Tuesday 15 January 2013

Days Off Are Dangerous On The Wallet

In keeping with one of my aims for 2013, namely decorate the downstairs of the house, yesterday we decided that the next room we are going to tackle is the dining room. I have been umming and ahhing between that room and the kitchen but as the dining room links to the only downstairs room that we have done so far - the conservatory - the dining room won.  Typically though, it's actually the more complicated (and consequently more expensive) of the two rooms.  The kitchen basically needs a new back door as the existing UPVC door is actually a front door (complete with post box) and a handle that won't open the door from the inside without turning the key as the lock is buggered.  But, apart from that, it only really needs decorating as the units, stove (8-range burner) and fridge / freezer are in really good condition.

The dining room however needs decorating, new curtains, new lighting and new flooring (not to mention new furniture).  The last owner, before he retired, was a carpet / lino fitter.  This means that the house does have some nice flooring but I'm guessing he must have got it all as end of lines as not one room downstairs actually matches.  The hallway is red and off-white chequered tiles, the front room a greenish carpet, the dining room a horrible, industrial brown monstrosity of a carpet, the kitchen a terracotta tile effect lino and a laminate floor in the conservatory.  It's a right bloody mish mash of colours and styles and consequently I think it makes the rooms look smaller.  So, out is going to go the brown carpet to be replaced with a hard-wearing lino.  However, this means I then need to replace the linos in the kitchen and the hallway so that they all match.  We are on a bit of a budget so it's trying to work out the best time to do it all.  I am worried that if I change the flooring in the dining room now, will whoever I get the flooring from still have the same style in stock potentially 10 months or so down the line when we come to redecorate the kitchen and hallway?  Actually, with the way things are going (RIP Jessops and HMV) are they likely to still be trading at the end of the year?!  But if I change it all now then it's going to eat into our limited funds by a huge amount as the rooms are a pretty good size (the dining room alone is over 20 square metres so it's not going to be cheap).  Decisions, decisions.

Anyway, let me explain why days off are dangerous on the wallet.  In the dining room at present we have a beech table (6 seater but seats up to 10 when extended), a small folding dining table that we had in our old house and a homemade computer desk / filing cabinet arrangement (left by the previous owner).  The dining table is the only thing that is staying; the small table will be replaced by a solid oak cabinet and the computer desk by a matching solid oak desk.  Yesterday (a day off from work) we went shopping for aforementioned desk and cabinet.  We visited a clearance furniture warehouse that sells customer returns. They primarily sell oak furniture and, although some items may have some damage or been repaired, most of the stock is in first class condition.  I have been there before when we were contemplating an oak dining table and their furniture is lovely.  We were not disappointed yesterday either, we have managed to pick up a great desk for £320 and the cabinet for £180 which I think is pretty reasonable for solid oak furniture.  Yesterday we reserved the items so I could double check sizes at home so Other Half didn't actually go and pay for them until this morning and the items were delivered this evening!  Very excited but also rather alarmed as we have yet to do ANYTHING in the dining room by way of decorating.  Thankfully we can store both items in another room until the dining room is ready.  Guess what we (well, Other Half, he is the painter & decorator after all) will be doing this weekend?

1 comment:

  1. I have similarly made a conscious decision (not a resolution!) to decorate large chunks of downstairs, this year. Just finished the dining room - pretty easy. Next up is the kitchen, which is in serious need of doing... including new appliances. All rather costly. Which is probably why it's been on the 'back burner' since we moved in fifteen years ago!

    Oh, and I'd love to get some decent oak furniture... but I'll wait till the kids have learnt not to wreck everything.

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