Adrian Reeman lives with his wife Annette in a regular 1960s Southampton apartment buildingโ but their personal space is anything but ordinary.
Adrian, a 67-year-old chef in the Merchant Navy, has spent the past 30 years transforming their average 2-bedroom apartment into a replica of the Palace of Versailles.
The Palace of Versailles, which was built on the outskirts of Paris for Louis XV, is known for its Baroque art style, exemplifying the architectural concept of โcreation by divisionโ. If youโre unfamiliar with the Palace of Versailles, you can take a digital tour here.
The walls, ceilings, fire place, cupboards, and bathroom of Adrianโs have all been completely converted based on this concept. The 67-year-old boasts:
โIโve got my own palaceโ just on a much smaller scale.โ
Adrian never set out to completely transform the 2-bedroom apartment; he started the project while he was in-between jobs.
With no professional experience in decorating, he began working piece-by-piece, slowly transforming individual objects.
After a while though, he became obsessed. He told the The Telegraph:
โOnce I started I knew that I couldnโt stop until I finishedโ at some points I actually wished I hadnโt started.โ
Despite the 30-year length of the project, Adrian acquires most of his materials from second-hand shops and charities, a fact which greatly diminishes his costs.
In fact, Adrian claims that to date, the entire project has only cost him a few hundred pounds
He explained the process to The Telegraph, saying:
โI picked up bits and pieces from charity shops and immediately I could visualize where it was going to go. But I wanted a really high level of detail so I had to buy some special materials to give me the right look. โ
A few of Adrianโs repurposed items include cupboards made from stools, tables made from old wooden salad bowls, and metal detailing made from plug prongs.
Adrianโs current project consists of redesigning the bathroomโs toilet. He explains:
โIโm currently working to make the toilet look like itโs made of marble. Itโs only a small lavatory, and you can barely turn around in it, but that doesnโt mean you cannot make it look grand.โ
Although Adrian has spent the past 30 years remodeling his apartment, if he and Annette decide to move, the entire place must be completely converted back to its original condition.
In regards to this request, Adrian jokes, โBut who would want that? It had horrible copper pebble wallpaper!โ
If this isnโt an impressive DIY project, then I donโt know what is!
If youโve been inspired by Adrianโs DIY prowess, be sure to check out Britainโs Weirdest Council Houses, a documentary by Channel 4. It features Adrianโs apartment alongside other unique spacesโ including one remodeled into the Sistine Chapel, and another into a baked bean museum.
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