How to Choose the Right Materials for Your RenovationDesigning the Most Functional Floor Plan: Renovation Tips That Work 62
How to Choose the Right Materials for Your RenovationDesigning the Most Functional Floor Plan: Renovation Tips That Work 62
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A few years ago, I stood in the passage and realized I was sick of it. Not in a dramatic kind of way. More like when you resent something slowly. Like cheap coffee, or a shirt that never quite fits.
It was claustrophobic, and there was this one bit where the paint peeled like old glue. Just a wall. But somehow it felt like it was part of the reason things felt wrong. Of what? No idea. Everything, maybe.
I didn't set out to redo the house. I planned to tidy up a bit. Maybe clean the skirting. Then I nudged some old panelling, and underneath… well. Orange and brown. Looked like it was straight out of the ‘70s. The kind of wallpaper that makes you step back.
And that's when things spiral. You fix one spot, and the house sighs like it was plotting.
Next thing I knew, I was arguing about things I'd never heard of. Caulking guns. I developed a taste for paint swatches. I joined forums like it was a sport. Still don't know why one caulking gun's $12 and another's $48, but I'll fight you over which is better.
But this wasn't just about fixing things. It was about realizing something didn't fit, and that I was done adjusting. I used to sidestep a creaky floorboard by the bathroom even after I fixed it. Muscle memory is stubborn like that.
Some days went well. Some didn't. I once installed a power point upside down and didn't notice for ages. Only realized it when my sister flipped it and asked why “off” turned the light *on*.
But that's how it goes. You curse, and then suddenly the space feels… yours. Not perfect. Not staged. But not borrowed anymore. That wall? Still narrow. And the paint line here by the stairs? Wobbly. But it's something I chose.
It's not about what your neighbour just did. It's about saying no to stuff that makes you sigh at 7am. If you hang the art too high, just call it character. That's what I do. Or at least that's what I tell guests.