What do you think of Sarah Beeny's mega-mansion?

[StrychnineInTheSandwiches]

A new programme has started on Channel 4 following Sarah Beeny and her husband (and their four kids) as they build their ginormous new house in Somerset.

The house looks like a Lego version of a Georgian country pile. It's naff looking I'm being honest. (yes I can say that. no it isn't a very mean thing to say). The kind of house a Russian oligarch who fancied being an English country gent two weekends a year might have built.

I think we're supposed to worry along with them as to whether their Lego mansion runs over budget and doesn't get finished on time.

Their dog Maple is gorgeous though. No grumbles about Maple.

The big one on the right is a garage. Not sure about the left. I seem to remember it being a pump room, but I'm not sure. You could see through into it from the music room and it had pipe work in it.

Thank you @BonnesVacances
Why are they so ugly, tacked on ?
How could an architect sign off on them. The brick work on the house is lovely.
Why could they not have built them in brick ?

AFAIK Graham designed the house. I think I saw a previous plan where the garage was freestanding but maybe the planners made him attach it. I don't mind it tbh. I think it makes the house look more 'evolved' and less Disney. Maybe it looks better in real life.

@LadyEloise1

Could someone please tell me what are the 2 added on bits on either side of the house please ? They look wooden and don't match the lovely bricks. Totally out of keeping aesthetically Imo. Could they be temporary accommodation for contractors- kitchen/ loo ?

On Instagram someone commented about the tacked on wooden sheds and asked if they were just temporary for storage. Sarah responded and said no, they are a permanent feature but they are not finished yet.

I thought the choice of that rustic looking stone was very incongruous with the Georgian style of the house. It reminded me of a 'feature wall' of a shopping mall. It looked wrong. I also don't understand the wooden lean-to things on the sides.

I thought the kitchen episode last night answered the question "what are those wooden boxes?" But it didn't did it?! The kitchen is obviously single storey & behind one of them.

Hope they do another series...

I definitely think it left itself open to that by referencing how much was left to do.

The shameless plug for the boys’ band was a bit cringeworthy 😂

The kitchen was lovely. Loved the skylight and the pantry.
I'm glad she didn't go for the aubergine colour.
Those tacked on buildings ruin the line of the house. Ghastly.
I love the self portrait Graham did, you glimpse it from time to time. Very talented.

Mmmm, walk in pantry

I am so underwhelmed by the kitchen!! I knew what colour it would be even before she cracked open the tin of Graham's colour choice.

Her lads seem too old to be using those cupboards with their names on in the mega utility room. Seemed a bit nursery.

I thought the kitchen pretty nice. Loved the glass doors. They’ll need some blinds though, the sun streaming on their faces during summer won’t be pleasant at the dinner table.
She’s just tweeted that the boys song is in the charts . They’re a shamelessly ambitious bunch!

She’s just tweeted that the boys song is in the charts shock. They’re a shamelessly ambitious bunch!

Oh, FGS, who has bought that?

@SwedishEdith

She’s just tweeted that the boys song is in the charts shock. They’re a shamelessly ambitious bunch!

Oh, FGS, who has bought that?

😂 Hard to believe people have bought it. Good luck to them though - they're so confident in everything they do. The only bit about the singing part that I liked was seeing how proud Sarah was as she watched them perform, she was beaming.

Why is there a Thomas the Tank Engine train shed stuck on the side

@SwedishEdith

Her lads seem too old to be using those cupboards with their names on in the mega utility room. Seemed a bit nursery.

It's a good way to keep organised,PE kit gets washed and dried and goes in the cupboard and each boy knows where it is instead of getting kicked around their room and under their bed festering away.

Is anyone watching?

Felt like really dragging it out this series and mostly a reality show of the sons and dad, rather than Sarah and the house

The sons are charming and very good looking but doesn't seem enough content

@specialTea I watch it. I quite like it.

The reason Sarah isn't in it as much is because she got diagnosed with breast cancer during filming and was having treatment. But of course they wouldn't have known that was what was going to happen when they started filming it.

Yes she has been ill but now has been given the all clear thankfully.

Yes I'm watching. I knew she had been diagnosed with breast Cancer so great to hear she's been given the all clear.

My take on the programme itself is that it is just nauseating, why are we obsessed with watching extremely privileged families go about their lives. It is dull and it sugar coats everything. I'm not sure I'll watch much more feels very tone deaf imo. Was interested last season because we were renovating our house and thought I'd get some ideas but it soon became clear their budget and taste were completely different to mine.

I'm watching this now, first episode and only halfway through. So far Sarah's been in it a lot.
The whole family are very sentimental, aren't they? I can totally relate as I'm like that room keeping all my children's stuff they've made :)
The kids all seem quite young/naive maybe but in a nice way. They are all nice siblings to each other.
They just seem like a nice family and so far I'm enjoying it :)

I'm loving the impact on nature there actually have made too. Great!

But I do think it's funny they bought in books to fill the library. I thought the whole point in these stately home libraries was to show off the knowledge and how well read you were, not just to pretend you were haha

Probably the most boring, scripted, poorly edited series in a long time.
Couldn’t believe in the first series she thought barbed wire was called ‘barb’ wire….this is a property developer who made her name through property development programmes!
As for the talentless sons .…give me strength!
The husband….annoying!
I’m genuinely sorry for her and anyone else who is affected by cancer…really wish her a full recovery.

Yes, I've found a lot of what they've done pretentious, but the library full of books they've never read and clearly aren't remotely interested in reading takes the biscuit.

I'm convinced they're just making a "mock up" of a small stately home just to flog it for millions to an Oligarch in a few years' time, just like they did up that hall (Rides), saying it was to be a family home, but quickly flogging it as a wedding venue!

Either that, or they plan to turn it into an expensive hotel - there are far too many rooms for the family, including an entire floor that has not yet been mentioned (all those eaves rooms). The "boys" bedrooms/ensuites were designed more like boutique hotel rooms rather than for teenage boys. It wouldn't surprise me if their real bedrooms are in the eaves.

@Badbadbunny yes I imagine you are right about it being sold or used as a wedding venue. They've created that vine structure (for a blessing?). And the two eldest boys won't be hanging about for long surely? Theyll be off to uni and then going on a "gap yah" trip :D .

Sarah did make me laugh when she said they are making the history for tomorrow. It's a facade, Sarah!

@Gall10 is it scripted? There were some jokes and stuff and the sort of sarcy comments back and forth between Sarah and Graham that made me wonder if that was real or more sort of them "acting" rather than being scripted. They aren't their true selves Infront of the cameras. Even the boys okay up to is (as you would as a teen or child!)