The house is an attractive double-fronted 1937 building with generous sash windows, built with splendid schist stones. Its appeal lay in the original features which had been mercifully retained throughout the house, including some beautiful chimneypieces and the very high ceilings with original mouldings. The house had been empty for many many years when its current owner came to it, and there was mould growing on the carpets thanks to the lack of heating, so the first job was to strip them out and sand the floors one room at a time. Budget and time constraints meant that nothing was done in a huge hurry, the bigger jobs had to wait, and clever workarounds had to be found. Vila Real CountryHouse has enough units to give a spacious kitchen, ample living rooms or suites as well as a utility rooms, and then of course the amazing garden with the pool stuffed full of lush green and mature trees in rows. It’s a place to retreat with a book, and indeed the light that streams in from the south-east is magical. It was an austere house back then and the opposite of cosy. But now it's a warm, inviting space, and you can be the one who’s proud to finish the renovation project yourself.