How can I stop hating my living room?

[BabCNesbitt]

Ex-DH moved out about 18 months ago. For a couple of years before that, the routine in the evening was that he’d hang out downstairs in the living room and I’d retreat up to the bedroom and hang out under the duvet.

But since then, the only times I’ve used the living room have been when I’ve been watching TV with the DCs. When they’re at their dad’s house, I still just wind up hanging out in my bedroom - if I sit in the living room, I just feel very aware of it being me on my own and I feel uncomfortable, or I sit around noticing all the unread books or unpainted walls. I’m not really a TV person but very occasionally watch a film in there.

It doesn’t help that the living room feels a bit depressing and unloved, tbh - I have cans of paint, but can’t seem to coordinate the tasks that’d be needed to get that done (moving furniture, blocking a small damp patch, prepping the walls, painting the woodwork etc). I have a colourful sofa and armchair and lots of books but sad old white Billy bookshelves that feel a bit studenty. I’ve also got zero budget to buy new things for the room or get someone in to paint. It’s a tiny terrace - the front door leads straight into the room but we never use it. (My bedroom is also drab and depressing but at least there I can pull the duvet over my head!)

Does anyone have any suggestions for how I can learn to stop worrying and love my living room?

If you’ve only just noticed can you just paint over it? You can get special tools to stop the paint going on the carpet or tape it off. I am cheap and have always cut up cereal boxes and shoved that in the gap to stop paint going on the carpet. Rearranging the furniture may help as well.

If it's an old victorian terrace what's the floor like under the carpet? Might be some lovely old tiles that just need a good clean.

I haven't risked taking it up to have a look but it was flipped before we bought it and the cheap crappy carpet thrown down, so I suspect it's more likely to be manky floorboards than anything so lovely! 😄

Cereal boxes - brilliant!

Olive green sofa, teal armchair. The room's really small so there's limited scope for moving furniture around, sadly!

You can get free paint at our local tip. And I have bought wallpaper which is being discontinued for 5p a roll before. I know people have suggested bit by bit - I find that really hard, and find it easier to designate a day/few days and then push through. It is a pain, but once you have done it, its lovely. And I move things around my house, so its novel and feels fresh but has not cost me anything. Good luck making yourself a little haven in your living room.

A change of curtains can make a huge difference. Terrysfabrics have a range of insanely cheap ones. Under £40 for the largest curtains.

I did the whole house this way, found it quite relaxing once I got into a routine. First coat all rooms then second coat where it was needed.

I’m very jealous of your sofa colours and such a cosy room to feel warm and safe in.

cereal boxes are a great idea for painting and think how much joy you will get from making the space your own once it’s done, there’s not much else going on in January so you might as well make use of the time, good luck 💕