Your dad has a really good idea! Having your own suite is important, especially as it’s already configured so well for your needs! I can see how your kitchen, living room, bath/utility area deserve a refresh for your growing family. And using the upstairs for kid’s bedrooms, bath and tv/study room seems like a longer term-situation. Funny how one tweek changes so many other things! But, it all sounds like it answers your growing questions while at the same time, adding some more time and space to enjoy your current home -before tackling the larger projects in the big house! Q: If you have a stair-way in the living room, do you need another one in your private suite? Your utility closet wouldn’t mind a few more feet for storage?! Have a sweet family reunion! Cheers! 🎉
The second stairs are new 🙈 so we'll keep them lol, I think we'll use them once it's all done and it also future proofs it if/when we do still decide to split the long house into two. Thanks for your thoughtful comment 💚
Also, so happy you got to spend time with Rob and Lisa at ‘Escape to France-Charente ‘. They are both great people. Rob does a thousand different things and Lisa has the beginnings of a terrific vegetable garden. I love seeing good people meeting up with other good people. ❤❤❤
Hey Kathy, thanks for the kind words. Really appreciate your support with our channel. Jack and Becs are amazing people and we are really pleased you follow their journey too. Laterzzz
Hi Becs! You did well on your own with the kids this week😊. I hope Jack got some rest because he has A Lot to do when he gets home😅. I think your starting plan is a good one but I’m sure there will be little tweaks here and there but we all have Total Confidence in both of you! I personally think that your kids are having the Best childhood ever! Such freedom and the water so close by, Mom & Dad working things out together, learning how to do so many things by hand and heart, gardening, building. I know you would like things more organized inside but that will happen eventually and in the meantime you get more time with them while they are so young. These are very special years. Tell Jack we missed him too❤❤❤
Hi Kathy, it's definitely teaching me patience", something that the kids just seem to have intuitively. Learning to love the journey too! It's awesome to have you along for the ride as well 🤗
@@growinginfrance Awww Thank you. Honestly I feel very maternal of you and your family. I greatly admire your spunk. Mine are all grown so I guess I still want to fuss. But if I get too much just ignore me😅❤️❤️❤️
Well done Bec's you held up the fort beautifully....whilst hubby is gallivanting around Spain ...lol...but then again us Kiwi's like gallivanting all over the world...great vlog keep up the great work...best of luck with Reno version #......
Absence makes the heart grow fonder 😊. I think you will have to clone Jack for all that work. Ambitious but with two of you on the job …… certainly attainable.
An island bench is the center of the action. I agree with both you and Jack about the kitchen sink, I think you will use it more in a prep area than over by the window unless you love doing dishes with a view, it's really out of the way, most of its use is in prep. What about if you move to where the half non-moving wall is that's staying, before the start of the island bench. Right on the side of the center of the action!
Kids are super resilient, I wouldn't worry too much about that . How lucky your wallet & documents fell into honest hands 😊. I think your dad has come up with a solid plan ✌️
Dad will be proud to get a shout out and people agreeing with him! - Doesn't happen too often that I go along with what Dad says! Thanks for your comment 💚
You did amazing Becs. Well done on looking after the kids, chicks, designing, dog and cat as well as filming and editing. Thank you so much for coming to our BBQ and Avangelines present. It was the first one she opened. Take care and see you all soon Rob and Lisa
I remember your dad completely removating the old farmhouse in bulawayo and you and Peps living in a construction site for a few years, you loved it! Your kids will be the same
What wonderful people you are surrounded by for seeking you out and returning your property. Not many people unfortunately, would do that. I placed a carton of eggs on the roof of my car whilst loading my shopping, the eggs stayed on the roof until I very nearly reached my home, and all of a sudden they shot off the roof. I never put anything on the roof of the car again. 😂 We've all missed Jack. I bet he gets a huge welcome home from you all. Enjoy your Sunday together.
Oh what a fright your mustve gotten with the eggs flying off! Big, huuuge cuddles for Jack when he got back, back to 'normal' now, yay! Thanks for your lovely comment 💚
given that you seem to have 3 access points from out side could you not change the kitchen door into a window and put the sink there, this would then allow wider access from the living area.
You did a marvelous job! I like your dad's idea and you kitchen concept, but I think the window should stay where it is because raising it will ruin the aesthetic of the outside facade. How about Jack could put in a short window over the sink since he did such a fabulous job on the first one? Really enjoying your channel!
Thanks Donna! There’s definitely still some room to think about the windows and such, our plans have a habit of evolving as we go so thanks for the tip ❤️ we’re glad you’re enjoying the channel
i have done the same with my wallet putting fuel in i had a kind person return it with all the money i had earlier got out the cash machine .It certainly puts panic mode in when you loss it good you got it back 🙂
Oh no! Glad you got your's back too though. I know not to put things on my roof, I have no idea what broke in my brain that second! Now I'm extra conscious 💸
Wonderful home design ideas. I had wondered why you were planning on living in such a small home. (I've wondered why so many Brits renovate large French properties into fairly cramped homes?) If you can afford it, you might want to get a home design software that will show you 3D walk-around renderings, saving a lot of guesswork. I like your plan to open the fireplace wall, add a post/pillar and use it as a counter/bar/worktop. I agree with another viewer that you might consider turning the outside door into a window, for more work surface. Turning the new-build area into master suite and office seems to be an obvious use of the two cottages. As for light: here in the US we have tubular skylights that can turn corners and funnel a small shaft of light indoors. I was wondering if one of those tubes could be sent down an inside wall where plumbing/electrical already run, and illuminate those rear walls, especially in the sitting room.
Those 3D renders people create are so cool, I'll have a look into it, don't know if they come with a big learning curve or not. And definitely thinking about the door to window now, thanks for that. Love getting outsiders points of view! Crowd source design 😊
Lesson learned….you’ll never absentmindedly put your bag or wallet on top of your car again. All’s well that ends well…..what a relief ! Many years ago my husband and I were in the US and did a cross-country road trip from Boston to Santa Fe New Mexico. Somewhere in Texas on a highway in the middle of nowhere , an oncoming driver started flashing their headlights at us and pointing up. We pulled over and I realized I’d left my bag on the roof of the car. Miraculously it was still there along with lots of cash, our passports, etc. Mon dieu 😧 I learned my lesson. Remember that kids only really care about being with their parents and loved. Only adults get unsettled about it. Don’t worry 😉
How lucky it was still there!! That's amazing. Yes I'm so conscious about it now, not gong to happen again anytime soon! Thanks for your lovely comment 💚
Kids are Resilient. They’ll be fine and having to share a bedroom is a good thing. I say make two houses, because then you’d have a rental property that would bring in extra cash which can offset some of your expenses. You wouldn’t even have to rent it out full time, you could always rent it out in the high seasons .
Yes, that was something to consider... It's always so hard to know what direction to take a project when there are so many options! Thanks for your comment 💚
Chicken poop is amazing for the garden and lawn. Good use of space, what's behind the door to the left of the kitchen? can you put a small laundry/bathroom in there?
Would your new master en suite not be walked through to get to the stairs & bedrooms upstairs? Would the master bedroom not work in current kitchen rather?
Love your videos - watching from NZ. Wondered if you'd thought about keeping your living areas where you've renovated, and turning your current living areas into the master suite - as it wouldn't need to be so open plan?
Yes, we have but major problem with that (that i didn't explain in the video), is that the access from/to the barn is through the kitchen. So out there is our car, mud room, extra pantry etc etc... It's a tricky house! I'd prefer for the kitchen to be where we were going to move it, it would be closer to our outdoor entertainment area, but that access to the barn we use 100 xs a day! I think this new plan will work with the flow of our lives... 🤞 Thank you for your thoughtful comment 💚
Hey, Jack here 👋 I do Customer Experience and Product Education consulting for software companies (SaaS) - so you can understand why I'd rather be welding in the garden 😜
@@growinginfrance - love the blogs, one of the better projects on youtube. re kitchen remodel can you extend into the barn and put the kitchen in there and then you would have a play room for the kids.
It's nice to change plans and ideas BUT think about all the hard work your hubby did getting that kitchen area done,pipes ans electrical work done to change now plus its close to your sitting outdoor area??? Your house but it makes more sense to leave it where it was planned to go you could swap and put your bedroom where the kitchen is now
It was hard to even entertain the idea of changing the plans, like you say, so much work has already gone into the space! But it also means that if/when we do make it into the big house, we can continue with the plan of ultimately having the long house as two houses. Having the kitchen as a bedroom has it's own challenge of being the main entrance from the barn/how we get to the car/our boots and coat room. It's a tricky house!
Hi! We are here 😅 👋 We have been missing you all too! We have been hosting family and enjoying summer, back with a new video this Sunday! Thanks for thinking of us x
Goodness! So glad you got your wallet back. I, learned a long time ago-- NEVER put anything on the hood or top of car. Experience is a tough teacher...
Is it against the law/building codes to add windows on the back even though it is the property boundary? If it isn’t, why can’t y’all add narrow windows across the back walls in each room that is up close to the ceiling, running the length of the wall, but only 18 inches down. Long this way ↔️ but narrow this way ↕️??? You will get light on that side but not be able to actually see your neighbor?
It's not against the law or building codes, but as the wall is shared we'd need our neighbours' permission to do so - they're very privacy conscious and we totally respect that so we might do some skylights in the roof itself. Even if we couldn't actually see out the windows, I don't think it'd be nice for them to feel like we might be able to (Jack is pretty tall haha)
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 91 | คู่เอก "คมอาวุธ vs อเล็กเซย์"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/V0RkEfYFsgM/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for a lovely episode Becs. Well done on doing all that filming during a week of solo parenting. Not easy.
Love your creative flair. 🏵
Thanks Renie! It was definitely a tough one to get through, but worth it when we get comments like these 🥰
Your dad has a really good idea! Having your own suite is important, especially as it’s already configured so well for your needs! I can see how your kitchen, living room, bath/utility area deserve a refresh for your growing family. And using the upstairs for kid’s bedrooms, bath and tv/study room seems like a longer term-situation. Funny how one tweek changes so many other things! But, it all sounds like it answers your growing questions while at the same time, adding some more time and space to enjoy your current home -before tackling the larger projects in the big house! Q: If you have a stair-way in the living room, do you need another one in your private suite? Your utility closet wouldn’t mind a few more feet for storage?! Have a sweet family reunion! Cheers! 🎉
The second stairs are new 🙈 so we'll keep them lol, I think we'll use them once it's all done and it also future proofs it if/when we do still decide to split the long house into two. Thanks for your thoughtful comment 💚
Also, so happy you got to spend time with Rob and Lisa at ‘Escape to France-Charente ‘. They are both great people. Rob does a thousand different things and Lisa has the beginnings of a terrific vegetable garden. I love seeing good people meeting up with other good people. ❤❤❤
Hey Kathy, thanks for the kind words. Really appreciate your support with our channel. Jack and Becs are amazing people and we are really pleased you follow their journey too.
Laterzzz
It was a great evening, lovely to meet people who like to bring people together, it's a lovely thing to find. And ditto to what Rob said 💚
Hi Becs! You did well on your own with the kids this week😊. I hope Jack got some rest because he has A Lot to do when he gets home😅. I think your starting plan is a good one but I’m sure there will be little tweaks here and there but we all have Total Confidence in both of you! I personally think that your kids are having the Best childhood ever! Such freedom and the water so close by, Mom & Dad working things out together, learning how to do so many things by hand and heart, gardening, building. I know you would like things more organized inside but that will happen eventually and in the meantime you get more time with them while they are so young. These are very special years. Tell Jack we missed him too❤❤❤
Hi Kathy, it's definitely teaching me patience", something that the kids just seem to have intuitively. Learning to love the journey too! It's awesome to have you along for the ride as well 🤗
@@growinginfrance Awww Thank you. Honestly I feel very maternal of you and your family. I greatly admire your spunk. Mine are all grown so I guess I still want to fuss. But if I get too much just ignore me😅❤️❤️❤️
Oh Becs you're so lovely! Jack we did miss you. Absolutely love tuning in each week! Thank you for sharing your beautiful life with us all.
Well done Bec's you held up the fort beautifully....whilst hubby is gallivanting around Spain ...lol...but then again us Kiwi's like gallivanting all over the world...great vlog keep up the great work...best of luck with Reno version #......
Absence makes the heart grow fonder 😊. I think you will have to clone Jack for all that work. Ambitious but with two of you on the job …… certainly attainable.
I think we need to clone him a couple of times! We have time, it's ok if it takes awhile 😊
An island bench is the center of the action. I agree with both you and Jack about the kitchen sink, I think you will use it more in a prep area than over by the window unless you love doing dishes with a view, it's really out of the way, most of its use is in prep. What about if you move to where the half non-moving wall is that's staying, before the start of the island bench. Right on the side of the center of the action!
Jack does love doing dishes with a view! And we’re working hard to make it a great view 😂
Kids are super resilient, I wouldn't worry too much about that . How lucky your wallet & documents fell into honest hands 😊. I think your dad has come up with a solid plan ✌️
Dad will be proud to get a shout out and people agreeing with him! - Doesn't happen too often that I go along with what Dad says! Thanks for your comment 💚
You did amazing Becs. Well done on looking after the kids, chicks, designing, dog and cat as well as filming and editing.
Thank you so much for coming to our BBQ and Avangelines present. It was the first one she opened.
Take care and see you all soon
Rob and Lisa
Glad it's behind me now 😅 Thanks to you guys for hosting such a lovely evening! See you soon.
@@growinginfrance De rien et A bientot 🇫🇷👍
Lovely vlog Becs, I enjoyed hearing about your plans too. Yay for summer
Thank you, summer really can't come soon enough, seems it's off to a slow start 💨
Use dormers or skylights for those back rooms to give you natural light
I remember your dad completely removating the old farmhouse in bulawayo and you and Peps living in a construction site for a few years, you loved it! Your kids will be the same
Great video well done 👍 🎉
Thank you 👍
Great video Becks who needs Jack? 😶 I joke I joke I know how much he was missed! The plans are sounding good can’t wait to see it all soon… 😍
hahahahahakhbfkhbaskhbsafkhas I NEED HIM. Lots of progress to show off 😉
What wonderful people you are surrounded by for seeking you out and returning your property. Not many people unfortunately, would do that.
I placed a carton of eggs on the roof of my car whilst loading my shopping, the eggs stayed on the roof until I very nearly reached my home, and all of a sudden they shot off the roof. I never put anything on the roof of the car again. 😂
We've all missed Jack. I bet he gets a huge welcome home from you all. Enjoy your Sunday together.
Oh what a fright your mustve gotten with the eggs flying off! Big, huuuge cuddles for Jack when he got back, back to 'normal' now, yay! Thanks for your lovely comment 💚
given that you seem to have 3 access points from out side could you not change the kitchen door into a window and put the sink there, this would then allow wider access from the living area.
I had the same idea. I think you‘ll find this gives much more useable space if it’s permitted.
Great idea, easier than changing the height of the other window I imagine
I like that idea too, except didn’t Jack just complete that door recently? I’m sure if it’s better for Becs tho that Jack won’t mind😅.
Yes, good idea, going to think about this one, thank you!
Love the two of you and your family ❤
You did a marvelous job! I like your dad's idea and you kitchen concept, but I think the window should stay where it is because raising it will ruin the aesthetic of the outside facade. How about Jack could put in a short window over the sink since he did such a fabulous job on the first one? Really enjoying your channel!
Thanks Donna! There’s definitely still some room to think about the windows and such, our plans have a habit of evolving as we go so thanks for the tip ❤️ we’re glad you’re enjoying the channel
i have done the same with my wallet putting fuel in i had a kind person return it with all the money i had earlier got out the cash machine .It certainly puts panic mode in when you loss it good you got it back 🙂
Oh no! Glad you got your's back too though. I know not to put things on my roof, I have no idea what broke in my brain that second! Now I'm extra conscious 💸
Wonderful home design ideas. I had wondered why you were planning on living in such a small home. (I've wondered why so many Brits renovate large French properties into fairly cramped homes?) If you can afford it, you might want to get a home design software that will show you 3D walk-around renderings, saving a lot of guesswork. I like your plan to open the fireplace wall, add a post/pillar and use it as a counter/bar/worktop. I agree with another viewer that you might consider turning the outside door into a window, for more work surface. Turning the new-build area into master suite and office seems to be an obvious use of the two cottages. As for light: here in the US we have tubular skylights that can turn corners and funnel a small shaft of light indoors. I was wondering if one of those tubes could be sent down an inside wall where plumbing/electrical already run, and illuminate those rear walls, especially in the sitting room.
Those 3D renders people create are so cool, I'll have a look into it, don't know if they come with a big learning curve or not. And definitely thinking about the door to window now, thanks for that. Love getting outsiders points of view! Crowd source design 😊
@@growinginfrance Some of the software out there looks magical. And they were easy to use 30 years ago when I had a 2D version.
Lesson learned….you’ll never absentmindedly put your bag or wallet on top of your car again. All’s well that ends well…..what a relief ! Many years ago my husband and I were in the US and did a cross-country road trip from Boston to Santa Fe New Mexico. Somewhere in Texas on a highway in the middle of nowhere , an oncoming driver started flashing their headlights at us and pointing up. We pulled over and I realized I’d left my bag on the roof of the car. Miraculously it was still there along with lots of cash, our passports, etc. Mon dieu 😧 I learned my lesson. Remember that kids only really care about being with their parents and loved. Only adults get unsettled about it. Don’t worry 😉
How lucky it was still there!! That's amazing. Yes I'm so conscious about it now, not gong to happen again anytime soon! Thanks for your lovely comment 💚
Kids are Resilient. They’ll be fine and having to share a bedroom is a good thing. I say make two houses, because then you’d have a rental property that would bring in extra cash which can offset some of your expenses. You wouldn’t even have to rent it out full time, you could always rent it out in the high seasons .
Yes, that was something to consider... It's always so hard to know what direction to take a project when there are so many options! Thanks for your comment 💚
Chicken poop is amazing for the garden and lawn. Good use of space, what's behind the door to the left of the kitchen? can you put a small laundry/bathroom in there?
Yes we can’t wait to get it in the garden! That’s our entryway from the barn, we thought about it, but it’s great for shoes and jackets at the moment
Didn't hear the Magic words, "lintel beams". Always use when a wall is removed. Tap over the stove used often in commercial kitchens.
Yes there'll definitely be a new beam going in!
Would your new master en suite not be walked through to get to the stairs & bedrooms upstairs? Would the master bedroom not work in current kitchen rather?
Love your videos - watching from NZ. Wondered if you'd thought about keeping your living areas where you've renovated, and turning your current living areas into the master suite - as it wouldn't need to be so open plan?
Yes, we have but major problem with that (that i didn't explain in the video), is that the access from/to the barn is through the kitchen. So out there is our car, mud room, extra pantry etc etc... It's a tricky house! I'd prefer for the kitchen to be where we were going to move it, it would be closer to our outdoor entertainment area, but that access to the barn we use 100 xs a day! I think this new plan will work with the flow of our lives... 🤞 Thank you for your thoughtful comment 💚
hey what does Jack do for work?
Hey, Jack here 👋 I do Customer Experience and Product Education consulting for software companies (SaaS) - so you can understand why I'd rather be welding in the garden 😜
Can you use the barn for the laundry ?
Perhaps!
great you got everything important back, would that have happened in the UK, probably not
I'm so grateful because it took us over a year to get all those cards in the first place!
@@growinginfrance - love the blogs, one of the better projects on youtube. re kitchen remodel can you extend into the barn and put the kitchen in there and then you would have a play room for the kids.
It's nice to change plans and ideas BUT think about all the hard work your hubby did getting that kitchen area done,pipes ans electrical work done to change now plus its close to your sitting outdoor area??? Your house but it makes more sense to leave it where it was planned to go you could swap and put your bedroom where the kitchen is now
It was hard to even entertain the idea of changing the plans, like you say, so much work has already gone into the space! But it also means that if/when we do make it into the big house, we can continue with the plan of ultimately having the long house as two houses. Having the kitchen as a bedroom has it's own challenge of being the main entrance from the barn/how we get to the car/our boots and coat room. It's a tricky house!
Where are you guys? Really missing you :( Hope everything is OK?
Hi! We are here 😅 👋 We have been missing you all too! We have been hosting family and enjoying summer, back with a new video this Sunday! Thanks for thinking of us x
Goodness! So glad you got your wallet back. I, learned a long time ago-- NEVER put anything on the hood or top of car. Experience is a tough teacher...
Why do so many lessons have to be learnt the hard way 🫣 Thanks Ginger 💚
I thought that you making the two houses for gites for extra income when you live in the manor house
No, we'd more likely use them for family and friends (and will do the same with the single house now that the plans have changed)
Roosters have thicker legs and will look you in the eye more and longer tails
Yes it's becoming very clear now.
Is it against the law/building codes to add windows on the back even though it is the property boundary? If it isn’t, why can’t y’all add narrow windows across the back walls in each room that is up close to the ceiling, running the length of the wall, but only 18 inches down. Long this way ↔️ but narrow this way ↕️??? You will get light on that side but not be able to actually see your neighbor?
It's not against the law or building codes, but as the wall is shared we'd need our neighbours' permission to do so - they're very privacy conscious and we totally respect that so we might do some skylights in the roof itself. Even if we couldn't actually see out the windows, I don't think it'd be nice for them to feel like we might be able to (Jack is pretty tall haha)
Try tying string on your finger . Will remember.wallet