Rooms B, C and D at Château Destinée

Working in clusters

Our approach from the start was to group three or four rooms together wherever possible. Working in clusters made practical sense: we could tackle the doors, windows, and bathrooms in sequence, and I could plan the decoration as a cohesive block. Rooms B, C, and D sat together naturally, with a fourth room in the same wing - though that one we set aside early on, as it was destined to become our accessible bedroom.

Because each room has external access, we waited for the season to turn before starting work. There was no point opening up walls and windows in the middle of winter.

Beautiful rooms, real challenges

The rooms themselves were beautiful - exposed beams, very high ceilings, generous proportions - but logistically they presented a real challenge. Three sets of large double French doors, one large double window, three bathrooms, and persistent moisture in the walls. One bathroom in Room D still had an old bath that had clearly seen better days. So that was where we began: stripped it back completely, treated the walls, and installed a fresh walk-in shower.

Same bones, different curtains

For the decoration, I had already decided the three rooms would share the same warm beige and white palette on the walls. But the curtains were where each room was allowed to be itself - a different colour here, a different style there. Same configuration, same beams, same bones - but each with its own individual character.

The next chapter for Room B

The story for Room B, however, doesn’t end there. Winter 2026 will see it transformed into our second accessible bedroom: an open wet room, a new floor, and updated entrance doors. It’s one of the things we love most about this place - there is always another project waiting, and always a good reason to look forward to the quieter months. That chapter will be its own story.