Woman Spends Five Years Transforming an Old World War II Bunker Into Her Home

Who wouldn’t want to enjoy a wonderful, quiet life on the coast?

Unfortunately, for many, it’s not a possibility. With rising home prices and a lack of availability, finding a coastal dream home isn’t as easy as it once was. Elizabeth Strutton dealt with the same predicament.

Elizabeth first discovered the underground bunker in Land’s End, UK. During WWII, building underground bunkers that used the land above as a disguise was pretty typical. The British army would use these bunkers to monitor Nazi airplanes flying overhead and collect information without the fear of being detected.

“I had to know more,” said Elizabeth, looking at the bunker for the first time after almost 73 years after it was first erected.

As a former WWII post for British soldiers collecting information on the Nazis and delivering communications to the government, the bunker had to be durable and bomb-proof. In addition, occupants of the bunker had to be very cautious, as Nazi soldiers specifically targeted these kinds of buildings.

What better use of an uninhabited and decommissioned war bunker than to store potatoes? One farmer certainly thought so, and in 1982, potato storage became its primary purpose. But, of course, Elizabeth saw far more potential in this unique space than a home for spuds.

After many years of sitting untouched, Elizabeth knew she had a lot of work ahead of her to make the bunker livable to today’s standards. It needed to be in better shape, and she had many plans to remodel the interior and exterior.

One of the neat things about the bunker is that it still retained all of the original equipment used by soldiers during the war. However, most of the equipment left was non-functional and needed to be removed to make space for her personal belongings.

Beyond old equipment, furniture and exposed wires were found throughout the interior. It was not the safest space to work in. However, Elizabeth pressed forward, knowing that her work would eventually pay off. 

Hiring an electrician to come and rewire the bunker would have been a serious cost.

Any average person would take a first glance at this space and run for the hills. But instead, Elizabeth found it inspiring and motivating, using her imagination to turn what looked like a hopeless space into a magical fortress.

The bunker would take a fair amount of time to build. There were no fire escapes or windows, meaning Elizabeth had to install industrial fire sprinklers. That alone would take a month of drilling into the bunker’s roof. With three feet of soil covering the top of the building, she would also need to insulate the structure to prevent mold from growing.

After many years of only being home to native plants and potatoes, the home’s exterior was completely overgrown and almost impossible to manage. Trimming back the long grass and hedges to make way for a clear entrance to the house was going to be the first step.

Would you ever think to look for anything underneath this grassy knoll? We wouldn’t! Looking from afar, you would almost never know that there was a home here at all.

Looking at the original exterior, it was clear to Elizabeth that she needed to do some serious work. While most of the bunker’s exterior looks the same as it did initially, she did her best to spruce up the entrance to make it feel more like a home.

Nothing makes a home feel quite like home than a few potted plants. Elizabeth certainly thought so. 

The back entrance certainly had a secret military bunker vibe, and Elizabeth knew she’d have to renovate it.

Even before Elizabeth began renovating the interior, she had already put a lot of work into this bunker. It was the inside of the home, however, which would make it livable, and she had plenty to do, from painting to tiling to installing appliances and beyond.

One of the first things Elizabeth knew she needed to do was add bright colors to combat the lack of natural light. After all, even though she lived underground, she didn’t want to live in a dungeon.

The living room would soon be equipped with all of the amenities of a modern home, including a flat-screen television, an oversized, comfortable couch, and a large area rug to make the room feel cohesive.

The fun didn’t stop there, however! Who would have thought that this underground bunker was so large? Leading off from the living room and down the hallway, Elizabeth would have room to create three additional bedrooms for family and guests. This wasn’t your average studio flat in the city.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and Elizabeth certainly put some love into this kitchen.

Of course, you have to keep the guests entertained, and what better way than with a cheeky pool game?

What was truly surprising was the amount of space in the bathroom. It doesn’t look cramped in the slightest, and Elizabeth notes that she has plenty of room to get ready in the mornings. The bathroom was outfitted with blue, brightly colored tile and a modern, removable shower head, making it far more flexible than an outdated, early 20th-century bathroom.

One of the goals for Elizabeth was to make this small space as functional as possible. She knew she would not be able to fit tons of items into this space, though the things she did include were arranged beautifully.

Elizabeth works with old collectibles and antiques, restoring them in ways just like she did this old bunker. 

In the 1940s, British soldiers likely ran frantically through this space, doing all they could to protect the people of Britain from the Nazis. Who would have ever thought that more than half a century later, someone would be making delicious, home-cooked meals in the same space?

Elizabeth’s bedroom is just as inviting as the rest of the home, using bright yellow paint on the walls, a comfortable bedspread, and a heating unit to keep her warm during the cold, coastal nights.

She’s even got a second bathroom for guests that want to crash!

Elizabeth found a way to get all her favorite shows delivered underground with a handy rooftop satellite.

To keep her connected to the outside world, Elizabeth uses Wi-Fi from the nearby Porthcurno BT tower. Whether she’s working, doing some online shopping, or showing off her fantastic dream home on social media, she’s connected and integrated at all times.

Though this bunker was initially made to resist Nazi bombs and protect the British people from potential invasion, Elizabeth saw a different potential in it many decades later. It is one of the most fascinating home makeovers to date.