Friday 10 February 2012

My living room.





I have finally got some photos to share of my living room as it is now.


This is a photo from the original estate agent:



Quite plain and very much a blank canvas.

This next is my own photo on the day I moved in:


And here is when I had stripped all the embossed wallpaper off the walls.



Here is how it looks now:







I have spent very little on it as all the furniture was mine already, I am lucky that I have collected nice furniture over the years, almost all second hand, with the exception of the sofa really. The curtains were a moving in present from my parents. I still have not had the windows and front door done (as you can see from the paint splattered front door) but that will be fairly soon. I would like a rug, because the floor is very cold (badly fitted carpet onto concrete with no underlay) but I will just keep my eyes open for a second hand one somewhere, sometime.

So approximately £40 on paint, £20 on a curtain pole (got discounted because it is missing a finial which I will have to add at a later date) and £29 for central light fitting and bulbs.

Total cost to me: £89 although £20 of that paint was woodwork paint which has done every room in the house, not just this one.


Here are a couple of pictures of my hall, very difficult to photograph well because it is very small and my camera is very crap, also had no before pictures, but like everything else, the walls were pale with embossed wallpaper and the woodwork was painted dark brown.



I have gone for the bold red because it makes a small, dull room a bit interesting and looks nice with my old black and white family photos and art deco lamp.
Total cost, £14 for paint.





26 comments:

  1. It all looks lovely and that red hall is very welcoming. Looking forward to seeing more as you get it finished.

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  2. It's looking fantastic - love the natural light streaming in the window!

    And the red hall is a brilliant background for your black and white pics.

    You have worked very hard, and it shows - even down to the newly painted white doors and frames. Well done :)

    Your house is now your home - I can imagine how wonderful that feels.

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  3. that sofa needs a dog on it!
    like the french sign too!!!

    havent sent your spoon prize yet, will do monday!

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  4. Beautiful job decorating. I especially like the red hall, most are dull but not yours.

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  5. That is lovely! What a comfortable and beautiful place you've created.

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  6. Love the colors! The red is really bold and a nice touch. That's something I miss at our farmhouse, there is actually no hallway, ha. Anyway, love the living room as well, the color in there is a nice contrast. Well done!!!

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  7. Know what you mean about carpet laid direct onto concrete. All ours were when we moved in, except for sheets of newspaper underneath! As we have replaced the carpets (twice now - hoping these might be our last lot) we have paid for better and better underlay as well as carpets. Feel much better now. Like your lounge, our dining room has 3 internal doors and an external patio door. Makes it very hard to decide what to do with it.

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  8. wow that looks brilliant, all your hard work is paying off, it looks like a lovely home :)

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  9. Looks lovely, amazing what you can do with a lick of paint. I want to see the view from that big patio door window. Please :o)

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  10. It definitely looks like home now. Love the red walls with your family photos. We have a red carpet in the hall and on the stairs which we have decided we are going to live with as it just needs a good clean - now I just have to plan my colour scheme around it!

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  11. It looks very nice and welcoming - you have worked hard - Lots of Luck in your new home

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  12. I really like the red too. Can't wait to decorate my own place one day! :) Love the look of that sofa! :)

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  13. Well done. What a transformation. I love the red in the hall - very welcoming.
    Love from Mum
    xx

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  14. Glad you all like it, I am very happy with my work, especially that none of it cost much. I would always rather just work very hard than ever to pay for something, why pay someone to do something you could do yourself, and why should I pay a fortune in somewhere like John lewis for, say, my light, when the one I bought after really shopping around only cost a few pounds.
    Ilona, this is the view from the patio doors:
    http://frugalityuk.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-live-in-such-beautiful-place.html

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    1. Don't know how I missed that, a view to die for. Can I come and stay please, and take a walk up that mountain :-))

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  15. Agree with John, black lab would look ever so smart on your sofa...;-). My mum would love you, before she fell ill she was the bargain queen. M&S only got her cash when they marked stuff down to three quid or less. I once really liked a quilt set from Dorma but never got it cause it was so expensive, should have seen my face one day when I visited and saw the quilt on her washing line, she had picked it up for a few quid in a charity shop, amazing. Now I have the thrifty bug. Good job fella on your DIY.

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  16. It all looks amazing and done on a budget is even better.

    What a great new life you are destined for, can't wait to see photos of you out and about!

    Oh and I've TAGGED YOU!

    Sft x

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  17. Lovely job!! Well done, and I hope you can be very happy in your new home.

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  18. WOW. Love it. I absolutely love seeing before & after pics. This was such a treat to read tonight.

    Well done to you.

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  19. Oh that looks lovely, fresh and clean and bright. Lots of work but totally worth it.

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  20. It all looks lovely, Dan. I love the contrast between the red wall and the monochrome photographs. x

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    1. Thank you! Everyone seems to love the red hallway. I must say, so do I.
      Dan

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  21. Your living room looks ace. And there are endless things you can do with it if you want to make some changes in the future. I also love the red hall and I am going to keep in mind what you said about bold colours making small, dull rooms interesting.


    Go Electrical

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    1. I am glad you like it, check out my kitchen in todays post.

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