23/05/2026
The government said no, so our friends win. 🥂
The original plan for the first floor was to run an Airbnb alongside the mountain bike business, but It turns out moving to Spain isn't all sunshine and sangria 😭
Sometimes it's endless local bureaucracy and finding a literal prosthetic leg in your junk pile. 🦿🥴
Before I could even think about picking up a power tool, it took an age and a day just to clear out decades of hoarding, dust and grime which the previous owners had left us. The clearance phase was an absolute test of patience, highlighted by the moment I unearthed a prosthetic leg from the debris. 🤷🏼♀️
Once the space was empty, the race was on. Due to intense timing and tight budget constraints, I had to renovate at lightning speed. I quickly decorated, styled on a dime, and installed a makeshift kitchenette to get it guest-ready.
The original goal? A rapid-turnaround budget rental to support the mountain bike business. But despite the surrounding area being absolutely packed with active Airbnbs, the Spanish government declined the tourist license application. Cue some very polite, deeply suppressed frustration. 😤
So, plans changed. It's now a holiday pad exclusively for personal guests.
The massive master suite actually used to be our main bedroom before we moved to a completely different part of the house. Now, it's a staged guest retreat, complete with highly dated bathrooms and a giant master ceiling crack that I am actively choosing to ignore for my own sanity.
A proper, down-to-the-studs renovation is coming for this entire floor eventually, but for now, the fridge is cold and the wine is poured.
Which eye-sore should I strip out first: the blue bathroom tile or the kitchen cabinets? Drop your votes below! 👇🏼
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Spain home renovation budget DIY kitchen Spanish villa remodel before and after home tour DIY guest bedroom ideas
