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How long to re-decorate a house?

6 replies

angel1976 · 15/09/2011 22:45

Amuse me, DH is working away and I am bored. I have spent too much time looking at shite stuff on the internet to buy for the house. We bought a beautiful 4-bedroom Victorian terrace house 2 months ago and it's flipping beautiful! DS1 is 3.6 and DS2 is 22.5 months. We hope to stay here in the long term, at least until DS1 is in secondary. Hope to stay here longer. But we came from a 2-bedroom house, which means we need to literally re-decorate from scratch. The house is in a lovely condition (beautiful floors on ground and loft bedroom, old-school radiators in most rooms, heated floors in bathrooms) - you can tell the family who lived here loved it and did it up as their home. We thought we could move in and not do anything BUT after moving in, we realised how much we detest some of the decor (think feature walls in almost every room in a BOLD colour!).

So after 2.5 months living here, we've only done one room. The boys' sleep room. I'm also really not that bothered about details so finding it really hard to motivate myself. For example, I drive myself nuts just choosing the wall colour for their room... (Am a Libran, can't decide on bloody anything!) I can't see us getting the house to the state we want for at least two years. Is that bad? I know people who move in and within weeks, they have transformed the place. TBH, it doesn't help that I am DIY-stupid and I work part-time and have my boys on the other days so no chance to do anything really. Help, tell me I'm normal?!!!!

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queenmaeve · 18/09/2011 12:16

The best advice I was given about decorating was to live in a house for a while before making any big choices.
We moved in here 2 years ago and everything was painted white, (new build). Since then I have slowly worked my way around the rooms. I think no matter what your budget, it takes time trawling places to do your research and find the exactly right thing!
For a main living room it might be worth it to get someone professional to advise you if you want a whole room decorated from start to finish.

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angel1976 · 18/09/2011 20:32

Thanks queenmaeve. That was the advice given to us too but some days it doesn't bother me at all but other days, I just want to redecorate if you know what I mean!!!!! :)

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queenmaeve · 20/09/2011 21:18

Oh I totally do! Pick your most annoying room and start with that

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cowboylover · 20/09/2011 21:31

I have always gone straight in and decorated straight away then end up doing it again in 12 months so living for a while there is great advise to get used to the natural light ect

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tyler80 · 21/09/2011 08:43

Our house needs completely redoing throughout. Think tatty, not been redecorated in 30 years, woodchip as opposed to not quite to our taste.

Even so we're taking our time. We got our bedroom more or less how we wanted it so we've got one room to retreat to, but the rest can wait to make sure we get them right. I'm not the sort of person who redecorates regularly, it's a necessity not a hobby for me, so don't want to rush it.

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angel1976 · 21/09/2011 08:58

tyler80 I'm with you there. I'm not a 'natural' DIY/re-decorator so on one hand, I just want to get it done so I can live in it as I want but on the other hand, find the whole process tiring and tedious!

cowboylover I think you are right so I think you both have given me reason to slowly do it up... The red kitchen will have to stay for now... :)