28: Restoring a Library in our 19th-Century French Townhouse | DIY Plans & Hidden Staircase Reveal!

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Hey friends! We’re back with another chapter of our French renovation journey—this time, we’re diving into one of our favorite rooms in the house: the library (aka the future office, bar, reading nook, and moody Gothic sanctuary all in one).

We're Patrick and Beth, restoring a 125-year-old townhouse in the heart of the Loire Valley, France. In this episode, we take you through our plans to transform a former office into a cozy, character-filled library—complete with custom bookshelves, a hidden bar, and a possible cast iron log burner. We also chat about building a DIY woodshop in the attic, upgrading historic windows with double glazing, and keeping true to the house’s soul through traditional plasterwork and restored wood floors.

🕯️ From moody color palettes to dark academia vibes and antique fireplaces with salamander motifs, this room is about to become the heart of the home.

But wait—there’s more: 👉 We've found a hidden staircase. 👉 There’s possibly a medieval well under the house (!). 👉 And we’re dreaming about an antique elevator. Because, why not?

💬 Have an idea for our mysterious painted alcove? Or thoughts on what we should do with the secret stairwell? Let us know in the comments—we love hearing from you!
🖤 Beth & Patrick

🛠️ Topics in This Video:
01:00 Library vision: moody, multi-purpose, and Gothic
02:15 Building custom bookshelves + woodshop setup
03:50 Sourcing tools in rural France
05:00 Fireplace dreams: log burner vs open fire
06:00 Historic window restoration + double glazing
07:30 Antique flooring + French preservation rules
09:00 Cozy furnishings + hidden bar cabinet ideas
12:00 Traditional plaster over drywall: why it matters
13:30 Secret staircase reveal + paper message discovery
16:00 Reimagining the powder room with historic elements
20:00 Is there a medieval well beneath the wine cellar?
26:00 Coat room plans + dreaming of an antique elevator

🔗 Links & Inspiration Mentioned:
Suburban Homestead on YouTube:
Antique Stove Restoration Company in Southern France:
Parfait Parquet – French Wood Floor Experts:
Elevator listing on Selency
Escape to the Dream:
Journey to the Chateau:

🛠️ Tools We’ll Be Using (and sourcing in France!):
Hand tools for DIY woodworking
Traditional lime plaster
Historic paint palette (required in our heritage zone!)
Salvaged materials from brocantes & French salvage yards

🛠️ Follow along as we restore this historic French townhouse into a home, creative space, and classroom for art workshops. This is more than a renovation—it's a rediscovery.
See our journey from the beginning, in this playlist of all our main episodes, in order:


Subscribe to follow along as we restore this French home room-by-room, uncovering hidden history and adding personal, artistic touches to every space. Get updates on hidden architectural features, DIY craftsmanship, and life in a dreamy old French house:
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#FrenchRenovation #DarkAcademiaHome #GothicInterior #FrenchTownhouse #LibraryMakeover #HistoricHomeRestoration #SecretStaircase #HistoricHome #LoireValley #OldHouseLove #HiddenStaircase #ChateauStyle #OldHomeRestoration #DarkAcademia #FrenchLifestyle


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• early access to limited collections of paintings
• coloring sheets - slow down & de-stress
• mini meditations using simple art techniques
• chances to win one of Beth's paintings!

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🇫🇷
If you love fixing up old houses, chateau renovation, old home transformation, DIY projects, brocante, antiques, and all things French, come along on our adventure! We're an American couple renovating a maison bourgeoise (chateau charm on a small scale) in the historic town center of Amboise, in the Loire Valley of France.
🇫🇷
#FrenchRenovation #DarkAcademiaHome #GothicInterior