love this one,
Dick's Angel.
- Dick's Angel is in DIY.
This is quite a special book,
Dick's Angel.
And also the taxidermy
ones are pretty ugly.
- I put three books
in and you put them in a
completely different order.
(laughter)
Look at the children
and the children.
- You are kidding me.
Did you actually manage
to seriously do that?
It's a full box of books.
Oh goodness me.
[Narrator] However,
there may have been
an ulterior motive to bag
the best spot for their own
section in the library.
- Okay
- Good Housekeeping.
- Dictionaries.
- Little book can go up there
with the little pretty books.
My wine book
that's been hidden
for the five, six years
we've been here, upstairs.
[Narrator] Dick and
Angel's book
collection may be enormous,
but it's soon cut down to size
by the sheer amount
of shelving.
- We finally got any books.
We need more.
- What you got?
[Narrator] Happily, Dorothy and
Arthur can help with that.
- It's for you.
Open it.
- Mommy has wrapped this book
so so carefully, haven't you?
- The kids wrapped it.
- This is a special book.
This is a special book.
Wow.
Frankatelle.
- It's the first edition.
- No way.
English version.
This man,
look, I see that man?
Very handsome
he is. He was
Queen Victoria's chef.
And this is his book.
And do you know when he was
writing? Seven years before
the Chateau was built?
So what had happened,
by the way
the people who have been
eating here would probably be
looking at some of the recipes
at the Queen
of England was eating.
And Frankatelle was a man
doing it for Queen Victoria.
(kiss)
- Who loves our library?
Wow, but you're much more
interested in your cardboard
robot hand, aren't you?
That's beautiful.
I can't wait to sit
down and read it.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Wow.
[Narrator] With Dick's
new book joining
the library, it's time to get
the salon back in order.
- Right?
Ready to pick it up.
Two, three.
Up.
- Oh, oh, it's too heavy.
- You're supposed
to help carry it.
(laughter)
It's still your fault.
- That's certainly
my fault, right.
- Oh, that's nice.
See, I haven't seen
it there before.
I haven't quite decided because
that scaffolding was in there.
That looks nice there, doesn't
it? We like that a lot.
Okay.
(birds chirping)
[Narrator] As the hub
of the family home,
the salon was an Angel
favorite, with one exception.
But now Angel's
Empire shaped
chandelier has thrown a whole
new light on the room.
The luster painted rose
shines with original details.
And between Dick's clever
lighting, an Angel's design,
the room is now complete.
What was once the mere
derelict turret
and a distant dream.
- I'm thinking that
everything is a round
shelves.
[Narrator] Is now finally
filled with books.
To become the Chateau's
cherished library.
And Angel couldn't be happier.
- I love this room so,
so much.
This is family.
And I've got the chandelier.
I absolutely love,
love the shape.
And it's got a story.
No, I love all of that.
It's got the Crown from
vintage rotisserie days.
It's got wood from
Dick's workshop.
And it's got a belly band
from a barrel that was used at
the Chateau a long time ago.
And I love it so.
[Narrator] And Dick has also
found something he can get
passionate about, if not
quite as romantic.
- Eggs a la, trifle. Eggs
cooked like trifle.
I never even thought of that.
- Baby, you look so, so,
so happy.
- Darling I'm going to work
my way through these now.
You may never get any
more work from me.
Looking around here,
there's a lot shelves.
The very first year we
were here, five years ago
now, six?
The library was a vision
that we had and I said,
there's no way I was going
to be able to do it
until I had some time.
And I couldn't think
of an excuse this time.
- Now all that's
missing is the kids.
- It's nice and quiet.
Leave him outside.
Who has the violin?
All right, you two.
We're gonna play a game.
Go on mom, grab the game.
[Narrator] And of course,
it wouldn't be the Chateau
without using up every scrap
of leftover materials.
- Brilliant kin link.
Lots of surface area.
Dorothy, you're going
to start first.
[Narrator] And
ever resourceful,
Dick has even made a family
game from the wood,
which all add up to a perfect
family evening at the Chateau.
- We have to get mommy.
What number do you need?
- Ten.
- Mommy beat the children.
Come on.
I want to rematch.
[Narrator] Next time it's sink
or swim for the Strawbridges.
- This, I think it is a big
swimming pool.
- I've got a headache.
[Narrator] The battle of the
Bonsai's begins.
- I'm not being competitive,
by the way.
You're the competitive
one in our family.
[Narrator] And Things don't
quite measure up.
- I don't think the children
get any bigger.
We're just getting smaller.