SURROUNDED by artwork, curious objects and grand Victorian-style furniture, Marco Pierre White looked at home working on his new project at The Rudloe Arms and home is exactly what it is meant to be.

Moving his canvas from a plate of food to the walls and grounds of The Rudloe Arms, tucked away on the corner of Leafy Lane, the man once dubbed 'enfant terrible' of cooking hopes to restore the Georgian house and its 14 acres of land back to its former glory.

"This is the largest project I have ever done in my life," Marco admitted, as he relaxed in the grandeur of the house. "It is also the most romantic project in my life and it is a privilege to be a caretaker here.

"It is such a special place and to be given the opportunity to restore something magical back to its former beauty is a privilege. The house was built in 1885 when it had wash rooms and rooms without en suites. Yes, you do have to accept modernisation to a certain extent but we have returned things to their original state where possible."

The hotel, which currently offers nine rooms in the main house and 25 in the nearby Treetops annexe, is adorned with ornaments and artwork handpicked by Marco himself in the hope of making every guest feel at home.

"There is no other hotel like this," he said. "It is a wonderful project and by turning it into a house, it does not become intimidating. We take toys, taxidermy and art and we mix it all together. My home is no different to what you see here at Rudloe. That is what a hotel should be – a home from home.

"The most important thing for me is that we share this house with others. I don't want to show it off to people, I want to share it with them. I just want people to come here and enjoy themselves."

He was been working on the project since taking on the Rudloe Arms about three years ago. Now he has developed his ideas into reality and his personality shines through every room and every inch of the spacious gardens.

He said: "Rudloe, I love her so much and I will do my best for her and where possible, I will reinstate her. If you are given something like this you have a duty of care to be a caretaker and you have to put the building before yourself.

"I am not corporate, I am a romanticist."