The house is an abandoned neo-Gothic cemetery keepers lodge and adjoining ex-council toilet block in south-west London. Although he admits: "I haven't quite worked out how to pay the end bill. We tour the nanny flat off the utility room, complete with its mini kitchen and narrow bed, upstairs to the master bedroom where Justin has left a pair of socks balled up on the floor ('oops') and into the ensuite with its mirrored bath. The rafters have been painted white for a sense of spaciousness. 'After my fifth attempt to shove some peanuts down her throat, she said: "Thank you very much, dear boy. (@i_WuV_hUgZ) January 6, 2021, I rarely post on here now as whatever I think theres always people with opposing and genuine views but #GrandDesigns wtf is a single parent spending millions on a ridiculously huge house. Justin Maxwell-Stuart, 47, from London, bought an abandoned lodge and the adjoining ex-council toilet block in Fulham cemetery for 1.8 million in 2016, the Mirror reports. On the show, Justin said that he began the project after he and his "wonderful ex-wife separated.". Image: Jefferson Smith. One thing that ties all these projects together has been the extraordinary dedication of the people involved, he says. Part of the challenge relates to the basement and new build part of the house. His Grand Designs graveyard house adventure was underway. Have something to tell us about this article? Almost overnight, this man and this house have become a huge local attraction but like father, like son he does not notice the starry hubbub at all. I think it would be fair to say that he had grave misgivings about the whole thing. If you live one kilometre down the road, you will think it is bloody good value. Oddly enough, when we are saying goodbye at the front door, local celebrities Clare Balding and Alice Arnold are strolling into the cemetery and beam in his direction while someone else shouts 'Hello Justin!'. 'Jan, you won't be expected to wrestle with grizzly bears every morning,' he says, and I worry that we are digressing too far, but there is no stopping him now. Fans of the show headed to Twitter to give their. 'I liked the idea,' he continued, 'of recreating somewhere like that in London.'. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations with other readers. 2023 GRV Media Ltd. All Rights Reserved. The stone is a defining part of the build and despite the massive price tag, it was crucial as it would marry both parts together., Dark wood cabinets run from the kitchen into the dining area. Visit www.f. James' father, William, was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, Feb. 3,1727. It might seem a folly too far, but perhaps not when one considers that a nearby terraced house is on the market for 3.9 million, tragically sans media room, cupola, private courtyard, swimming pool, sauna and bar unlike Justin's ring-a-ding-bling palace. 'I did. Appearing on Channel 4's Grand Designs, dad-of-one Justin revealed his plans to transform the derelict land in 12 months and with a budget of 1.6 million - but things didn't go to plan. Justin called on interior designer Gretchen Trusted. Justin Maxwell Stuart had misgivings about appearing on Grand Designs, the popular Channel 4 show which features people pursuing their vision of a dream home by building it themselves. Justin Maxwell-Stuart spent four years and 4.5 million transforming a cemetery into his dream home. It is a fascinating insight into the strange economics of the aristocracy. But I thought it might be rather too awful.'. Also, Ive got quite good at being rude, he added. Justin was going to have lots of neighbours, as presenter Kevin McCloud pointed out, but they were all going to be dead. I'd love to know. 'We make the best flies in the world,' says Justin, who knows the lyrics to only one song Happy Birthday. But, I have watched enough episodes of Grand Designs to know this might not have worked. But soon after he started the project in October 2016, he ran into difficulties, with one of the most challenging being getting planning permission to build an entrance to the graveyard from his garden. It isnt exactly what his man is going to do the prospect of ripping up graves to build a baronial architectural masterpiece is a little much, even for Grand Designs but his man, former army captain Justin Maxwell Stuart, is quite happy to live next to a graveyard, and has a big plan to do so. People have had to build during alongside or either side of the lockdowns so thats meant that this year we havent got many of the larger projects, the ones with dozens of contractors crawling all over the site, because theyre the ones that have been really heavily delayed by Covid. While a number of viewers were put off by the creepy location, Justin has become fond of it as he says it has a special place in his heart. I was fighting in that corner the whole time., Brass pendants hang above the elegant dining table. It also turned into one of their most popular episodes. I would watch a compilation of Kevin McClouds attempts to suppress any sort of facial response to the wildly gung-ho plans and financial implications laid out every few minutes. Grand Designs returns this week with Kevin following a huge new project by army captain Justin, who has forked out 1.8million on his new home. The already-stretched budget was in jeopardy when the contractors began to dig beneath a section of the lodge ready for the pool installation. Justin Maxwell-Stuart, 50, from London, bought an abandoned keepers lodge and an adjoining ex-council toilet block in Fulham cemetery for 1.8 million in 2016. But we struck a good balance of creating flow between rooms and making sure they are warm and cosy. But soon after he started the project in October 2016, he ran into difficulties, with one of the most challenging being getting planning permission to build an entrance to the graveyard from his garden. From an early age, wee Justin became adept at hunting, shooting, fishing and spent boyhood Christmases at the family's holiday home on Mustique in the Caribbean. Image: Jefferson Smith. The story of the Prendergast Mansion begins with the history of James Prendergast, founder of Jamestown, and how he came to settle here. A post shared by Grand Designs (@granddesignstv), WATCH GRAND DESIGNS ON CHANNEL 4 ON WEDNESDAYS AT 9 PM, ANDGET FREAKY WITH US ONINSTAGRAM ANDFACEBOOK, Kevin and Justin in SW London. and adjacent 1960's toilet block ('just hideous!') Aspiring self-builders rejoice Kevin McCloud is back on our screens with a new set of extraordinary new homes to ogle. The emergence of Covid-19 last March has given us perhaps the most raw, relatable series of the entire run, according to long-standing presenter, Kevin Mccloud. 'Pheasant, duck and venison. It is simply not the Maxwell Stuart way, darling. Meanwhile, Grand Designs Kevin McCloud recently joked hes got quite good at being rude to people approaching him in the street. The original 18-month timeframe more than doubled and the costs spiralled, but he has no regrets. The modern extension contrasts with the lodge. Grand Designs starts on January 6 on Channel 4 at 9pm. Anyone with a passing interest in the grotesque excesses of Londons richest inhabitants will know all about mega-basements, with floor upon floor being added to old houses by way of digging down, and deeper. How have you adapted your home during the pandemic? He raised the first part through savings and a loan from his mother; the second part is from a labyrinthine tangle of mortgages that I failed to understand. Following our socially distanced chat under the exploding acorns in the kitchen, Justin takes me on a tour of The Lodge, which he plans to rent out on short-term Airbnb-type lets once the world is back to normal. Millions of viewers presumed it was going to be a canine pal, a Lightning for his Thunder. That was the last time Princess Margaret came to supper.'. Theyre not smaller in terms of vision at all because weve got some really exciting stuff but theyre not the really big almost commercially run things that we sometimes feature.. The worksurfaces are Dekton Opera, a composite that looks like marble. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Yes, I know what you are thinking. He is full of surprises and has lived a life that has included three tours of duty in Northern Ireland, one in Iraq and running a salmon fly-tying business in Thailand. But Justin says his personal grand design always had to make financial sense and be worth its own value. 'Oh, the thrill of catching a salmon,' he continues, cradling an imaginary one in his arms. Read our, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}. If youve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page wed love to hear from you. He hails from an aristocratic Scottish family who can trace their lineage directly back to Mary Queen of Scots yes, he is one of those Stuarts and he grew up in a 1,000-year-old grand house ('so I'm used to living in old buildings') and estate in Peeblesshire. Instead, says McCloud, the projects that managed to complete in 2020 are those where people have been able to find ingenious solutions to the global problem of coronavirus. With many in debt, [losing] their jobs and homes, struggling to feed their kids; GD show some numpty millionaire spending nearly 4 mill on a cemetery lodge. You can now, I can be completely anonymous in a hat and a mask.. Grand Designs Show Summary Grand Designs is a Channel 4 TV series covering unusual architectural house-building projects, presented by Kevin McCloud. From Kanazawa in Japan, Hideko moved to the UK and has worked for Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal, running the latter's celebrated experimental kitchen. Do you have a story to share? This is perhaps the most important of the interior design secrets. When the for-sale sign appeared in late 2014, he had to find out more. Appearing on Channel 4's Grand Designs, dad-of-one Justin revealed his plans to transform the derelict land. I saw the potential to create something really wonderful as the building had such great character.. The MyLondon app gives you all the stories you need to help you keep on top of what's happening in the best city ever. I don't think she was particularly impressed, to be quite honest. He 'rattled up the funds' via a mortgage and a loan from his mother Kirsty, a scion of the wealthy Salvesen shipping family. He also rents out the house in Mustique (about 10,000 a week in high season), which he also rebuilt from scratch. At one point, The Lodge was propped up by steel girders as they excavated underneath for the pool, while Justin was terrified the build would be stopped if they unearthed human bones. Find out more about how we use your information in our privacy policy and cookie policy. For more news and features about London, directly to your inbox sign up to our newsletter here. As we were already halfway there, I decided we should go ahead because space is money, especially in London. Even seasoned presenter Kevin McCloud seems shocked by the huge scale of this megabasement project yet its hard not to will it to succeed, As soon as Kevin McCloud sets the scene a graveyard in south-west London you know the latest instalment of Grand Designs (Channel 4) is going to be a classic. We want to hear all about it. Does he remember her? However, work on building the house, which initially costs 1.6 million, was halted due to finances, before the coronavirus pandemic intervened. Theres a need to bring a house together with an overarching view. But in typical Grand Designs fashion, costs and problems escalated. Jeremy Clarkson shuts down claim hes been sacked from Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? The TV presenter, 61, is in the vulnerable category amid the pandemic, so as a result needs to be extra careful when around other people and keep a distance at all times. , updated 'Inside was a giant oyster shell I recovered from the Seychelles, and inside was the ring,' he says. . "And I wanted a chance to do something really special.". It also gave the basement an extra bedroom, a media room, a larger wine cellar and a sauna. Ahead of the latest series of his long-running property programme, Kevin has spoken out about needing to be more assertive around other people, even if that means being rude. Something went wrong, please try again later. Of course! ", Another wrote: "Can't tell you how jealous I am of the man whos converting a graveyard gatehouse into a gothic mansion WITH A MOAT on @Channel4 #GrandDesigns right now. he says, with a shrug. It was good for me to have something to focus on.'. He was looking for another pair of eyes to help ensure the house became a home. So did they finish Justins home on Grand Designs? He clears his throat. Grand Designs returns! How have you adapted your home during the pandemic? And replacing the 1960s block with an extension for Justins ground-floor living spaces. 'The absolute thrill of achieving something by yourself. Left to my own devices, I would probably have built the extension in a gothic style. Scarily, the project goes 500,000 over budget before work even starts. I fantasise about how many could be helped instead.". It wasn't just that he was planning to spend a fortune on converting the dilapidated Victorian Lodge ('ghastly concrete grouting!') The blue tones and natural light make it calm and serene. She reveals the interior design secrets of the project. The basement den is a cosy space to watch TV and drink cocktails. The house is one of only three here, built on land released in the 60s when the cemetery's finances were precarious. From graveyard cottage to 4.2million VERY Grand Design: TV property show's most costly project ever turned a cemetery wreck into a majestic home with a waterfall and underground pool By. But thats exactly what my mans going to do.. Grand Designs returns this week with Kevin following a huge new project by army captain Justin, who has forked out 1.8million on his new home. As his dream became a reality, the last scenes of the programme revealed one final twist, as Justin disclosed he had found a special someone to share his new home. Maxwell Stuart is thoroughly can-do about the whole thing, even when logic suggests he shouldnt be, and its hard not to wish him the best with it. Hollyoaks pictures reveal major return, custody shock and exit. Well, ahem. A Grand Designs episode stunned viewers when a dad turned a lodge and toilet block in a cemetery into a manor house with its own moat and swimming pool.. Justin Maxwell-Stuart is a multimillionaire whose mum was the heiress of a shipping company and bought the plot from Fulham council for 1.6million in 2016. As he strived to achieve this over a testing four-year build, viewers warmed to his gung-ho enthusiasm, his can-do attitude and his honesty. Further grand flourishes include a stone staircase leading down to the basement and a moat along one wall of the house. Picture: Channel 4. Open the ground-floor terrace doors, and you can reach out and touch. And there are certainly twittish moments when striding around his building site in his padded gilet or counting up the mounting cost of his project, when Justin gives off an unmistakably upper class, full-on Rupert, Tim-Nice-But-Dim vibe. A series of gardens around an innovative property in Fulham Cemetery - the house is soon to be featured on Channel 4's Grand Designs. I am used to living in old buildings because my family home in Scotland dates back 1,000 years, says Justin. The large sliding glass rooflight over the kitchen and dining area transforms the space into an open courtyard. What do you think of the revamped London pad? ", A third also added: "Possibly the greatest #GrandDesigns ever. This is what I imagine a proper house to be, he says, in front of a massive old pile, before he crouches through an escape tunnel used by Mary, Queen of Scots. 'I was brought up in Scotland where everyone's houses have so much character,' he booms onscreen, which suggests a refreshing lack of familiarity with the kind of Scottish council estate where I was brought up, but no umbrage taken because Justin is such a delightful person and about as snobbish as a burst haggis. He also said that if he'd known the total sum of the project at the beginning, he never would have started it. When Simon suggested that the new section should be contemporary, built from Bath stone to form a link between the two halves, I followed his lead. 'But that's not all she can do,' says Justin, explaining that during the first lockdown they were holed up on his 2,500 acre Scottish estate, feeding themselves from a freezer full of game. As series 20 of the ever-soothing, ever-ambitious show begins, we learn that Grand Designs' latest builder/dreamer/victim has spent 1.8m on the warden's lodge in a Victorian cemetery and an. A dad both baffled and stunned Grand Designs viewers in the "craziest episode ever" after he spent four years and 4.5 million transforming a cemetery into his dream home. Former army captain Justin, who now runs extreme fishing expeditions, decides to do something really off the beaten track, converting the original neo-Gothic lodge and derelict public toilet next door into a dramatic modern home within the cemetery gates which are locked at night. As well as the initial purchase, Maxwell Stuart has estimated that the work will cost an additional 1.6m. 'My publicity estimate was way lower than what transpired but I have had the most marvellous experience. But Justin asked architect Simon Gill to cast a fresh eye over the plans. . 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