LAYLA AND
ROB’S STYLE
l Mix and match furniture and accessories from
car-boot sales, auctions and bric-à-brac shops.
This not only saved us money, but also worked
well with the character of our bus.
l Keep narrow interior layouts as light and
streamlined as possible to give an illusion of
space. We lined the walls with panelling and
painted them off-white, and designed fitted
cupboards to blend with the walls.
l Invest in well made accessories. Tough
enamelware and quality hand-thrown pottery
look great, as do vintage Welsh cushions.
l Refurbish original features; they will bring out
the intrinsic character and charm of the place.roof windows, which were still intact, and restoring
the wood and paintwork as close to the original
colours as possible. Once all of this was accomplished,
the bus was rolled out of the barn and into the spot
in the garden with the best views.
THE INTERIOR TAKES SHAPE
When it came to the interior, Layla and Rob zoned the
space to create dining/kitchen, sleeping and sitting
areas. Bespoke units and furniture sympathetic to the
vintage features were then fitted and painted in soft,
neutral tones from Little Greene. The hand-built kitchen
units, seating and bed were built from recycled wood
sourced from house clearances, or from off-cuts
bought from the saw mill at the bottom of their road.
The appliances and wood burner, inherited from Rob’s
grandmother’s mobile home, were squeezed into the
meticulously designed layout. Clever storage details,
such as the shelves made with rope and hooks above
the sink, and a towel rail fashioned from a branch,
added practicality as well as charm.FINISHING TOUCHES
Once the kitchen and fitted furniture were complete,
Layla trawled through the many antique and junk shops
in Hay-on-Wye in search of colourful and pastel vintage
soft furnishings, pottery and enamelware. “We also
worked with local artisans to give the bus a unique feel,”
says Layla. “The Old Electric Shop in Hay-on-Wye was
a good source of pottery, artwork, fabrics and tiles. It
wasn’t until we applied the last lick of paint, and all the
soft furnishings were in place, that it all came together.
We’re really proud of how it’s turned out.”
The bus has proved to be a very special place for guests
to enjoy. In fact, the couple have bought another wreck
of a bus (even older), which is awaiting its makeover.
For more information about staying in the Majestic Bus,
visit majesticbus.co.uk or call 01497 831733.A 1920s corrugated iron
barn houses the bus’s
bathroom, which has
a roll-top bath and
classic 1950s sink, found
at a friend’s house
clearance. There’s also
a 1960s wood burner in
the barn to keep out the
chill in winter. Opposite:
in the renovated bus,
the original skylights let
in beautiful light during
the day and allow for
sheltered stargazing by
night; the windows at
the back, meanwhile,
have been enlarged to
make the most of the
light and viewsHOME TOUR