Man turns his Hampshire council flat into 'a replica Palace of Versailles'

The 59 year-old has spent 23 years recreating the palace by covering the walls and ceilings of his ninth floor, two bedroom, flat in his anonymous 1960's concrete tower block.

Despite spending hundreds of hours painstakingly working his magic on wardrobes, chairs and off cuts of wood rescued from skips, recreating his Southampton home, he shares with his wife Annette has not cost him much money.

Some of the tables are made from discarded wooden salad bowls while detailing on the fireplace was created using the brass prongs from plugs. He did buy several of the pieces, however.

Now the grandiose design resembles the famous French Palace of Versailles which was built on the outskirts of Paris for Louis XV.

This is despite the former chef in the Merchant Navy having no professional qualifications in designing and he has never even been to Versailles.

"It is just the same as the Palace of Versailles - just a little bit less roomy," said Mr Reeman, who began work shortly after moving into the flat in 1986.

"My wife had been living in it for a few years and it was nothing special,"

"To be honest, there was just copper pebble dash wallpaper everywhere which was just awful."

He added: "I didn't originally decide to create something like this. I just started panelling the walls and decorating and it all took off from there."

"Once I started I knew that I couldn't stop until I finished - at some points I actually wished I hadn't started.

via Man turns his Hampshire council flat into 'a replica Palace of Versailles' - Telegraph.