£13k bungalow that became a £4million Venetian palace
WITH Renaissance-style frescoes, grand fireplaces and romantic archways, it looks like a Venetian palace.
But this splendid home actually nestles between Staines and Heathrow airport.
Property developer Trevor Wynne- Jones spent 30 years transforming his drab £13,500 bungalow into his very own piece of Venice.
The 81-year-old has now put the sevenbedroomed property up for sale for £4million after deciding to downsize.
The home in the village of Wraysbury, in Surrey, has six bathrooms, four reception rooms, a series of waterfalls in its grounds and even a replica of Tintern Abbey, the ruined monastery in Monmouthshire.
Mr Wynne-Jones said: ‘Having worked as a commercial property developer for the best part of my career, my home has been a way of indulging my true architectural passion.
‘It has developed gradually over the years; it’s as if I’m an artist painting a picture. Even now I don’t feel the property is finished.’
He bought the land in 1966 but demolished the bungalow in 1980 and embarked on his project create a luxury home inspired by Venetian art and architecture. Refusing to employ architects, he used only a team of builders, who continue to work on the site.
The home now boasts a fairytale master bedroom with a mural that recreates artist JW Waterhouse’s painting of the Greek myth of Hylas and the Nymphs.
It also has a sanctuary with ceiling and fireplace inspired by architecture at Windsor Castle, with two thrones on either side, and a reception room with a catacombs theme.
The recreation of Tintern Abbey – built in honour of his late wife – stands among the grand gardens where he holds music recitals.
To create an authentic feel, Mr Wynne-Jones even bought a Portland stone quarry so he could use the correct building materials.
The property is on the market with agencies Dexters and Waterview. Soren Ravaux, of Waterview, said: ‘Some features in the garden are designed to surprise – deep koi carp pools, leading to waterfalls, leading to streams, leading on to a moat and folly.’