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Tucked away near Swansea, a seemingly ordinary end-of-terrace house is arguably one of the most unique homes in the region, if not the country. Push open the front door and you'll be left speechless by the extraordinary interior hidden behind its unassuming facade.

For over 27 years, this house has been home to Royston Jones and Fiona Gray. Over time, they've transformed the interior into something reminiscent of a stately home nestled in the countryside. Each room boasts extravagantly ornate ceilings and walls, crafted by hand.

Discussing their renovation journey, Royston said: "When we arrived many original features were ripped out but there were some of the interior features left, like the panel doors and the just one or two sort of decorative things so I just thought, 'well, come on, let's decorate it, because it's so dull'." And decorate they did, with buckets of plaster and PVA.

Upon entering, the intricate detailing of the plasterwork and artwork adorning the ceilings and walls throughout the property leaves visitors in awe.

The desire to craft a miniature stately home within their Welsh terrace stems from two sources, according to Royston - his ancestry and their artistic careers. However, examining their residence reveals this couple aren't merely ordinary artists, but extraordinary model creators who craft room and house replicas in 1:8 scale for royalty, diplomats and the wealthy elite.

Royston explains: "I've always loved stately homes. I was an unwanted child, I didn't know anything about my background until much later on in my life. And then I discovered that the people I came from were avid builders in the 18th century."

He continued: "They built a whole load of mansions and stuff up in Cardiganshire, which is where I hail from originally, and I think you just inherit stuff like that. And I've always loved architecture and I've always loved the interiors of particularly neoclassical late Georgian stately homes from 1760 to 1800, I think that's how it started."

The couple's expertise in creating models to an exquisite and intricate standard has attracted clientele including Lord Rothschild and the Spencers, Princess Diana's relatives, with many commissions requiring years rather than months of painstaking labour, undoubtedly demanding unwavering precision and boundless patience, reports Wales Online.

Fiona explains: "I am patient in nature, but there was one particular part of a room with a dome, which we had to cast in fibreglass, and it was a complete nightmare. We did it about three or four times, and it just took so much time.

"But we had to get it right, for our own satisfaction and also, and most importantly, for the client we were working for. It's just something that is just part of us, you know, if something needs to be unpicked and redone, we'll just do it."

Fiona reveals inspiration derives from numerous sources but there is a principal influence. She explains: "We've made a great study into the works of 18th century architect James Wyatt, plus the contemporary architects of the 18th century, so we've got a very large photographic archive covering all of that period. For inspiration for a design that's where we go; to our archive."

The elaborate plasterwork, from panels to ceiling roses, from cornicing to paintings is designed by Royston - who admits he doesn't have a head for heights.

He explains: "We do it standing on chairs and ladders and stuff. So when we did the staircase, which is an enormously high space, we got a builder to put some planks and ladders up so we could reach the ceiling, and that was terrible because I'm not very good at heights.

"But overall it's such fun and it's such a lovely thing to make and you just get carried away, you don't worry about your stiff neck, you just get on with it."

Both creatives acknowledge that the most demanding aspect of bringing each pattern to life is the incredibly precise measurements needed.

Royston explains: "It's got to be accurately measured out, and it's got to be symmetrically placed on the ceiling, in the space that you have. You can't be an inch out, really, you can't, it has to be very, very symmetrically placed.

"And when the design joins different elements together you've got to make sure that you try to make the join as invisible as possible. It's all about mathematical accuracy, as much as you can achieve, really."

The designs are crafted from a mix of plaster, moulded designs and even cardboard, with Royston mixing the paint to achieve the exact shade desired. Depending on the level of detail in the design, each ceiling or wall can take between three to five weeks to complete.

The majority of the design elements are adhered using either PVA glue or UHU glue.

Royston explains: "The cornicing and the friezes are the worst, they're always long winded because of all the intricacy of the beading and the details such as leaves and urns - all those ornaments have to be cast and dried and stuck on.

"The ceilings are fairly straightforward, as long as you measure it up correctly - if you don't measure it out and you just stick things on, you realise that it's in the wrong place, then it's all got to come off and you've got to start again."

Royston reveals that Fiona handles more of the intricate details, stating: "She does the casting. She's very good at casting, she's a bit of a genius. I don't do any of the casting, I just model the ornaments and she creates them. And that takes as long as it takes. And then you've got to let it dry. That's the boring bit. It takes a couple of days, two or three days sometimes."

Fiona adds: "I'm just sitting there making these ornaments, in some cases hundreds of these things, and you get to thinking, 'well, when will I ever finish this?' But, you know, the finished result is always very much worth all the repetitive effort, and it's all just part of the project."

The couple have one more room to complete to their satisfaction but, due to condensation issues, have decided that the kitchen and bathroom will not adopt the grand manor atmosphere.

Royston remains optimistic that their endeavours might encourage others to attempt creating more adventurous ceilings in their own homes, remarking: "Give it a go, and if it doesn't work or you don't like it, you take it down and try again or just don't do it again."

When guests arrive and step into this ordinary terraced house, Royston explains they're typically greeted by the same response.

He remarks: "Well, mostly people don't say anything - they're kind of struck dumb! But it's nice to get a bit of feedback, you know, when people do come and look at it and are captivated."

There's little question that Royston and Fiona have crafted an extraordinary home filled with the patterns and decoration they adore.

However, Royston remarked: "One or two (people) think we're showing off and that is hurtful. We're not showing off. We're not people who do that.

"We just want to give people joy and pleasure, the pleasure of having a look at it. That's all. We've got nothing to show off about, we're very modest people.

"It's done for fun and to give people joy and to show people that the world can be quite a beautiful, magical place in your home. This is about love. It's not about showing off."

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