A Tour of my Flat in England! Comparing U.S. & U.K. Homes
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- Опубликовано: 28 май 2024
- I am an American Anglophile who loves Britain so much, I persuaded my dear husband to buy a second home in England. Our flat is in Cheltenham, a wonderful town on the border of our favorite area in Britain… THE COTSWOLDS! We have grown to love Cheltenham, and are excited to share this tour of our flat with you! The flat is in an Edwardian red brick home that was built around 1900.
I’ve tried to point out differences in American vs. British homes. I’d love to hear your comments on what you find interesting or questions you have about things you see that make homes in the U.K. different than in the U.S.! It’s all a matter of personal opinion if these differences are “better” or “worse”. I like to embrace the differences an enjoy the adventure. Except when I encounter bathroom sinks with separate hot and cold taps. That just makes me cranky! Thankfully that is not the case in the bathrooms in our flat!
PLEASE NOTE: the flat is currently occupied by a long-term tenant. We are not living in it, and it is not available for rent via AirBnB or VRBO or any “holiday let” site. It will not be a vacation rental, but we will keep it as an eventual home for us part of the year and a short-term rental the rest of the year.
I live in a three storey Victorian terrace (the most common type of house property in the UK) and love the large rooms and high ceilings. My bedrooms are very similar but smaller, as they all now all have en-suite - it saves a scramble for the family bathroom. Thank you for showing us around your lovely, and very typical, British home.
Thanks for watching my little tour and commenting! That is one aspect that most Americans are spoiled about... having lots of bathrooms in the home. Britons often have to share a hall bathroom AND go to a different floor of the house to use it (not as convenient in the middle of the night!). You are very lucky to have so many en-suites!
@12:05 the food storage cupboard in australia we call that the pantry.
I would call it a pantry too in the states.
@@MagentaOtterTravels that mystery room at the end of the video would make a good laundry
I feel that I need to clear up a misunderstanding that most Americans that do differences between American and British homes seem to have.
Firstly, washer driers are really uncommon as they are expensive and if something goes wrong with it there is a high risk that neither component will work. Also, due to the drum being a non-coated metal the drum becomes excruciatingly hot on the drying cycle, so whatever you’re drying ends up either over or under dried (normally the latter as you get too worried that you’re going to scorch the fabric)
Secondly, most homes do have a tumble drier (I don’t but I live alone and don’t really feel the need to have one) but most people do prefer to either dry their things a washing line, clothes horse or on the radiator, as it is better for the environment, better for the items being dried and better on your bank balance.
Sorry if this was a bit of a rant but some people who have done similar videos (and I am by no means including you in this) have put it across as though the U.K. is backwards and just don’t know about these wonder machines, when that just isn’t the case as they have been a common household appliance for the last 40 years or so (maybe longer but as I’m 45 I could only say that length of time with any conviction). We just, as a nation prefer to take advantage of a good drying day...as they are a common occurrence and if the weather is right, it doesn’t actually take much longer than the drier anyway.
Lovely home and thank you for the peek inside...and again, I apologise for the rant.
Oh and I don’t know if you know this but what Americans call a stove top, in the U.K. we call it a hob.
Thanks so much for the comment! I don't mind a good rant at all. Heaven knows I have a LOT of rants!!
Thanks for clearing things up. I agree that many people own tumble dryers but prefer to use the sustainable and energy efficient route of line drying whenever possible. I also think that electricity is much more expensive in the UK than in the US. So we Americans can be a bit wasteful in our consumption. And I don't know anyone who lives around me that has a clothes line in Texas. They are just super rare. Hopefully we will start adopting this practice ;-)
Magenta Otter Travels there is something lovely about washing line dried clothes and bedding, they always have such a fresh smell and feel to them that cannot be achieved in any other drying method.
I imagine that there is quite a difference in the cost of electricity, mainly due to the different voltage used, just making us more conscious about the amount we use.
On a side note, if you ever see it available to watch anywhere, you should check out a one off TV show called ‘The Steamie’ it is set in a Glasgow public wash-house (which were where women went to do their washing before they had washing machines at home, steamie being the slang term for wash-house) on Hogmanay in the late 40’s early 50’s. It’s a non-eventful show (and I believe it was originally a play), it’s just a snippet of the normal life of working class post Second World War Glasgow.
Magenta Otter Travels just did a wee search and found this link to ‘The Steamie’ I hope it works for you ruclips.net/video/q3aCtBq6hrA/видео.html
Lynne Jamieson fascinating! I do love Glasgow... and the fresh smell of clothes dried on the line on a sunny day in the countryside ☀️
Oh wow, the flat is beautiful! The kitchen is twice the size as the one in my house 🤣 and I wish I had a utility room like that! For anyone who is not sure about the differences between American and British homes your observations would be very insightful.
I love Cheltenham, great for shopping and the architecture is gorgeous 😁
Thank you so much! I am used to giant Texas kitchens, so the one in Cheltenham doesn’t seem that large. However, I very much appreciate that giant utility room! It is a huge plus to that flat!!
Yes, I am in love with Cheltenham. I hope this summer to do some good videos of the town to share it with my friends back in the states as well as anyone else who hasn’t been able to go there yet❤️
Open living area that concept has been around since the 1970's in Australia my Unit has that but with a wall that divides the lounge room and kitchen. The boiler in Australia we call it the hot water system but my system is outside and runs on gas
Great video! I love your beautiful flat and all the wonderful windows!!! Thanks for taking us on a tour!
Thank YOU for watching!
Just caught up with this video following your 'housing buying' one this week.
Your flat is very beautiful- as is your neghbourhood. Sorry the edge has been taken off your enjoyment of it by the rising damp issue you mentioned recently.
Utility rooms are unusual in flats, but are quite common in family sized houses (often combined with the 'downstairs loo'). It is also still quite common to have the clothes washer in the kitchen, because smaller or older properties don't always allow for a dedicated room. In my 1960's built detached house I have my washer in the kitchen, with a small under counter fridge (no dishwasher), with a tumbledryer (which I use very infrequently) and larger fridge/freezer in a 'lean to' utility room which is an enclosed space between the houseand the garage.
Thanks for watching this very old video! It's interesting to see all the differences between British and American houses. I feel very lucky to have a separate utility room with a large washer and dryer. Especially because we don't really have a place to hang clothes, and with all of our visitors, we are washing bedsheets pretty frequently!
Beautiful flat!! And a lovely neighborhood. Thanks for the tour!!
Thanks for coming along on the tour! And thanks for the compliment. We do love that place! Can't wait to begin staying there in 2021 when the current tenant moves out :-)
Very interesting. I wasn't aware of 'closet' and 'wardrobe'. I find it fascinating to compare houses and streets over there and over here. The US has a particular 'look' as does England. Scotland has its own look too. The flat is really nice.
Thanks so much! What country do you live in? We are going to Scotland in two days... I"m so excited!
@@MagentaOtterTravels I live in the great country of North West England. I'm based in Stockport and like to hang out in Liverpool and Manchester making videos. Plus, like you, I like to spend time in other parts of the world: Dublin - I studied German and French at TCD - and Berlin the city where I spent my year abroad. I'm looking forward to being able to travel to those cities again.
I love your simplicity Ma'am.. it's touching and gave the lots of teaching..to be more genuine.
Wow! Thank you showing your flat in England!!! I think I never went Cheltenham! I feel like I am walking with you the town. Oh, I love your flat so much! Natural light and you can watch outside through with your big window. Eight people for dining room: yay!!! I love huge window in your bed room and that will be my favorite thing too. Oh, I love heated towel rack!!! Computer desk is so cute! What a perfect spot!!! I love your window screen starts down to up. Your flat looks big to me. What a lovely home in England!!!
Thanks for watching. Yes, I love it too... hope I get to spend some time there next year. Wish I were there NOW!
IM SURPRISED YOU HAVE SUCH A MODERN/SPARTAN STYLE INTERIOR WHEN YOU SEEM TO BE IN TO ALL THE OLD HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE - YOU FLAT MAYBE MORE TYPICAL OF MODERN PLACES BUT I WOULD SAY THE VAST MAJORITY OF HOUSES/FLATs WOULD LOOK VERY DIFFERENT INSIDE - TOILETS WITH TANKS , VISABLE KITCHEN APPLIANCES , REGULAR SHOWER OVER BATH TUB , ETC
The flat had been recently remodeled when we bought it. While my husband and I love historic buildings, our taste for interior decor is more modern and minimalist. We are not antique collectors ;-)
THANKS FOR YOUR FAST REPLY - LOVE YOUR CHANEL - i GUESS YOU FOUND THE PERFECT SPOT THEN HAVING BEEN ALREADY REMODELED - I MYSELF JUST BOUGHT AN ANTIQUE OAK TABLE AND THE NEXT DAY DROVE 2h 45m FROM WEST LAKE DISTRICT ACROSS NORTHUMBERLAND TO ROTHBURT TO BUY 6 ANTIQUE OAK CHAIRS - I RESTORED ANTIQUE FURNITURE BACK IN THE 80s AND STILL LOVE THE STUFF - I JUST BOUGHT A HOUSE SO GRABBING AS MUCH AS I CAN@@MagentaOtterTravels
Hi we use some of the water from the condenser dryer to fill up the steam iron reservoir, as it is distilled water it does not have the salts that cause scale.
That is so clever! I had no idea!!
Hopefully you’ll be there May 18! Great tour and stunning flat! Love the windows!!!! So cool Brian Jones once lived there! Beautiful home! ~Cara 😊
Thanks for watching and your kind words! Yes, I loved the blue plaque discovery on our street!!
Gorgeous flat! Thank you for sharing
M. Sandra Dhee Thanks for watching!
Loved the tour!!
Thanks for watching!!
Great video and sooooo cool! I love UK!!! We went there last spring to perform at Royal Albert Hall!! 🎶🎹
88Keys to Cure that is an AMAZING venue!!! Lucky you!😁
I love how all the appliances are hidden. Such a nice streamlined design. Beautiful flat!
Thanks! I love that too... it's very common in Britain. Makes things look tidier :-)
Yes very usual and makes the kitchen look modern and coordinated, known as integrated appliances.
Hi Dara hope you’re ok have you been to cleve hill the hills are wonderful to walk on and the view of Cheltenham is amazing it’s breath taking I just love my town xx❤️
I love Cheltenham too! We have been to Cleve Hill, it’s great! I look forward to showcasing some of the Cheltenham’s best bits in some videos in the coming months 💖
@@MagentaOtterTravels Hi dara I will love to tell you more about Cheltenham but don’t want to appear weird lol
Beautiful home! Love the huge windows 😃
Thanks so much! Yes, there’s nothing better than a natural light! ☀️
Beautiful neighborhood. Gorgeous flat. I can’t wait to visit!
Jill Raber same here! Thanks for watching!
What a fabulous flat!! So nice to see it - even better than I imagined. :)
Thanks so much!
What a stunning flat. Thanks for showing us around.
Thanks very much! We feel very lucky to have this home. 💖🏴
So, love this video and found it super interesting to hear about comparisons with your home in the US. I have no idea what Cookie Cutter is all about, and would love to see a followup video of your neighbourhood in (is it Dallas?). I bet it looks so different. I'd love to see how your own neighbourhood is, how far the shops are etc (and you have to show a local post box as well of course!).
Oh man... we pretty much have NO post boxes! Everyone puts outgoing mail in their mail boxes. Or you drive to the post office if it's important. I do have one video of my neighbourhood that I filmed during a freak snowstorm last February. Normally I only post about Britain but this was very noteworthy! And the British viewers did comment on our brick tower mailboxes! haha
As you can see in the drone footage, there are no shops nearby. Just sprawling subdivisions of homes... that are "cookie cutter" because they all look the same ;-)
Here is the video: ruclips.net/video/KNJcnTqvAfk/видео.html
Beautiful flat. Looks very comfortable.
Clay Rabe thanks! It’s a special place. Cool to be near a Rolling Stone landmark, huh?
Darling flat! Thank you for thé tour!
Siri Brown Thanks so much!
A very nice flat with a good specification, and finally American viewers will see in the video that we have mono mixer taps in the bathroom and kitchen, not separate taps that other commentators love to be patronising about. Thank you for pronouncing privacy the traditional way, although many people especially younger ones have adopted the American pronunciation..
Thank you so much for your thoughful comments! I love that I have mixer taps. I will eventually have to address the whole separate taps thing in another video (that I've been working on for two years!)... but I will try not to be patronising!
As for pronunciation... I am not consistent. I throw in a little British at times and American at others. But I really try not to attempt any British accents because I have no talent in that area, LOL!
@@MagentaOtterTravels I can understand the gripe about separate taps, though the reason is historic, but many people like them, especially as all it takes is to set the hot water temperature perfect for washing hands, so it gets rid of the scalding/freezing scenario. I've recently changed all the taps in my home (2 bathroom, 3-ensuite) to mixer, with the exception of the attic en-suite - the Victorian features are too lovely to modernise.
These buildings were all late Victorian/Edwardian....Most buildings of this time were built by "builders plans" rather than with an architect so will have some unique features/flares...
cheltenham is beautiful, i used to live in Swindon (dump) but loved popping over the cheltenham for a bit of class lol
I do love Cheltenham SO MUCH! But don't bash Swindon... we have some dear friends who live there ;-)
@@MagentaOtterTravelsafter 8 years there i couldnt wait to leave so i bought a pub in Cambridge lol
john e Lawler that sounds fun!
@@MagentaOtterTravels i became my best customer, still on the bright side i did meet my late wife there
Wow your flat is gorgeous and so spacious the area around it is so pretty,Never been to Cheltenham maybe get there one day as it looks lovely,love all the storage you have,we have a condenser dryer as we had a combi and it never seemed to dry the clothes properly,only just came across your channel so will look forward to watching more of your vlogs ,best wishes to you from Liverpool UK.
susiediamond60 hello! 👋 Thanks very much! I’m excited to “meet” someone from Liverpool! Cheltenham is a wonderful place, I hope you visit someday. Actually, we are here now! The funny thing is that we are not staying in our flat, because it is currently occupied by tenants. So, we are in quarantine for 14 days in an Airbnb.😉 My latest video is about us making the trip over. We are excited to be here, and enjoying eating British food and watching British telly for a couple weeks before we’re allowed to start driving around.😁
@@MagentaOtterTravels Well hello then from a Scouser LOL,Bet you cant wait to get back to your gorgeous flat ,will look forward to watching your next vlog then,yes hopefully visit cheltenham one day passed by it a few times on my way to visit Bournemouth to see my Dad,Quarantine doesn't sound to bad then eating and watching tv lol.
susiediamond60 we have sacrificed so much to be here, we don’t mind having to stay indoors for 14 days! I feel like I’ve spent 5 months indoors in Texas! Between concerns around the virus, and the fact that it was 40° C outside! LOL
Beautiful flat! We can't wait to visit. You have a very nice big frig. When I stayed in Germany, their frig was half that size.
Janetta Zeimetz I’m looking forward to your visit too! And YES! Many British refrigerators are half that size... we are spoilt!
Dear Janetta, I think you mean Fridge.. Frig is something else entirely but put a smile on my face !!!!!!!
I've never seen a condenser dryer before, that's a cool idea! Lovely town and lovely flat :)
TransientLand can’t wait for you to see it in person one day!❤️
Beautiful flat guys.
Those older properties are really well built.
Cheltenham is a nice area to choose
Thanks for the tour,a snap with the walk in shower ours is almost identical.
Our last 4 bed house on Canvey Island had a utility but we moved into a bungalow in Suffolk so lost that.
But we do ok.
We also have a separate tumble dryer and a spin dryer as it does 2600 rpm not the washers 1400 , so the cloths take way less time to dry in the Dryer saving alot of money
Stay safe hope alls well with you state side and you avoid that terrible weather
Lee & Christine
We are staying safe and staying home a lot these days 😉
A spin dryer is a great idea!! Clothes take forever to dry in my British tumble dryer vs my American one!
Cheers L & C!
@@MagentaOtterTravels if you check the wattage of your US dryer against your UK one you'll find its way higher .
UK dryers are around 2000- 2500watts
Also sorry to say condenser dryers are not as effective at drying as vented ones.
Awesome
Beautiful flat, love it 😊 thanks for sharing
New subs here
Thank you so much! Welcome new friends ;-)
In comparing UK and USA homes the biggest difference to notice IMHO is that most British homes are of brick construction whereas in the USA, wood frame construction seems to be the norm.
Yes, I agree. Although, this varies a LOT by region of the US. I grew up in Illinois and almost ALL the houses were wood exterior. Where I live now in North Texas, almost ALL the houses have brick exterior. However, inside that brick facade is wooden framing. In Britain, the homes are often solid stone/plaster/brick which is very different. The downside to that is "rising damp"... something we don't battle in the US (I'd never heard of it!) but is a common problem in the UK. We are facing that in our ground floor flat in Gloucestershire, I'm afraid 😥
@@MagentaOtterTravels Good luck with the damp proofing. Silicone injetion of the brickwork should fix it. Not hugely expensive.
@Mark Gable Not remotely true. I bought a house about 37 years ago, built in 1892 of 9 inch solid 2 course brick wall construction that had nev er had any modern heating installed (it still had fireplaces) and it had plenty of classic rising damp. What typically happens is that the damp proof course fails or was inadequate anyway from the start and damp (meaning moisture or water) 'wicks up' the porous brickwork. It doesn't rise to much over 1 metre (ever) and the reason for this is that it rises under the influence of atmospheric pressure. Note that the damp RISES from the ground and will form a tide mark at the point where it stops rising and gets the name from the effect'. An injected silicone fluid damp proof course usually fixes it fine and I used a large dehumidifier to dry the house out. You would be amazed how much water it collected.
What you describe does indeed regularly happen in the homes of those who don't understand the importance of ventilating their homes properly. It is simply 'damp' ! Many activiies create steam/water vapour such as cooking, bathing, laundry and of course respiration (the body exhales water vapour). A neighbour of mine kept his home almost hermetically shut and suffered damp as a result which took ages to be rid off. Water vapour condenses on any cold surface and is absorbed by any porous material. He had damp and resulting mould on the back of some wardrobes for example. He mistakenly thought the damp was coming in from outside the house !
Another source of damp that can affect buildings with solid brick walls is penetrating damp. In this case porous brickwork absorbs water from rain and the entire stucture becomes damp. Most noticable may be damp areas inside where downpipes carrying rainwater have failed. The problem may be helped by 'repointing' the brickwork or applying a silicone spray or indeed a coat of weatherproof masonry paint or indeed weatherlapping with wood or tiles.
A beautifull flat. Hope you will be very happy in it also x
Thanks so much! We have loved living there!!
Great video
Thanks for watching!
I love all the windows!!! So much natural light! I want a heated towel rack!!!
If you live in a part of the world that has cold winters (like you do), you NEED a heated rail for your towels! :-)
Magenta Otter Travels yeah I would love that!
From my walks from Cheltenham Racecourse to the train station ( to catch a train to Birmingham where i stay during The Festival) over the years I have seen the Georgian buildings along the route. I have seen post boxes with GR, VR but mostly with ER on and in different styles. The house I grew up in had the hall and lounge at front of the house and kitchen and dinning room accessible through the kitchen at the back of the house and bathroom ( was originally in two separate rooms toilet in one and basin and bath in the other) and bedrooms upstairs, there is a mirror image house the difference is you have to go through the lounge to get to the kitchen and the dining room. Most houses have a normal radiator but I have seen a lot of ladder radiators in bathrooms. I haven’t seen a pull cord in years they are mainly in older houses that haven’t been updated. Only a shaver socket is in the bathroom, before I moved in the housing association had it put in for me. In my house I don’t have cupboard a door hiding my fridge freezer a gap was made especially for it to fit in when the kitchen cupboards were put in. The last time I saw a clothes drying rack/horse was at my grandparents house over 20 years ago. I don’t see many combination washer/dryers I see more washing machines and tumble dryers.
Wow, does the walk from the racecourse to the station take as long as your train ride to B'ham? I don't mean to sound American, but that is a long walk!!! We live a two minute walk from the train station, so we are spoilt, LOL!
I think combo washer/dryers are usually in tiny flats or AirBnB's. It is odd that we have a pull cord for the bathroom light, as the flat was just totally overhauled a few years ago by the previous owners and they made everything else so fancy and modern!
@@MagentaOtterTravels it’s a 40 train journey to Cheltenham and back to Birmingham. The walk from Cheltenham Racecourse to the train station is a little less not counting the wait in the queue or the mad scramble to get on the train which is packed, the same when I go to Aintree Racecourse for The Grand National and The Queen’s Racecourse Royal Ascot.
What a beautiful flat and neighbourhood! You are a very lucky lady! :)
Miss Anglophilia Danke! I am #blessed
I would like to put you right, about tumble dryer. British houses, have full size tumble dryers in there kitchen.
Thanks for your comment. I’m sure many do… but you realise the “in the kitchen” part is very unfamiliar for Americans, right?
Looks
Ike you live in landsdown close to the train station 👍🏼. Lovely flat as well.
Yes, we love being so close to the train station! It is super convenient for us as well as friends who come from the US to visit us. We also love being close to Christchurch because it is beautiful!
Please stay tuned, as I am hoping to publish some Cheltenham videos in the coming months! We have had our flat here for five years, but I'm a perfectionist and have not been able to get myself to do when he Cheltenham videos so far 🙄... other than livestreams of festivals and other events!
@@MagentaOtterTravels I live about ten mins walk from you in Montpelier. Yes I was only thinking you should do some Cheltenham video’s. all in good time,because like you say your a perfectionist 😀. Look forward to them. Been enjoying your video’s. well done!! 👌
@@mrsportybloke1336 Montpelier is a fantastic area! We walk around there all the time! Keep your eyes open for someone wearing magenta lol
Thanks so much for your support! It's always good to hear that someone enjoys my videos . Cheers! Dara
It looks fantastic!
A Buchanan YOU are fantastic! Thanks for watching!
It's increasingly being thought a good idea to put the washing machine & tumble dryer upstairs in a house, as that's where the dirty linen is generated and clean linen ends up, so avoiding all those trips up- & down-stairs, rather than having a laundry/utility room downstairs or putting them in the kitchen. Not an issue in a flat...
Yes, it's nice to have the washer and dryer near at least the master bedroom. However, Ian has a rental house like that and always worries about the washer flooding and causing water damage on both floors... 😩💦
Here in Texas it's very common to have just the master bedroom on the ground floor and all the other bedrooms upstairs. We are lucky that our laundry room is right next to our master bedroom/bathroom on the ground floor in our home in Texas
Love the utility room!
Thanks! We feel SO lucky to have it!!
You are completely correct for bringing up the bathroom electrics. This is indeed an odd thing about the UK. Some places have the pull switch like yours, others have normal switches on the outside. The funny thing is, this is nothing about 240v or even safety anymore, it's traditional and the difficulties in changing the law. Basically water and electricity are fine in the same room in the UK, just look at the kitchen. Most kitchens have light switches inside and power outlets above the bench, sometimes only a short distance from the sink or stove (which has big pots full of boiling water that gets splashed about. Also, in most of the EU which also has 240v, switches and outlets are fine in the bathroom. It's just an odd law. There are ways to make the outlets safer, like splash covers or internal breakers that can cut the current within a fraction of a second if any short from water occurs. It's just there because politicians don't really listen to the science when the industry keeps trying to get it changed and so the change in law never happens (one of those, yeah, we know it's not a problem, but what if.... ?)
Yes, the electrician at our flat this summer said the same thing... they CAN put light switches safely in bathrooms now.
There is a difference. In a bathroom, people are often soaking wet, they may have emerged from a shower or bath and are standing on the floor with wet, bare feet. Wet skin greatly reduces the the electrical resistance, and you make a much better path to earth/ground in such a condition.
Also, it's now legal to put standard power outlets in UK bathrooms, but the downside is that they have to be at least 3 metres from a "wet area". That is a bath or a shower, and most British bathrooms aren't large enough to allow for that. It is very much safety first.
nb. shaver sockets are permitted because they contain an isolating transformer and there is not electrical path to ground.
Nice tour of your place.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting! Do I know you IRL? I just subbed to your channel and saw you had a video about Elgin. I was born in Elgin IL!!!
@@MagentaOtterTravels Wow small world. I don't think we've met before, but who knows! So you're based in the UK now?
Ben Foshager I live in Texas. Hope to split my time in UK and US when I retire 😉
@@MagentaOtterTravels Cool
Can you use window units in the summer, or does the brick help keep things pretty cool?
I’m not sure window units are allowed. I’ve never seen them. The homes are usually built out of brick or stone, and stay fairly cool. Plus, extremely hot temperatures are rare. Although, when I was on a bus or in the subway during London’s recent piping hot summers, it was miserable!
That is a great flat. I was mystified by the fact that most of the cupboards were completely empty. I realise that you are only in residence for a few months of the year but, even so, I'm assuming that you have decided not to have duplicate possessions here, which probably makes sense as you do quite a lot of travelling. I should like to see a few more splashes of colour in your very calming but rather subdued decor. You asked for comments so I hope you don't feel that these remarks are presumptuous or critical; they are just candid observations. These Edwardian houses were so well built and spacious.
Thank you so much for your comment! We had been calling these buildings Edwardian, thinking that they were from about 1903, but in talking to a neighbour this summer we learned that they're actually late Victorian! From the 1890s. The postbox on the road is definitely Edwardian though!
I filmed this video in January 20 20, right after a tenant had moved out and before Ian and I ever spent o summer in the flat. In fact, Ian had not stayed in the Flat at all! I think that's why there may have been empty cupboards. I can assure you they are all full when we stay there in the summer now! We have a full set of dishes and all the kitchen equipment and gadgets. Plus, we pack it with food!
We have also acquired more colourful decor in the past four years. I even have a magenta chair! Lol Cheers! Dara
Looks like a gorgeous home, really smartly done throughout. My home definitely not got hidden appliances or hidden toilet cistern, yours is fancy! Love that you call it a ‘tea kettle’ as opposed to a ‘kettle’, would you not use it to make coffee? 🤔 Thanks for lovely tour 😍
I am very lucky that the previous owners fully remodeled the entire flat before we bought it. If we had been in charge of the refurbishments they would not have been nearly so fancy! LOL
That is one weird thing Americans do...We call kettles “tea kettles“. I really made this video to show Americans the difference between US and UK homes, so that was the audience I was speaking to. Coffee makers are 10 times more common, if not more, in the US than electric kettles. I doubt someone here would use a kettle to make coffee. It is pretty uncommon to find an electric kettle in an American home... But I have been doing my best to promote the idea! 😂
@@MagentaOtterTravels love that you present to your American viewers too, watch and read so much American stuff that enjoy learning more. Didn’t think a kettle would be used for coffee in the US, think in the UK kettles are still huge for tea and coffee, we haven’t moved on much 🤣
@@MagentaOtterTravels Canadians often have electric kettles, coffee machines in Britain on the kitchen worktop are more common now, or people use a kettle for instant coffee, which I avoid.
An interesting comparison here between sprawling US neighbourhoods and these UK ones. We do indeed live in smaller homes in the UK (well, smaller houses, many UK and US flats are the same size - or at least the flats I've seen in big US cities), but that bigger house size in the US does have many advantages - advantages I certainly appreciate (I grew up in a big house in New Zealand). That said, the advantage of denser neighbourhoods is that they are often more walkable and with more things available in the local area. I now live in a leafy, quiet suburb of Manchester, but I have 30 pubs and about as many restaurants in walking distance, I can walk to beautiful parks, retail and all my shopping needs, and high frequency rapid transit for getting into the city centre. That's not something I had when I lived in larger homes in Australia or New Zealand. I'm not going to say one is better than the other, as that is a personal preference perhaps. But while I would love the huge American suburban house you probably live in in the US, I would also probably miss the walkable neighbourhood I currently have now.
I agree 100%! Now that I'm back in my suburban Dallas home, I don't like being trapped in my house with it hot as HADES outside and not walking to places (no place is close enough to walk except a friend's house). But on the other hand, I am loving my huge master bathroom. The one thing that was really hard about our flat this summer was the tiny master ensuite! Also, I am very happy to have my high speed blender again ;-) Oh, the funny things that we appreciate!
Beautiful flat, one of my favourite places too. Just one thing, we call it a heated rail. Only saying as you asked if there was anything incorrect. Love your videos 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 💕 from across the Pond x
Thanks for the "heated rail" clarification. Good to know! Yes, Cheltenham is a wonderful place... I really wish I could be there and see the flowers in person this spring and summer! I love that it is so close to the Cotswolds but also has all kinds of fantastic shops, restaurants and stores... like a mini, walkable London!
@@MagentaOtterTravels Where I live we call it a towel rail. Maybe a regional variation.
Beautiful flat , lovely place to live lovely county . Green with envy . Xx
Thanks so much. We have really fallen in love with Cheltenham and Gloucestershire in general. A very special place!❤
The bathroom with concealed WC cistern, vanity basin and colour coordinated units we would call that a fitted bathroom.
Good note! Britons use the terms "fixtures & fittings" that Americans don't. All these fitted things really do look more clean and tidy!
A very nice setup in Cheltenham with plenty of space for 2. Nice choice of apartment.
Thanks so much! We feel very lucky!
120v will kill you just as easily as 240v, sockets are allowed in UK bathrooms but have to be at a distance of 2 metres from any water source, as most UK bathrooms aren't that big you won't find any, it all comes down to safety at the end of the day as damp skin is more conductive to electricity hence why light switches are either outside the bathroom or on pull cords, by the way in the 1970's we had a separate washing machine and tumble dryer in a utility room.
You were lucky! I'm glad to have a separate washer and dryer, but the condenser dryer still takes about 5 times longer to dry things than my vented tumble dryer in Texas. Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment. Cheers! Dara
I love this flat!
Lyn Hansen can’t wait for you to see it IRL!!
Hi there it's John again can I ask are you a Beatles fan the reason I ask have you ever been to Liverpool it is quite interesting I've been there twice with my wife and hopefully will be going there sometime next year
Love the Beatles ❤️
Nice Flat looks cool
puffy Muffin thanks! Your username reminds me of puffins... which are my favourite bird 🐦
LOL! I love that you mentioned the separate hot and cold taps. That drove my baby brother so crazy on his first European trip that he came home 2 weeks early - from a free trip that my oldest brother tried to give him. My baby brother is NOT a good traveler, needless to say.
English Atkins 😂😂😂 that is both hilarious and sad! I will definitely be doing another video this summer specifically about bathroom faucets and showers. It’s a rant that needs to happen 😉
Is there something wrong with him mentally
Separate hot and cold is historical.I don't see a problem. You run hot water into the bowl until there's enough to wash with. If it's too hot, you add cold till it is comfortable. Over centuries we have moved from remote cold water(well) to cold water only, all hot water heated on theopen fire or the range, thence to a separate added hot water system from a heated storage tank or a boiler. Mixer taps are wasteful. They encourage you to waste water by no bothering to put the sink plug in. having converted my house to mixers, I also found that I can't attach a hosepipe to the my kitchen outlet so will have to run a spur though the cavity wall for an external garden tap which will have to be protected from freezing in winter. Doesn't life grate? Love the flat, and vid as always.
@@Noneofyourbusiness-rq9jq - Ha! No, he's just particular and spoiled - or particularly spoiled. 😊
@English: The taps in the video were not separate, they are mono mixers.
I am desperately in love with that refrigerator, though I don’t know why. Annnnd I want a washer/dryer unit that does both but I want it to WORK.
Love love love your flat. It’s light and bright and just absolutely charming.
I think you want a refrigerator that looks like a cabinet, maybe? You do NOT want a washer/dryer in one unit. Much more time efficient to be able to do a load of washing and a load of drying at the same time. Thanks for watching!
You don’t want a washer dryer trust me, a normal drying load program will take around 3 hrs to dry and then it might still be a little damp which is okay if you’re planning to iron straight away but not if you don’t. So sometimes I have to put it back in for another couple of hours.
@@MagentaOtterTravels The main problem with washer dryers is that they can not dry the whole wash load at once (well the one that I had didn't). Better to just get a washer and dry on the line if you are short of space. Dryers in my opinion only worth it if you do not have access to a line, arrive home at inconvenient times to get to the line (I have taken in washing in the dark but may not be convenient for everyone) or do not have enough clothes bedding etc that you can't go a couple of weeks without doing the laundry.
What a lovely home, very much to my taste and no clutter and the neighborhood looks beautiful. I want your toaster & TV. Message me next time your over and you can have the TV back. 😉 🇺🇸
Hahahahahaha, you always make me laugh! I'm sorry to have to tell you that the current tenant in our flat is very much enjoying the TV. And probably the toaster as well. But thanks for the compliments! I do think it's a lovely neighbourhood, and we did our best to decorate the flat in the clean and modern style that the former owners created when they renovated it.
I haven't read through all of the previous comments, so apologies if this has already come up, but have you explained to your fellow Americans what the double yellow lines mean, and what the parking restrictions are in your road? I guess that you are close to the town centre judging by age of the buildings, and the parking restrictions. Is it permit parking only?
Good question! That has not come up yet. Yes, we have permit parking. I think it is a necessity, as we live very close to the train station.
A friend who is a longtime resident of Cheltenham told me that she used to park on my street for free when she went on long train trips!
My favorite was the utility room!
Petrina Steele yes I was pretty darn excited about that!
Good girl 👧 you know how to dig up the roots .🌹👍🏻
And the other place if you haven't been there would be York as it's got a fantastic architecture and it has a train museum and if you go at Christmas it has a really nice market it looks victorian-style the market
I have been to York, but I need to go back and spend much longer there! We took our sons to the Viking museum, which was amazing! And I am super interested to visit the Minster as well!
Very nice flat in a beautiful part of the country.
Thank you so much! I do love the area... and my flat :-) Hope to be able to stay there next year!!
Most people have separate washer dryers
Normal people, yes... but often in Air B&B's or small rented flats you'll still find combo units. And my neighbour in Cheltenham has a combo... he sets it to a wash dry cycle when he leaves for work and it takes 7 hours!!! I wash and dry in the US (a large load) in well under 2 hours.
The light switches are a big difference for me. When I first visited England, I had to get used to turning on the outlets. :-)
Christy Patton I am famous for plugging in my phone to charge it, and forgetting to switch the outlet on! Dead phone in the morning!
@@MagentaOtterTravels I have to say, I don't think I've done that... yet. If so, it was only once and I haven't forgotten since to turn it on since. Ha, ha!
The trick is to leave it switched on
🤔How did you end up just there ?, out of all the places you could of, there must be a good story to be told/ vlog, oddly enough I have worked on near by petrol station⛽ ( 2015 ) and stayed at near by hotel chain ( 😪sadly my van was broken into at hotel chain car park ) so can still remember
Your van was robbed in Cheltenham? Oh my... dangerous area we have chose to settle in! LOL. I will have to do a video sometime about why we chose Cheltenham. Maybe next summer when we are here in our flat for the summer, and I can walk around this lovely place on a sunny day and show all it's charm. ❤
@@MagentaOtterTravels yes it's was about 1.5 miles from where you are, but you flat is in millionaire's road 😉 and most likely to have a security alarm
Great video, Dara! What was the music that was playing in the background?
That lovely peaceful background music is Low Tree - Come Back Home. Seemed appropriate for a home tour, right?
This is definitely a high end flat, extremely well finished, but I was shocked 😱 to see that you haven't a magenta coloured toaster and kettle, time to Google 😁👍
Yes, that flat cost a fortune... it took a lot to convince my hubby to do something so crazy! One day I hope we can live in it. Thankful to have a good tenant in there now. Speaking of which... the prior tenant purchased all the mint green appliances... so no magenta. I'm trying to get Ian to agree to me buying a lovely magenta armchair. I have not yet succeeded.
@@MagentaOtterTravels buy the chair and enjoy it, to quote another RUclipsr 'do what makes you happy'😁👍
wencire one I just might buy that chair in 2021...
@@MagentaOtterTravels get it for Christmas 🎄🎁
Well, no, I'd call it a middle end that just has a modern refit. High end can have kitchens that cost more than many houses
What a beautiful flat ....in a delightful neighborhood.... !!!!!....Loved the details.....This is such a great video...!!!!! Thanks for sharing.....
Christi Kovach thanks for watching!!
if that toilet cistern/tank is inside the wall I hope nothing ever goes wrong with it, like springing a leak ?
For sure, let’s hope! 🙏
It's not technically the 'wall' but a false wall. There are usually access points to get inside and they are quite reliable. I've had them for more than two decades and never had problems
good job so many rush through or talk about stuff that has nothing to do with apartment,,,luv'd it
joszenna oliver Thanks so much! That is really sweet of you to say. What country do you live in?
@@MagentaOtterTravels usa , always wanted to live abroad luv luv when people offer tours of their living space
never seen a lift up blind! Cool, but if you are short you can't put it very high!
True, they would not be good in a bedroom where you need to block out all the light and get it totally dark. But in the small kitchen they are great... let in lots of sunlight (when it's not a cloudy British day!) but still give you some privacy. I had never seen it before either... but it was just what we needed in that kitchen with MASSIVE windows. Would have cost a fortune to get full blinds custom made!
Thanks for watching and commenting!
@@MagentaOtterTravels I grew up in Herefordshire and my Dad used to work in Cheltenham years ago. We almost moved there but didn't in the end.
Hali. You can usually get a pole/hook with them to allow you to push them to the required height and pull them back down. Innovation is continuous, at a price. I recently saw a double glazed window with the blind inside between the two panes. You control by sliding a magnet up and down the inside pane and the blind follows it! Not sure how long it would work for and it's a complete window system so new builds only.
Lovely spacious apartment ... fabulous windows!!!… with all those British elements that seem quirky to Americans!!!
Thanks so much! The big windows are my favourite part. You know how nice it is to celebrate that sunshine in England and let it in! 😉 I look forward to you visiting one day!
Good morning from swindo just up the road
Pauk Astell good morning! I’m in Texas USA at the moment.😉. You are in Swindon? I haven’t been there yet but I hear y’all have crazy roundabouts!
How bizarre, just got this as a suggestion, it's as if RUclips is waiting for a flat tour update too 😮
Oh goodness!!! 🙄
Your flat is bigger and better equipped than my house - I'm jealous (and not a little ashamed of my dump).
Well, goodness, I don't want you to be ashamed of your home! It's the people in the home and the memories you make there that matters! I used to care about having a big flashy house, but then I outgrew that desire.
Our flat is a lovely place... but ridiculously expensive, I'm afraid! Thankfully we have a nice tenant living in it now. Our retirement dream is to spend the summers there. We shall see!
Do you live in an old home? In general, British homes are much older and much more expensive (per square ft/metre) than here in Texas. We moved from a big house into a house half the size when we bought that flat!
@@MagentaOtterTravels It's an ex council house with just two bedrooms and soooo much work needs doing to it. I live alone (except for my cat), and I suppose I get off lightly because I've no one nagging me to get things done. But on the plus side I've got sole 'ownership' of the TV remote.
Chris Askin haha, that has its advantages! Yes, around here people have been sitting in their houses for months during the lockdown looking at all the projects that need doing. So now, it’s impossible to get a handyman to help fix anything! They are all incredibly busy!
I love America
Me too!
Is this Montpellier kind of area??
Ben Tyrrell no, but that is a LOVELY area! Montpellier is more consistently Regency style architecture. The street I showed is in the Eldorado area of town.
Magenta Otter Travels check out the Forest of Dean on one of your trips over, you won’t be disappointed, it’s about 20miles from you. I’m from there originally but now in Gloucester. Also , John Smith , born in Gloucester, composed the music for the star spangled banner. Gloucester Cathedral fly the American flag there to this day in recognition to this connection
Ben Tyrrell I didn’t know that about Gloucester cathedral... how cool! 🇺🇸
I have been to Forest of Dean and it’s lovely!!
Is this place an airb&b? It doesn’t look like anyone lives there.
No, Airbnb is not allowed. That is typical for Flats in Cheltenham, unfortunately. I really wanted to have an Airbnb! We live in it during the summer and lease it the rest of the year.
@@MagentaOtterTravels Wow! You two really keep a clean flat. It looks amazing!
My wife and I are from Texas and we’re planning on doing the same thing in a few years. We’re hoping to one day spend summers in a beautiful village in Berkshire.
Enjoy the beautiful weather over there. It’s been around 105 here every day lately. Cheers!
@@rideshareguy5.0ridesharead46 yeah we have been watched the weather in Dallas... 107 and 108 lately! 🔥
Are you an Anglo American couple or just Anglophiles wanting a place in Britain?
The flat tour was filmed when I had staged the flat for showing prospective tenants. Ian hadn't even stayed in it yet! He was back in Texas 🤣
@@MagentaOtterTravels my wife is an Anglophile and she follows the Royal family. I’m just a fan of the beautiful countryside and pubs. 😂
@@rideshareguy5.0ridesharead46 I get it! I hope y'all subscribe and stick around awhile. I plan to do some videos about our journey buying a home here... but I can't promise when. It always takes me a while 😉. Cheers! Dara
Did I hear you say the Post Box was installed during the reign of Edward II? I think not was he reigned between1284 and 1327!
Robert Griffith definitely not THAT old!!! Let me check...
Robert Griffith Edward the 7th! We can chalk that up to either bad audio or my American accent😂😂
@@MagentaOtterTravels : That makes sense! The inscription is not easy to read and maybe my hearing is not so good.!
Robert Griffith well our flat is in an Edwardian building, so I think Edward VII lines up. I hope you subscribe and stick around... I enjoy feedback. Even when my errors are pointed out!😉
Magenta Otter Travels : yes that makes sense. I think your flat is very smart as is Cheltenham. Have subscribed!👍
I,m from england and I have been to the states many times and our houses are crap compared to the American ones,they are like mansions.Have atour around Hereford sometime,lovely city where I come from,not far from Cheltenham.
Our family lives in Herefordshire and we’ve been to Hereford many times. Wonderful city!❤️🏴
That’s a big reason we bought a place in Cheltenham 😉
I love European flats.
janneta trenholm Thanks for watching! 😊
Pretty flat! But where’s all your food?? Lol all your cabinets and freezer/fridge were totally empty!
Good observation! I was there to clean out the flat in between renters. Hence the empty cupboards...😉
Apart from The Beatles museum you have a slave Museum nothing is the museum to do with the sea as well also I think there a Maritime Museum
I want to visit Liverpool and see all the things! We have never been to Liverpool or Manchester. Two places that are on the list! But honestly, our list is incredibly long. We need to live for many years and stay healthy so that we can see all the places on this list, as well as all of our favourite places which we return to over and over again! LOL
@@MagentaOtterTravels I do tours of Manchester for friends, family and work colleagues (free ones of course) which shows all the industrial heritage and architectural history - but in a fun way (so, none of the boring 'this building was constructed in 1847 by...'). If you make it up to MCR, I'd be happy to give you both a tour. Manchester is super interesting, but it's one of those cities that doesn't have immediate visual appreciation. It's sort of the hidden bits and fascinating history that makes it a great place
It's a lovely spacious flat, so in the circumstances I wouldn't say a separate washing machine and tumble dryer was that unusual...I'm in my late sixties and I've never owned a combo, (nor would I want to if there was a choice). it might be an option if space were really tight, but back in my dim and distant past in bedsits I used the launderette anyway!
Same here... I spent many Saturdays at the laundrette while at uni. Unfortunately, I lived in Michigan and the laundrette was a long snowy journey across town! haha... Thanks for watching! If you haven't watched my latest video on Afternoon Tea, I hope you will!
Do you live in both UK AND US?
Yes, we live in Texas in the winter and Gloucestershire in the summer. Best of both worlds! 🇺🇸❤️🇬🇧 Dara
australia runs on 240 volts
Lovely flat, that place is probably more expensive now than your house in the US 🤔
WAY more expensive! We live in a 2,500 square foot house now. When we bought the flat it cost more than our 4,000 sf house we sold!
@@MagentaOtterTravels lol....just crazy prices in UK now , plus the nearer you get to London the more expensive they are...well not so much expensive as virtually unattainable unless you are a millionaire 🤣🤣
Definitely!
This flats interior seems more modern.
It’s beautiful.
I want to live here haha 😍
Katie Spoons thanks so much! I love modern furniture in traditional homes! ❤️
A small kitchen? You should see my one.
Mouse Potato sorry, it is small by Texas standards! LOL
When I was in grad school we had a TINY kitchen! Only one person could stand in it at a time!😹
@@MagentaOtterTravels That's like mine. Only one person can go in it at a time. It's very narrow and probably about 2 and a half feet of floor space in width.
Mouse Potato well tiny houses are all the rage these days 😉
@@MagentaOtterTravels Well, it's not a house. It's an attic flat. I don't think people will be scramming for this lol
Mouse Potato Oh yes, I am very familiar with those top floor flats! We saw lots of them when we were looking for our flat around Gloucestershire. Many very slanted ceilings. Which are troublesome for a tall human like me! LOL
Lovely flat! I wish we had condenser dryers here in the States; they would eliminate dryer fires and having to clean out the vent pipes.
You have a point. They probably are much safer! However, I’m not sure they are as effective...
Cant hear u in the house tour
No one really matters i had audio problems in the first part of the house tour(despite max volume). Sorry about that! It gets better a minute later...
Voice is so fake! She is so, so pleased with her things....
Vivian S just excited to share a view of British homes with my friends 😊
@@MagentaOtterTravels I didn't feel that way about you. You didn't appear braggadocios to me at all. I found it very interesting to see the differencea between american apartments and England's. Take care
Forsooth ! Where do your servants sleep , what ? No tennis court ? No swimming pool ? No conservatory ? Egad ! My heart goes out to you. Such poverty. My dear lady, we’ll get the council in to provide subsistence. Oh, yes, and not one room decorated in magenta ( battle of, 1859 ). ✋;-)
You'll be relieved to know that I have since acquired a magenta chair! Lol
This flat is like a sales display area in a John Lewis department store,minus a bunch of daffodils…
Actually, it's a sales display for IKEA! That is where most of the furniture is from ;-)
Us has much bigger houses
Yes, and much cheaper per square foot! I sold a 4,000 sf house in Texas to buy a 1,700 flat for the same price (actually the flat was a bit more!!😱)
I feel really mean doing this but clothes rack.... Really!!!
Has no one told you that they are know in the UK as a clothes horse.
Stick with me kid and we'll get all the that corrupted American English knocked into shape. 😆😆😆
Well, that shows how much I’ve learned in the last two years! I now call it a clothes horse 🐴!
And a towel rail. And a toast rack! 😂😂