These best friends bought an abandoned home to retire in
Step inside the home that friendship built
Many of us daydream about our perfect forever home, but did you ever picture yourself growing old with your closest pals? These seven best friends made a promise to enjoy their retirement together so they created a home that they – and their families – could share for the later years of their lives. Click or scroll through as we take a look back at their remarkable journey…
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Seven friends, one goal
Having met at work 20 years ago, the tight-knit group always joked about building a home together and living out their latter years by each other’s sides. What started as a pipe dream in 2008 became a reality in 2018 when the friends found the perfect piece of real estate for their plans. The gang shared their fascinating story in a documentary for the Chinese YouTube channel Yitiao.
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A secluded spot
In 2018, they stumbled across an abandoned building for sale in the suburbs of Guangzhou in Guangdong province. While the property itself was rundown, the site was promising and the group decided to take a leap of faith.
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Dreamy location
Situated on the edge of a small village amongst rolling countryside and picturesque views, the location was just what they’d been looking for. Offering a slower, more peaceful pace of life, it was the perfect spot to while away their golden years.
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A blank canvas
After purchasing the dilapidated three-storey red-brick property, the friends had to devise a plan to transform the empty shell into their dream group home. Exposed to the elements, there was a lot of work to be done to make the structure habitable and create the rural retreat they had imagined.
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Work in progress
Overall, they spent a total of ¥4 million (£440k/$580k) between them to buy the extreme fixer-upper and complete the extensive renovations required. The neglected structure was given a facelift with a new fresh white exterior, while glass extensions were added to create a streamlined, contemporary dwelling.
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The finished product
After months of hard work, the completed 7,535-square-foot house is a modern masterpiece. Spread over three-and-a-half floors, the new design encourages communal living amongst the friends and their families, while retaining private pockets of space that they can retreat to.
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Extra additions
During the project, the group decided to keep some of the original features of the red-brick house, including the columns that framed the front of the building. A sleek glass addition was installed at the top of the structure, offering breathtaking views over the fields. Let’s take a look inside…
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A communal living space
The ground floor is taken up by the communal living spaces. The kitchen is a shared space for the girlfriends to gather and spend time together. To accommodate their families, the room has a large dining table, with additional seating at the breakfast bar. The black-framed windows contrast with the light interior, which has an airy feel thanks to the neutral colour palette.
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Clever kitchen design
With so many people to cook for, it’s no wonder the group opted for such a large kitchen space. The open-plan room has plenty of work surfaces and ample storage with open shelving, hardwearing worktops and bar stools for guests to sit at.
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Simplistic style
Although they opted for a pared-back interior style, the star of this sophisticated space is the patterned kitchen wall tiling, which adds decorative detail to the minimalist room. Overlooking the rice fields, the friends enjoy cooking together here and they share the cleaning; many hands make light work!
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Time for tea
Floating above the verdant landscape, a spectacular glass box extension was added to the front of the house to create a zen space for the group to enjoy tea together. With breathtaking views from three sides, it’s one of the property’s most impressive additions.
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A peaceful spot
The tea room features a bamboo ceiling, soft floor cushions for relaxed seating and a modern chandelier draped in a light fabric to create a peaceful ambience when the sun goes down. What a special space!
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Personal space
The mansion has been cleverly divided up to allow each of the friends and their respective families their own space. While all of the rooms on the ground floor are public areas, the upper two floors are home to the private bedrooms.
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A room with a view
Looking out across the treetops, the bedrooms enjoy panoramic vistas of the countryside. Imagine waking up to the sun rising over the rice fields – we can’t think of a better way to start the morning! Soft, neutral décor ensures the home’s jaw-dropping views take centre stage.
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Social setup
The private rooms were designed not only as areas to relax but also as spaces to entertain. Each room has a small seating area and dining table so that members of the group can invite guests over and host them in privacy.
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Eclectic furnishings
When it comes to interior fixtures, the friends took great pride in sourcing the furniture and handpicking the finishing touches for their home, collecting the colourful floor mats, bedside tables and accessories from locations as far-flung as India and Morocco.
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Less is more
It’s clear that the group have superb taste, with the property reflecting their penchant for minimalist design. We’re loving their streamlined, uncluttered style and how they’ve managed to make even the most modern parts of the house feel cosy and welcoming.
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Light and bright
No matter where you go in the house, the living spaces are filled with light, including the luxury bathrooms. A cleverly positioned window in this second-floor wash space allows residents to kick back and relax in the bath and enjoy the view in complete privacy.
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The tea pavilion
As well as an indoor tea room, the seven like-minded girlfriends were keen to create a place where they could enjoy their favourite drink outdoors within the stunning grounds. And where better than in the middle of the fields that sit at the foot of their property?
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Building bridges
A raised bamboo bridge was laid over the rice field to create a walkway from the house to the remote pavilion. Nestled in the midst of a picturesque rural landscape, it’s the perfect calming escape from the hustle and bustle of the main home.
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Getting away from it all
The group of best friends will often sit out in the pavilion and enjoy tea together in the fresh air. In fact, they spent the last Mid-Autumn Festival, which typically falls on the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar, doing just that beneath the spectacular full moon.
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Resplendent roof garden
Just in case the natural landscapes surrounding the house weren’t enough, this flourishing rooftop space provides yet another serene hangout for the group. Framed with colourful foliage, it’s a tranquil oasis where residents can grab some alone time and soak up the enchanting surroundings.
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Family first
All currently in their 30s, the group plan to live separate lives with their families until their children have grown up. Once they’re ready to embark on the next stage of their lives, they’ll all return to the dream retirement home they built and grow old in luxury.
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A multigenerational space
For now, the friends and their partners and families gather at the house during the festive seasons. They love nothing more than cooking up a feast and spending time together in the huge communal living space, a practice run for when they move in!
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Mastering new skills
To ensure all the friends bring something useful to the home, they’ve all agreed to master a different skill before they retire. These range from cooking, traditional Chinese medicine, growing vegetables and playing the piano. Jin Du, one of the seven, said: “Many people have said that they want to buy a house to live together with their friends but how many people actually did that? This is the most meaningful thing I have done in a long time”.
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Retirement plans
With their ages spanning around 10 years, the best friends can’t wait to spend their golden years together. Looking forward to their communal retirement, they plan on having barbecues in the fields, singing and collecting food from the local village.
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A dream come true
Thanks to their foresight and planning, the friends are now the proud owners of their own luxury retirement home. The spectacular property, complete with a swimming pool, tea pavilion and sociable living spaces, awaits them when the time comes to kick back and enjoy a slower pace of life. What a lovely thing to look forward to!
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