To really want to see the makeover at Downing Street?

[BlackCatShadow]

I've been reading about how it cost 88,000 pounds to do and how Lulu Lytle was the interior designer. She has such a bold and interesting style. I must admit I'm very VERY curious to see how it looks. Has anyone seen any photos? I want know if she actually has gold wallpaper.

P.S. I know there are much bigger issues going on in the world, but I'm so sick of seeing house done in grey and crushed velvet. I'm really curious just how boho the whole thing went.

[TrulyOutrageousJem]

I'd guess her style is much like Matilda Goad's
She is on Insta so you can have a nosey

[lidoshuffle]

I never thought I'd say it. but Teresa May went up a tiny bit in my estimation because she obviously didn't bother with the decoration - she had a beige carpet and a standard sofa.

It's only temporary/working accommodation after all, their 'real' homes are elsewhere.

[Xiaoxiong]

I must admit my jaw dropped when I saw that all pms get a 30k allowance per year for the flat

So did mine, but I did wonder if the rules are actually a bit different and that £30k has to cover repairs, structural stuff, etc and so it's put aside into a sinking fund in the years that the flat isn't redecorated to pay for the big one-offs like a new roof or new kitchen every 10 years. Or alternatively that £30k is set aside in the first year that a PM moves in, to allow a new PM to redecorate, but not in subsequent years.

I do think they need to overhaul this whole process. The idea of a trust was rubbished by the press but I think that it would be a more sensible way to run this, something along the lines of the tied accomodation rules I described above.

PM wins election and moves into Downing St
Gets to either keep previous resident's decor, or choose new neutral paint and carpets from a limited selection chosen by civil service facilities management
Optional £10k loan for furniture, repayable through salary retention
New kitchen every 10 years, with budget set by civil service
Fabric of the building cared for and paid for by facilities management with a proper sinking fund, reserve fund, etc.

[Xiaoxiong]

Because they weren't paying for it? I would do a make over if money was no object too.

But they were paying for it - or at least, everything over £30k. This is my theory - Boris told Carrie to go off and do what she liked, thinking there was no way she would go over the £30k limit, then had a heart attack when the bill arrived so went cap in hand to a Tory donor asking him to pick up the excess, which he did. Now BoJo's repaid the donor somehow, (hence saying "the prime minister has met the cost himself") but effectively he benefited from a loan that was undeclared.

[BlackCatShadow]

I think it's all getting investigated along with some other financial irregularities. Will be interesting to see what happens. I just really really want to see how it looks!

It's a good point about the baby and the dog. Can you imagine if one of them shits on a 10,000 pound rug?

[Babygotblueyes]

Dont see why any public official should be able to do this - it is not their permanent home, where they are free to do what ever. I have lived in work provided accommodation before and you make changes through your furniture or accessories. If it is falling apart, that is one thing, but this kind of unnecessary expense at a time when the country is struggling is unconscionable. And it is so over the top (pics on the internet today) that it will probably be ripped out by the next person in. At tax payer expense.

[Freshprincess]

I must admit my jaw dropped when I saw that all pms get a 30k allowance per year for the flat

Such a piss take. Most people don’t spend that in 10 years never mind once a year. It’s not like they’re fixing the roof or putting in new windows.

[AlfonsoTheTerrible]

Carrie, I'd be more than happy to take the Lytle stuff off you when you go. I love the style.

[lljkk]

How big is the flat, do we know? I got impression it was max 3 bedrooms, maybe only 2.

Also desperate to see the before & after pictures.

They do entertain people like heads of state in the flat so I don't mind some redecorating allowance.

[ZaraW]

@lljkk

How big is the flat, do we know? I got impression it was max 3 bedrooms, maybe only 2.

Also desperate to see the before & after pictures.

They do entertain people like heads of state in the flat so I don't mind some redecorating allowance.

No 11 has 4 bedrooms.

[ZaraW]

If they did buy their gold wallpaper from Soame it's beautiful

www.soane.co.uk/persian-maze-wallpaper-cream-on-ochre

[nongnangning]

Gosh Persian Maze wallpaper! Is this to remind him of the case of Nazanin Z-R in prison in Iran?!!!
www.theguardian.com/news/2021/apr/27/boris-johnson-accused-of-dismal-failure-to-free-nazanin-zaghari-ratcliffe

[EssentialHummus]

Perhaps open it to public tours at £2 a pop? They’ll recoup that £200,000 in no time.

[lljkk]

Public Tours: they could charge an extra £50 for a 30 second grope from Boris (nubile females only). You know, for the whole 'Sleazy Johnson administration' experience.

[MrsHuntGeneNotJeremyObviously]

It's so tone deaf to spend this obscene amount of money when the govt are offering nurses a 1% pay rise etc.
Initially I didn't give a shit about this so long as the public wasn't paying for it, but at best it's undignified for a UK PM to be perceived as scrabbling around for money and all this stuff about Tory donors chipping in raises worrying questions about conflicts of interest. It's just all a bit sleazy. If he doesn't sort his shit out soon, Boris may not be in that flat long enough for the wallpaper paste to dry!

[EsmaCannonball]

Channel 4 is bringing back Changing Rooms. As a taxpayer I demand the first episode is a Rishi - Boris Downing Street special. Linda Barker can paint No.11 lilac and sky-blue and stick pebbles everywhere, and Laurence can get Handy Andy to build a cerise MDF whiff-whaff table in Boris's living room; and all for 500 quid! It's the only thing to redress this issue.

[Babyroobs]

Why on earth would you spend all that money when they could only be living there for a short time?

[ForThePurposeOfTheTape]

I'd love a sneaky peak too. It's not going to be my style but I'd be very interested in the final result.

[Viviennemary]

Carrie seems to be becoming a bit of a liability. But sounds like somebody has got it in for her. I wonder who it is.

[ForThePurposeOfTheTape]

I think that they could recoup the costs by selling it to magazines like Hello for photo shoots.

[Redcrayons]

@Babyroobs

Why on earth would you spend all that money when they could only be living there for a short time?

Because it’s not, or wasn’t supposed to be their money.
First £30k is taxpayers money, the rest funded by some rich Tory crony.

[ZaraW]

@Babyroobs

Why on earth would you spend all that money when they could only be living there for a short time?

As mentioned above they were relying on "donations" above the 30K. Poor BoJo is struggling on the PM salary when he was reported to earn around 800K before taking the position. I read they can't afford a nanny and of course he's had an expensive divorce and still pays maintenance for several of his children.

[HeddaGarbled]

twitter.com/JohnLewisRetail/status/1387429143428665344

[HmmmmmmInteresting]

Bloody hell, I LOATHE BJ, but I'm very that this is causing so much outrage. What about the aeroplane that had ££££££££ spent on it so it could look like a BNP mascot? Nobody cared.

My guess is the person who REALLY calls the shots thinks BJ has outstayed his welcome and now all the 'leaks' are coming. He's done so many despicable things that I can't get worked up about this. Shows the public will swallow any shit fed to them by the Daily Mail and are told what to think. It's frightening.

We're being groomed for Gove to enter stage left. Oh joy.🙄

[HmmmmmmInteresting]

Meant to say 'served his purpose' rather than outstayed his welcome. I think BJ will rue the day he became PM. Good