Slaves to Decoration

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

I know not, which way to turn ---
The Blessed Anne has decided that the upstairs Bathroom was looking "Tatty" and has therefore started on a major overhaul.
This merry Morn, I went to shave, and found I was looking at a stripped, blank wall, with the "shaving light" hanging by it's flex, no Towel Rail --- hence no towels, no Cabinet, hence no Razors, Shaving Foam etc. and no Mirror to examine my shocked and unshaven face !!!
TBA is unusually early this year, as she gets the urge to decorate just before Christmas.
This set me wondering ---- how often do YOU decorate ? Who does it ? (I recall the moans of Maria and her Mum, on another Topic !) do you get "A Man" in, or is ot DIY ? What constitutes --"Tatty" ?
TBA is now visiting B & Q to select Paints (?) Paper (?) White Spirit (Certainly !) and I know not what else.

I don't want to live in an insanitary Hovel ----- but there are limits --- do you agree ?

[Jo]

How often? I suppose when, like your Anne, I think it's starting to get tatty . I'm not the sort of person who has to have the latest interior decor fads around me, so I don't do it just for a different look. To be honest, I don't think I've lived in any house long enough to decorate more than once, and that would usually be after moving in, if I don't like what I inherited, or before moving out, if I think my tatty tolerance is rather too high for prospective buyers.

As to who does it - me, unless it involves anything structural. I don't mind painting walls, and will do woodwork although I don't really like working with gloss. But it just seems such a waste to pay someone else to do it. I only did once, when we moved in here and I wanted the bedroom repainted. Chris was happy with it as it was, but said if I wanted to change it could we please get a decorator to do it so it would be done quickly and the bedroom wouldn't be in a mess for too long. I agreed but did resent having to hand over several hundred quid!

When it comes to wallpapering, definitely me. I rather enjoy it, and I'm conceited enough to think that I actually make a better job of it than most decorators I've seen. I've seen some really botched jobs in family and friends' houses. In my last house I did the lounge, dining room, stairs and landing all on my own, including the long drops on the stairs. This was before I met Chris, when I lived on my own - I'd asked my brother if he would come and help me, but his wife said (not unreasonably) that she wouldn't let him come and help anyone else until he'd finished doing their decorating! I got fed up with waiting. It pained me that when I sold the house, the new owner said she was going to strip all the walls and paint them white. Her privilege, of course, but all my hard work gone....

Sorry, this is more a self-indulgent nostalgia trip than an answer to your question, Neil. You don't seem to think Anne is justified, but everyone's limits are different and if any of us agreed with her it wouldn't make you wrong, and vice versa. Either way, it seems to be a fait accompli, you can't tell her to put the old paper back up so you'll just have to let her get on with it

[anniexf]

I have a very high "tat-tolerance" level - except for ceilings! I'm the one in our house who has enough patience (and time!) to wash them first, then go carefully round the edges with a brush before rollering the middles. We have dark beams at one end of our kitchen, which means a very steady hand is needed to go round the edges with the brush, otherwise it's up and down the step-ladder with damp cloths, wiping off splodges! So far this year I've done the kitchen, hall and landing ceilings, but I've started to get twitchy about the living-room and bedrooms! That's got to be TBA's influence!!!

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Anything that TBA decides is a fait accompli ---------

I can say I'm not Henpecked --- can't I Darlimg ?

But the mutual Love forgives all !

[Mid A 15]

Anything that TBA decides is a fait accompli ---------

I can say I'm not Henpecked --- can't I Darlimg ?

But the mutual Love forgives all !

I think that sums up my own position quite well!

We decorate when she wants it done.

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

Self Respect has been restored !

As I suspected, it was impossible to restore the Cabinet to it's original function (Political comment ?) so I was called upon to do it !

I have just booked a Cruise of 21 days for us, starting in May.
I doubt TBA will be able to do any re-decorating in the Cabin (Sorry ! --- now they are" Suites" !! ----but they still look like Cabins to me ! ) and if she moves the furniture --- the Cabin Steward will be VERY cross !
(Number 1 requirement on any Cruise, is to keep him a "Happy Bunny ")

[sejintenej]

Anything that TBA decides is a fait accompli ---------

I can say I'm not Henpecked --- can't I Darlimg ?

But the mutual Love forgives all !

I think that sums up my own position quite well!

We decorate when she wants it done.

I at least prevaricate - SWMBO knows it will be done maybe after a year (she takes that long to decide on colours etc.) so she just puts her orders in a year in advance when muggins is carrying out last years instructions. In general most rooms get done every 5 years but busy places (hall, landing etc. every 3 years).

[J.R.]

I know a joke about decorating.............................

[sejintenej]

I know a joke about decorating.............................

As a moderator are you going to move the thread to the jokes .....thread?

[J.R.]

I know a joke about decorating.............................

As a moderator are you going to move the thread to the jokes .....thread?

I'll PM it to you, and you can make your own mind up !

[Angela Woodford]

A couple of days after we moved to this new house (no decoration required) I had a cup of coffee in the local coffee place - just to have a break from unpacking - and there was a copy of Ideal Dream Glossy Home mag. Fatal. I opened it up and there was the very wallpaper I should love for my bedroom.

a) there is no need to decorate

b) I'm hopeless at wallpapering

c) my current husband just spluttered in indignation

d) this wretched wallpaper is prohibitedly expensive. Ridiculously expensive.

However I couldn't resist tormenting myself by sending off for a sample in the colourway of my choice and brooding over it. Even if I scraped together the money for the wallpaper, I should then be guilty when there are more vital things we need.

I still long for my perfect boudoir, however!

[sejintenej]

I still long for my perfect boudoir, however!

What's the use? You will spend perhaps 8 hours a day there of which
7 hours 15 minutes it will be too dark to even see the decoration/you will be asleep
15 minutes you will be too groggy from sleep to notice that the wallpaper is hung upside down
15 minutes you will be concentrating on doing your hair, makeup and other feminine matters
15 minutes you will be trying to decide what to wear.

So, for zero minutes your attention will be on the decoration; there are plenty of other things to spend your time and money on (and for most women their husbands would appreciate just a few moments a week of attention).

[Angela Woodford]

Sorry, David, but my new bedroom is important to me!

It's my own space! I've lived in dormitories, shared rooms in rented places, endured Nurses' Homes, had my things rummaged through or nicked. I love having a room of my own. My bedroom is a refuge where my most precious things are kept - favourite books in abundance, photographs, beauty things, old love letters, the little chair I had as a child, the £5 junk "vintage" chest of drawers I renovated with Farrow and Ball paint and gold knobs.

Oh yes - there's plenty of wardrobe space and I can enjoy arranging my clothes - winter, summer, gardening, evening.

There is a particular pleasure in having a really comfortable bed for the first time in my life (which supports my dodgy ex-nurse back), putting on a soft light and reading a treasured book - or even just thinking how lovely it is to have privacy.

And yes, since my husband is unemployed, he does get rather more than a few moments a week of my attention.

I can't think that there's anything pointless in arranging the prettiest boudoir in my own taste. It gives me a great sense of constructive achievement. That Nina Campbell wallpaper would be just right.... maybe one day...

Honestly!

Does anyone agree with me?

[Fjgrogan]

Angela - judging by the list of 'stuff' in your bedroom, I am surprised you can actually see the wallpaper!

[Angela Woodford]

A lot of my treasured "stuff" is put away, that's why! Thanks, Frances.