To say I’m not copying my Friend!

[Ideasplease322]

My friend bought a new house a couple of years ago and has been renovating it - she is doing an amazing job.

I have been in my house for over ten years now and have decided to move. It’s a bit dated so I am doing some renovations before I put it on the market.

The redecorating isn’t exactly my taste - I have gone less quirky then I would normally go. It’s a white gloss kitchen, And large concrete style floors Tile. I am replacing all the carpets with pale grey and painting my more colourful rooms either pale grey or white.

My own style will resurface in my new house. But this looks clean and modern and won’t offend anyone.

I sent some pictures to my friends no asked about progress, and my friend said ‘ohh, all looks very familiar, I suppose I should be flattered’.

We then met for a socially distanced walk and one lady was saying how well my house looked, and the other friend Said ‘I wish I hadn’t invited you round to see mine now, they are almost identical, even down to the navy art’

I laughed and said it was a fairly standard style - and she claimed the concert style floors where fairly unique and she spent ages researching them???

WTF. I was worried my house now looked too generic and a bit boring (which I of course didn’t say).

I am pretty sure I am right, but should I just let this go. I know she has been telling people I am copying her interior😂😂😂

I’m a bit of a bitch so if anyone brought it up I’d tell them that I’d changed it for the most generic inoffensive style I could find in order to sell and the. I’d laugh.

What are concert style floors?

I'd just have a wee giggle inwardly at how she thinks she's so original.

Leave her to it if it makes her happy.

@Leimarel

What are concert style floors?

Sorry that’s what she calls them😂. Really they are just big grey floor riles - concrete effect.

I call they grey tiles.

A family member accused another of this and it was ridiculous as like you, the styles in question were actually just fairly popular/standard at the time. People like your friend need to get over themselves IMO!

This type of this - just grey bloody tiles you can get anywhere

www.porcelainsuperstore.co.uk/urban-light-xl.html#

I think you should just say that you were hoping to create something generic and inoffensive, and you can't wait to do your new house in your own style. Then wax lyrical on some things you'd like - eg. recycled glass worktops or Mexica tiles or whatever.

Oh god I think that would actually really irritate me and I'd be tempted to say something if she mentioned it again. It's probably best just to let her think she's a style guru though!

Does she not know you're moving out of the house once it's done?

I love threads like this but gosh those tiles are hideous. Should have said you are just following the hideous current trend and you hope you don't have to de-grey your next house. Seriously tho, don't paint the walls grey lots of people are fucking sick of it. White would be better.

@NekoShiro

Does she not know you're moving out of the house once it's done?

Yes. I am dreading when the picture go online!

It does look well, but is very impersonal. Splashes of colour in each room, but all family pictures and clutter has been removed.

She’s obviously a bit insecure. Explain that clearly she is ahead of the trend because more and more of these things she has meticulously researched are now available to the masses. Although good luck saying it with a straight face 😁

There’s probably loads of people “copying” her. Things are in shops for people to buy! If you want something unique, do it yourself. YANBU

Sounds like most of the houses I viewed! She’s being ridiculous. Tell her you weren’t copying her one bit, you were just going for generic to force a quick sale and this is the most current trend and not your personal taste at all. I’d probably say that you are offended she is accusing you of copying also.

@MrsRobinsonsHandprints

I love threads like this but gosh those tiles are hideous. Should have said you are just following the hideous current trend and you hope you don't have to de-grey your next house. Seriously tho, don't paint the walls grey lots of people are fucking sick of it. White would be better.

The grey is so pale it’s really white, and it’s only a couple of rooms. The hall, bathrooms etc are all white,

I had a lot of colour - love strong blues. But even I confess it made the rooms look smaller. Also I have colourful curtains And sofas which are staying so light grey or white works against them.

But new house will be different!

Oh as pp said, you absolutely do need to say you decorated it to help it sell quickly so you went for something totally neutral and bland so it would appeal to the widest audience.

Just say you went for something really basic and generic as you are hoping it will help it to sell.

@MrsRobinsonsHandprints

I love threads like this but gosh those tiles are hideous. Should have said you are just following the hideous current trend and you hope you don't have to de-grey your next house. Seriously tho, don't paint the walls grey lots of people are fucking sick of it. White would be better.

I actually quite liked the tiles, and they amazing, in my opinion, in the space.

But I suppose this thread is about us all having different styles😊

I laughed and said it was a fairly standard style

I think you’ve offended her with this comment (if she spent ages agonising over her choices of finishes). Both of you have been a little cutting IMO but probably both unintentionally so.

You re-did carpets and tiles for a house you're selling, is that normal?

I wouldn't have thought you'd get your money back on that, unless buyers also like the grey look they'll be offering based on having to redo them again anyway

Decorating I totally get but not stuff that costs £000s

Your friend obviously doesn't get out much is she thinks her style is unique

Sounds all pretty neutral and white/grey is v popular at the moment. Perhaps you should go on Pinterest and find tons of pics just like yours/hers (there will be millions) then send her the link “look!! All these bastards have copied you too”

Unless of course your friend is Mrs Hinch then maybe she's be justified in taking some credit

Grey isn't fashionable anymore anyway.
Tell her you are doing it to move, and your going for something more fashionable.
It's great to see women doing renovations rather than firms or their men folk.
Always wondered why more didn't, there didn't used to be so many of us, and it saves a fortune

You re-did carpets and tiles for a house you're selling, is that normal?

I have never seen the point in it, but estate agents seem to insist that everything needs to be brand new and neutral to attract buyers. Heaven forbid you should have a green wall or dark carpet.

I also hate the thought of moving in somewhere and redecorating perfectly servicable rooms. But that's just me. I'm a combination of lazy, tight, and no visual imagination so find decorating a nightmare.

I didn't redecorate when I sold my last house, which was a good job because the buyer converted it into 3 flats, so the existing bathrooms and kitchen were ripped out and the house was reconfigured.

When looking at houses, I don't look at the existing decor, I look at how I could put my mark on it. So a house decorated in lime green, purple and orange with a turquoise bathroom and an astroturf garden wouldn't necessarily get the thumbs down.