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Unpopular / frowned upon things your house has that you refuse to change

160 replies

TruthorDie · 24/04/2024 14:37

I’m going with:

Wind chimes -previous owner left them behind. Helps block out the annoying yapping of the dogs on either side
No spare room -l hate house guests so suits me perfectly!
Bath -every house l buy my mum reckons l need to remove the bath. I’m standing firm and leaving it

OP posts:
Frenchfancy · 26/04/2024 08:09

We have polystyrene ceiling tiles in our bedroom.

I thought it would the first thing I changed when we moved in 20 years ago, but there has always been other priorities.

Lampslights · 26/04/2024 08:35

henlake7 · 25/04/2024 17:04

I generally only have a bath once a week as it does take about an hour to fill the bath with kettles and pans! Other then that I have a 'shower' (takes 2 kettles, fill a bucket with hot water and use a jug!). I honestly prefer my shower method as I hate getting my face wet and its more precise.
Originally it was a financial decision as my boiler broke and I couldnt afford a new one, since then Ive had the money several times and family offered to buy a new boiler but I prefer it. Meant I got rid of my gas bill completely, halved my water bill and it doesnt seem to make much difference to my leccy bill.
(its probably only possible and practical though because I do live alone and bathroom and kitchen are right next door).

oh, thought of another one!
I have a 3rd bedroom that is off the 2nd. Very undesirable if you have a family but becomes a giant closet if you live alone!

That doesn’t make much sense, you would still use the same amount of water for a weekly bath , if it was running v boiling it all up in pots and pans and transferring it , and you can use a showe head to aim where you wish rather than a jug.

no hot running water is really lacking the basics, how do you clean, wash dishes etc. you must be forever boiling kettles to get warm water?

Strugglingtodomybest · 26/04/2024 08:35

We extended and then decorated our house in around 2006 so everything dates from then. I expect anyone who is into interior design would find plenty to dislike, but I don't care because I'm not interested myself.

I love dark wood furniture, brown sofas, lots of green and blue and lots of plants and books (which are stacked up everywhere as I've been waiting roughly 10 years for DH to build me the bookcases he said he would). I also hate things to match.

Our house is built on a hill, so we also have a large area of decking, which I hear is another no-no, or maybe it's back in fashion, who knows!

RampantIvy · 26/04/2024 09:39

We don't update our decor or furniture unless it needs it, so we have pine bookshelves, cupboard and coffee table in the living room. I know that pine is very 1980s, but there is nothing wrong with them and they fulfill their purpose very well. I prefer oak furniture, but I'm not spending £££ for it to go out of fashion next year.

Decafflatteplease · 26/04/2024 09:45

We have stained glass windows that rattle in the wind and rain 😱

12 foot ceilings....bloody freezing in winter but lovely and cool in summer!

Lampslights · 26/04/2024 09:55

RampantIvy · 26/04/2024 09:39

We don't update our decor or furniture unless it needs it, so we have pine bookshelves, cupboard and coffee table in the living room. I know that pine is very 1980s, but there is nothing wrong with them and they fulfill their purpose very well. I prefer oak furniture, but I'm not spending £££ for it to go out of fashion next year.

I don’t think oak will ever go out of fashion, it’s always been a tasteful option and always will be. Done correctly. Some isn’t done so. It’s not a fashion trend. I have a walnut side board. Brown wood is generally out of fashion but it’s beautiful and I’d not touch it.

the issue with pine is it’s generally orange toned and knotty , and was very cost efficient when it was in fashion in the 80s. I had some myself. It was ubiquitous, everyone had it. I Still do, I painted the pine bed and furniture in the spare room, with chalk paint a few years ago and looks lovely still. It’s good solidly made furniture and we have had it about 20 odd years.

my in-laws are the same, they have lots of pine furniture, bed side tables, beds, coffee table, dining table, chairs, bookshelf etc and it will see them out, as most wooden furniture would. It is still absolutely fit for purpose, but I do think it makes their home look very dated, they hold the same view it’s fit for purpose. My husband also has the same view, but I don’t, so the pine coffee table and our bed/drawers etc went a long time ago.

I do wonder if it will ever come back in fashion, most things do. But I guess it’s been about 30 or 40 years now so maybe not. Usually folks upcycle it now, as it’s so easy to do with some chalk paint and wax. Or you can snd and lime /white wash and make it look like pale oak. It’s more the orange tones I think that are the issue, that and often a sort of country style to it.

henlake7 · 26/04/2024 10:47

I have one wall that was panelled in that orange 1970s pine when I moved in, I just painted it cream and left it.
Im going to get the room replastered in the next year and TBH I think Im gonna leave my panelled wall and just give it a fresh coat of paint instead! I quite like it.

oh, also bare floorboards in the bedrooms....and not nice, finished floorboards. Just old, paint spattered ones. I just kinda like that shabby chic, bare plaster, unfinished look.

Chewbecca · 26/04/2024 11:48

Things I am keeping in my house that the MN Massiv would have condemned:
Carpets (almost) everywhere - they're warm and comfy
Big squishy leather recliner sofa - really comfy
Conservatory - warm and lovely to sit in (for about half the year).

It's all about the comfort.

RampantIvy · 26/04/2024 13:39

You have given me some great ideas for upcycling our old fashioned pine furniture @Lampslights . Thank you.

Aroundthefur · 26/04/2024 19:40

No fancy Ring football here; we have the original Bakelite 1934 chime doorbell for our front and back entrance and it is my pride and joy;

Original lead light single glazed stained glass windows;

40 year old wooden kitchen and similar age bathroom. We will replace at some point but the bath we have is the comfiest I’ve ever been in!

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