Escape to the Chateau anyone?

[BeforetheFlood]

I have such a love/hate relationship with this programme. On the one hand - clocks have changed, evenings are dark and there's nothing nicer than settling on the sofa for some gorgeous house envy. And it is SUCH a gorgeous house.

On the other hand, I feel the projects are now transparently tv-fodder and the ideas are getting increasingly batshit. Tiles decoupaged with paper napkins? I give those 6 months. (But then, they're selling up so they don't care!)

Anyone else watching?

Definitely a pen name. Her name is actually Angela Newman.

@Dave20 for the same reason that English people don't buy the stately homes that go up for sale in UK, they are money pits! Apparently Russians are the ones buying the 15 million pounds Manor mansions in the UK now.

Anyone watching this weeks and thinking, hmmm child cooking my wedding food with knowing where little kids hands go 😬🤪

I love the show, but I was saying to DH today - where have they got the money to do so much renovation work after 3 years of no weddings?

Books, tours and a lot of very successful merchandise sales, voice-over and I'm sure I heard Angel doing a radio advert. They turned a large cupboard into a recording studio. Good on them I say. They are very clever

Plus, and this one is a guess, I imagine that given the worth of their business and property they've had access to loans or mortgages if they needed it

Actually, if anyone does enjoy the show, I recommend both their books. Very interesting behind the scenes stories and more in depth details of how they did everything. Their show was enjoyable too.

I won't lie, I am insanely jealous of Angel in some ways, we were born in the same month, both studied accountancy and both love interior design and spend a lot of time living creatively.... but we have very different landscapes, budgets and demand for our work😂 . She is doubtless more talented than me, oh well we all have our place. Love watching it though, and have done some of her ideas that work in a small home. I think I would like her in real life!

Whenever I feel really lazy and demotivated I stick an episode on and get moving.... It works for me anyway.

Yes they are very canny indeed. Just one peek at Amazon and you can see Angel's wallpaper design for the chateau has been turned in to cushions, wallpaper, bedding, doorstops, plates etc.

I bought a cushion 😁

My mum and I love the show.

My mum loves the wallpaper design she did with the old wallpaper, in the diamond shape.
So I bought my mum a cushion with that design for xmas.
Its really a good quality cushion.
And it's lovely to have a little bit of "chateaux" in your house

I've got a set of curtains 🐏I was honestly sick of looking for ready-made ones and they were an acceptable price and the right colours. They're very thin though. I need to buy another lining

I find programmes like this very contrived. They give the image that they’ve suddenly decided to redecorate the outhouse (or whatever), but in reality it’s probably been highly project managed.

A relative works in the industry. He worked on a programme following a vets. The vets were all in a pub when the emergency alarm went, so they all rushed off. In reality, there was no alarm, it was all staged. I’ve been sceptical about these types of programmes ever since.

It may well be a bit false in places but it’s entertaining and I find Dick and Angel quite likeable.
They aren’t harming anyone, and the work that’s been done to an old disused chateau is amazing!

They’ve made that chateau amazing, it’s not just the money though, it’s having the vision. A lot of people would’ve overdone it, whereas they’ve let the character shine through.

I find them both likeable too..

My favourite episode is when they put the lift in
Dick was explaning how the lift would work.
He had a see through plastic piping, a little doll that represented Angel.
He took a vacuum cleaner and sucked her up through the piping.
I love when he starts giggling. It makes me chuckle eveytome I watch it. 😁

The son has turned up in this episode! God him and his dad do not rub along well. Even in front of the camera it doesn’t seem as if they like each other much.

I do love them although I can see it’s all a bit marmite. All they seem to fo is party. Am not sure they will ever use that new garden tower room thing when the cameras are off. It seems to have absolutely no sun so will be cold unless very hot weather.

they are all very overweight and they should be concerned about the son. That’s not good for him to be that overweight that young.

I agree. I do find it quite irritating the way they talk to the children. They do talk to them in a very childish way.

Is there a different voiceover person this series? I'm finding it way more irritating than usual.

Dick's older son really is a young slim version of Dick.

When Dick calls his fil 'Pappy Steve' it sets my teeth on edge.

I used to love this programme but I now find it increasingly irritating. I'm not quite sure why.

Papi Steve, Builder Mate Steve, Roofer Rick 🤮🤮🤮

I do love the chateau though. I love the lifestyle. I love the gardens. I loved the first few seasons and I really enjoy the one where they show other chateaus.

I walked into a traditional local pub last week, a proper typical northern, small village ‘man’s pub’ to see the walls covered in her signature wallpaper. Just the top half, the rest is painted. Now this paper ain’t cheap, I’ve seen it on her website. It’s the last place I thought I’d see her design on the walls…this pub sells beer at £2.90 a pint.

Oh Stephaneee! I miss her and her mum. Wasn’t she married to a Frenchman? Or am I thinking of someone else, there’s a blonde woman on this latest series who is married to a dishy Frenchman but her name isn’t Stephaneeee.

I couldn’t help wondering if Angel was finding James attractive, as he must look like a young Dick. Sorry.

I think Dick and James get on pretty well, I think it was ‘japes’ for the camera.