This post features some items – paint, tiles and lights, namely – which were sent to us for free for the purposes of reviews/social coverage. All words and pictures are mine.
Although most of our new house is quite liveable and doesn’t need redecorating imminently, it wasn’t all to our taste and so our plan was to tackle the rooms one at a time, by which time it’ll probably be time to start over again.
The front room was our first big project
The wallpaper looked iffy in some areas, we didn’t like the fireplace or the carpet. Our aims was to turn it into a much more ‘adult’ space which we could enjoy spending the evenings in, away from all the toys and mess in the family room. You know, the kind of place with a drinks cabinet and nice artwork. More breakable things and fewer fingerprints.
When we tried taking the wallpaper off, the plaster came down so getting it re-plastered (including getting rid of the artex ceiling) became a much higher priority.
Walls
As soon as the plaster was dry, we started to paint the room. It made a HUGE difference.
We used Earthborn eco friendly paint in shade Hobgoblin from the lifestyle range and it just went on so nicely; we barely needed two coats.
In fact we had estimated that we’d need ten litres based on the cheap paint we used for an undercoat, but we barely used half of that.
The colour is really rich – there’s not a great deal of natural light in the room so it’s hard to get a proper photo of it but I’m so pleased with how it looks.
You can get 5% off on the Earthborn paints website using FRAN5.
We decided to add a picture rail – there wasn’t one when we moved in, but when we stripped back the wallpaper it was evident that there was one originally. Nice to see that fashions come around again, maybe in several decades we’ll be trendy again.
There are still a lot of finishing touches before I can show off the whole room, but I’m already in love with it.
Fireplace
Despite much preferring the new fascia for the fireplace it was still a bit dull, so we decided to tile it.
It was really easy to do; you can read all about it here!
Floor
The flooring was a true labour of love. Not on my part, you understand; I went away for one night and when I came back my partner had finished laying it.
He even managed the fiddly bits in the bay window.
It’s one heck of a before and after. It would have been so much easier to go with planks over herringbone, but the finished result is amazing. Particularly because we didn’t have to pay three grand (which was what was quoted!) to get it laid.
No one is allowed to walk on it I’m afraid.
Lighting
We have a lovely new light fitting courtesy of Elesi (a full review post can be found here) which to be quite honest with you may never get used to be honest, because who uses the Big Light?
But at least it looks nice…
…And a very classy Dunelm Dodo lamp.
Furniture, furnishings and finishing touches
Now it’s decorated and the pain pots have been put away, the fun part starts. I mean ‘fun’ in a quite a loose sense there.
I’ve bought a few new plant pots and a couple of extra cushions, and given the existing sofa cushions a clean, but there’s a lot more to do before it’ll be finished.
We had a TV unit delivered from Dunelm which was in the sale; it was meant to be black and it most definitely is not.
We’ve decided to keep it because sending it back would be such a pain in the arse, painted the top with a chalk paint the same colour as the walls and replaced the knobs. It’s not perfect but it was relatively cheap and fits in the space so well. Pictures of that will follow. Probably.
We have a third sofa arriving next week, and we’re still deciding on the curtains, rug and extra furniture. I’d quite like to ditch the cheap Ikea tables but nothing really appeals right now so for the moment, they’re staying.
….And that’s it!
Meanwhile
Outside, the plants are growing nicely, and the big soil mound which was once an awful raised bed is slowly coming down, but that’s a loooong slog (so I’m told).
My other half mentioned it was like the punishment of Sisyphus and never ending, as if someone was sneaking into the garden each night and putting more soil back on.
To which I replied… “The plot thickens”.
I am fucking WASTED.
See all house updates here.