What small decorating decision are you really pleased you made?

[SarahAndQuack]

I have been redecorating our house this past year. Limited budget, because it's rented (we could not leave it untouched - think masses of peeling wallpaper, crumbling plaster around sockets, rotting window frames etc. - but it was also really nice to get a LL who was happy for us to do it). I am no DIY expert and did most of it with my toddler in tow, and there are things I definitely wouldn't choose again, and also things that are a bit boring.

But, we got two tins of Farrow and Ball Breakfast Room Green, much reduced, in a Homebase closing down sale, and bought them pretty much on spec hoping it wasn't a giant mistake. I'm sitting in my bedroom now and it's making me so happy. Lovely soft green, quite dark, and I really it as a background for hanging pictures.

What about you? Doesn't have to be a huge thing, just something like a paint colour or a decision about furnishing that still keeps making you feel good.

(And bonus points if you can inspire me about bathrooms, because that's next on the list!)

I recovered my dressing table with a marble sticky back plastic then put a sheet of glass on top and it's transformed it!

Picked an accent colour for each room in the flat but then one universal colour all the way through. It just makes the place seem huge and yet sophisticated.

Drogo that looks like someone's either overworked the brush strokes on the gloss or there's some dust or debris got onto it before it dried. I did all my window ledges with my hairdryer and a scraper, took all the gloss off and it looked much better, but I have had similar skirting issues and just used my mouse sander along them to sand the bumps out. Thorough wipe over to remove all dust and debris, then a quick coat of gloss/eggshell- made a huge difference but yes, it is a PITA to do. For me, it wasn't the paintwork per se that annoyed me, it was how dirty they looked all the time. It's so much easier to keep clean when they're smooth. I'm about to do the same in my kitchen next week.

Loads! We didn't do anything to the house for years!!!

Building in cupboards and shelves in the sitting room.

Repainting the hall and building a cupboard in an alcove.

Papering the downstairs loo. I'm happy every time I sit on the loo in there.

Lots left to do through: our room is being done this month!

@thenewaveragebear1983

I'll give that a try in an inconspicuous area. Good idea.
There must be about 40 layers of paint on them!

Can I tell you something I wish I hadn't done? I learn more from mistakes!

Ok - don't buy a waterfall tap if you live in a hard water area. I am literally de scaling it properly every single week. The water tends to sit in it and cause limescale extremely quickly.

Don't paint your skirting white - it shows up all dirt and needs repainting within a couple of years. I do dust my skirting boards but still look grubby.

I AM pleased that I went with a full theme in my bathroom though. We have a striped back wall and shells on our mirror for the coastal theme.

If you are making over a room, buy all the stuff from the same place if you can (curtains, paint, cushions) Especially if you like it to match and it has a bold colour. Some bold colours just are not the same from shop to shop.

@thenewaveragebear1983 you used your hairdryer ? Really .like a blowtorch ? I might try that .

Peridito yep, and a stripping knife thing. I did our bannisters too. Usual precautions about lead paint etc apply but I ignored all that and it worked really well.

Grey grout! It's the way forward. No more manky looking crevices

I spent £11 on wallpaper and made our upstairs dumping ground spare room into a lovely guest bedroom.

Turned the bed around and borrowed a nice bed spread from mil and it has totally transformed the room!

Foreverhome, please may I come live in your bedroom? It's beautiful!!

I just made a full wall of shelves out of scaffolding boards and painted cinder blocks. They're all dressed now and I f'ing love them. I can't stop looking at them- I get such a peaceful feeling from them. 😍

In our last place the living space was rather small but I talked DH into putting up some cupboards over the sofa, one either end of the wall & a shelf between them. Simple but it made me smile & gave me somewhere to put a few ornaments up!

We've barely touched our house since we moved in. I had depression at the time & couldn't deal with doing anything. Now we have 3 young children & not a lot of money. I'm really just marking my place so I can admire all the things we don't have time/money to do!

@Kpo58 ooh tell me more. Did you rehang the door yourself or is it a carpenter's job? Our downstairs loo open inwards and there is barely enough space. I never knew you could change the way a door hangs.

I've replaced a lot of my lightbulbs with vintage-y ones from Poundland! Ceiling lights, table lamps and floor lamps.

It's much cosier and they really show off the shades I've chosen. They don't throw out the greatest amount of light but I've added an extra table lamp or two where needed.

We painted our lounge a cheap cream when we moved in-and a year later we took the plunge and did denim drift-it’s darker but somehow suits our lounge and my sd wanted a pale gray in her room-goosedown is amazing-did the whole lot for £40 xxx