I want a Show Home.

[2006hildy]

Yes, crazy as it may seem I will NEVER get one as I have three boys (includes OH) and a dog. As soon as I have finished painting it's time to start another round.

BUT it does not stop me from trying.

Apart from keeping the house clean and tidy I need some top tips how to achieve it. for example we have just put in some new kitchen worktops and they have fabulously transformed the kitchen.

Anybody else have some wonderfully transforming ideas to turn our house into a Show Home?

Furniture that coordinates, eg all dark wood, or all white painted, or all oak, rather than a mish mash.

Soft furnishings (curtains/cushions/rugs) in coordinating colours - not necessarily matchy matchy but that go. So eg cushions which pick up some of the colours in your curtains or rug.

Endless "tasteful home accessories" ranging from the useful (eg lamps), to the utterly pointless (twigs and pebbly shit in MN language ).

Good storage so nothing un-beautiful is on display, so eg if you always have dog items in the hallway, get a nice basket or wall storage system to put them in.

Oh, and get everyone to move out ...

Aren't Show Homes fairly soul-less and unpleasantly sterile places? I'd rather a bit of dirt, clutter and character myself.

I have pebbly shit under my towel rail in the bathroom. Previous owner probably watched too many diy programmes. It is great for gathering dust and coins.

My favourite: no books - unless the spines all co-ordinate with your colour theme. :o

I live in the showhome, well, it was the showhome, and I have the stained carpet to prove it from all the muddy boots

Mine was the showhome 13 years ago and believe me when we moved in it still was the show home, hadn't really been redecorated, in fact the wallpaper and borders were kindly left behind in the sales office garage.

As for your own showhome, a chessboard needs to take pride of place in the lounge

In truth what you need is good storage, I like things to be hidden away but not just a cupboard filled with stuff, I mean when you open the cupboard there are boxes and crates, labelled and you can put your hand on something you want.

I actually had this at my last house. It was much smaller and the children were younger. I could walk into their rooms on a morning with a long handled feather duster and dust the empty tops of their wardrobes, lights, windowsills etc then hoover. It was bliss. I was smug, then we moved.

This house is starting to get organised. The double garage was converted into a playroom with a store at the back. The playroom has 4m of Ikea Pax wardrobes which hide, a tv, the wii, board games, ironing board, hoover etc . The children have a 1m double wardrobe for their coats/hats/gloves/shoe and so do me & DH.

It is doable, but you have to keep on top of everything.

Buy extra small furniture to make your rooms look bigger

It sounds as if I should become super organised. I have started after watching the hoarding programmes by getting rid of one item a day by either throwing it in the bin, freecycling or ebaying. The house feels better already.