Golden Christmas Decorations

Gold is one of the most traditional colours for Christmas, and sometimes I like to stick with tradition but with a little hint of the modern.  These are some of my favourite items available this Christmas.

Clock Bauble

Key Bauble

gold lights

Gold PIllar Candle

Gold Glass Bauble

Gold Tinsel

Deer Cushion

Gold Wire Bowl

NOEL sign

Mantel clock

Review: Neato Robotics XV Signature Pro Vacuum

Ever since I mentioned this product on Twitter I have had a lot of questions, also lots of friends and other people visiting my house asking about it so I thought I'd write a full review here and hopefully answer all the questions.  I feel this might be long so I'll try to break it up with headings.

I will probably use all the wrong terminology (and make some up) but this is a truly real review.  This is my experience of owning it and using it in my home.  I will give the pros and cons.

The Neato Robotics XV Signature Pro (named Shnuffles in my house) has been with us for about 3 months now.  I wasn't convinced at first, in fact I think I said I categorically didn't want or need it - so my husband went ahead and bought it.  It took about 20 minutes for me to fall wholly in love.

So, out of the box I think it needed to charge for a while then run it's battery right down a few times.  I remember the very first use only lasting half a room or so and I was on my way to putting it back in the box but after another charge it cleaned for ages and really can clean a whole 4 bed house between charges.

How I use it

It has a charging base plugged into the mains in the corner of my lounge, and that is where it lives.  When I am ready for it to clean a room I firstly tidy the floor.  This is only tidying in the same way as you would before any vacuuming or mopping, but paying extra attention to any cables that make be straggling as these can be problematic and I also tie up any long curtains so it can get under them.  

Once I'm ready, I press the 'on' button to wake it up and then the 'on' button again to set it going.  It leaves the base, and twirls, which I assume is scanning the room, it then sets off.  It follows a fairly logical route, it usually traces the outside of the room and then sets off back and forth up and down.  In a large room, it seems to divide the space and clean a section at a time and move on.  

Types of floor

I have hard floors downstairs in my house (Karndean) and it cleans them brilliantly, it really reaches to the edges and corners because of the 'D' shape.  The only other thing I do sometimes is to sweep up any crumbs from the very edge of under the sofa as it is too tall to get under the sofa and can't reach.  I do the same in any other tricky corners.  

I have a deep pile rug in the same room and it moves effortlessly from hard floor to rug and back and has no problems picking up crumbs etc from the deep pile.  

The only thing it struggles with in the downstairs of the house is the dining area (it can get lost in chair legs) so I tend to either lift the chairs or section it off (see later about sectioning).  This isn't really a con because its exactly the same with a regular vacuum or mop or brush.  It's just something to be aware of if you leave it to run unattended. 

Upstairs in my house is carpeted and it works really well, again in rooms with carpet and rugs its transitions seamlessly (and leaves fun patterns in the rug pile).  

I previously thought my house was clean, I vacuum, I dust; it's no show home but I thought it was pretty clean - until the first time the robot ran over the carpet.  The dirt bin was full of fluff and dust.  It was amazing/awful and I feel quite ashamed.  I ran the robot over each carpeted room 3 or 4 times until it stopped filling the dirt box.  My previous vacuum was one for cat and dog hair with a turning brush head so I thought it was doing a good job - apparently not!  The robot gives a seriously deep clean.

It doesn't do stairs (yes, someone asked) and while I do keep a baby gate across the top of the stairs to keep it safe, I did once forget and it didn't fall down the stairs.  Which I was so impressed and grateful for!

Sectioning

The Vacuum will clean everywhere it can get to until it finishes, is stopped, gets stuck or you section the area off.  The Pro model came with strips that you can lay on the ground to stop it, say to keep it away from some cables, or out of a room, away from something tall that may be knocked over, etc.  Saying knocked over is probably a bit misleading, the robot doesn't crash haphazardly round the room, but it does nudge right up to all the edges in order to clean to the edge so I think it could topple something with a really high centre of gravity.

In large areas it will section itself, and where it is doing several rooms round corners it will divide it into areas too, which can look really odd because it seems to start a room and then go away for a bit like it's bored. 

I find it sections downstairs which is fairly open easily but upstairs where there are more obstacles and a more divided layout with the bedrooms it is quite slow and I wonder if it ends up repeating itself.

Spot Cleaning

There is an option in  the menu for a spot clean which is where you take it to an area of mess and it cleans a rectangle of maybe 5ft by 3ft (ish) and is super useful for crumbs or other areas of mess, or if you don't have much time.  This is the best thing ever for the zone around where my 4 year old eats.

The Dirt Box and Filter

As I said above, this is a real eye-opener!  I empty the dirt box after every full house clean and clean the filter by brushing it over a bin.  It's really easy.  When the rug was brand new the dirt box did overflow with fluff and dirt so I had to empty mid job but other than that the dirt box is plenty big enough to hold a full clean, probably 2 or 3.

Problems

Nothing is perfect, there are only a couple of minor niggles, one being that sometimes it will find a space that is big enough to get into but not quite big enough to get out of.  A bit like a naughty cat.  When this happens, it can raise up to try to climb out but generally beeps until either you rescue it or it gives up and just runs out of battery.  Sometimes it gets its vision blocked by dust and needs to be cleaned and reset.  There are other issues that are user error, but like I said, Im a technophobe and shouldn't really expect it to charge up when the charging base was unplugged!!

Timer

The model I have (and I don't know about other models) has a timer, which can be programmed to clean once a day.  I was really impressed with this feature initially, but it didn't last long.  You either have to leave the house prepared (floor areas clear) if you want it to run while you are out or I found that I set it for the evening and it always set off when I was watching TV or had friends over.  I wouldn't want it to run at night as there is a chance it will get stuck and beep or make noise and wake me.  Thats just personal preference.

Does it save time?

So I've established that it does a good job, so the next important question is does it save time and the answer after 3 months is yes.  

In the first week or so, no, because you spend all the time watching it.  It is completely mesmerising, how it twirls and the zooms off, it never seems to take the same path twice but never misses anywhere.  Once that novelty has worn off, I set it going and get on with something else, sometimes I will set it off and go on the school run (it doesn't set the house alarm off) or sometimes I just get on with something else, whether that be cleaning the bathroom or working at my desk.

Summary

As I have carpeted stairs, this could never fully replace a vacuum for me.  It is in addition to a regular vacuum and as such the value is questionable.  It's never going to be a necessity, it's a luxury, it's a time-saver and it does a very good job.

Value your own house (UK)

It's something I think all home owners wonder, how much is the house worth, has it gone up or down in value?

There are of course websites (which I won't name) that claim to tell you the current value of every house based on formulas and rough market data.   I personally have never seen a correct one, but feel free to go off searching (and probably laughing).

There are some more accurate ways to find out the value and I'll try to explain the pros and cons of each.  

The truth is there is no real hard and fast way to value property.  As the saying goes, its only worth as much as someone is willing to pay and more importantly these days, as much as a bank is willing to lend on.

1.  What are similar houses on the market for?  Take this as a 'ball park figure' as situations and therefore prices vary but it will be a good idea of the value of the area.  Good schools can drive up prices, planning permission for a big development of new houses can bring down prices.

2. What did the similar houses in the street sell for?  The more specific the better for an accurate answer.  There are several websites that tell you sold house prices.  Beware that this information isn't completely accurate and not all sales seem to make it to the free websites and some figures are just wrong.  Rightmove is my favourite as it sometimes links photos of the property from when it was last on the market so you can see how similar a property is.  If you need to know the accurate figure that a property sold for, you can pay to find out from the land registry.  Zoopla sometimes shows the marketing price for a house alongside the sold price, which can be useful too.

Also remember that the sellers situation can affect price; sometimes properties are sold quickly e.g. after a divorce so the property sells for a bit less or maybe a house was part exchanged, this can give a false value.  Sometimes properties are bought cheaply because they need a lot of work and put back on the market, maybe for rent, and the 'done up' photos replace the old ones. 

3.  Ask a local agent.  Most estate agents offer free valuations with no obligation to put the property on the market.  I don't advocate wasting their time if you have zero intention of selling but definitely a good idea if you are thinking of selling in the not too distant future.  Agents have access to much more detailed information about local properties, such as what price they were marketed at, how long they were on the market and what price they sold for.

As a warning about agents, I once had a property valued by 4 agents (all on the same day so nothing at all changed).  The valuations were...£165,000 £190,000 £200,000 and £215,000.  It was marketed at £190,000 and a sale proceeded at just over £185,000 and a surveyor for the lender was happy.  I don't believe a surveyor would have agreed much over £195,000, and would have laughed at £215,000. Remember that if your buyer can't get a mortgage, chances are they can't buy your house!

4.  Ask a surveyor.  This option costs (unless you know a surveyor) and can cost a few hundred pounds.  The funny thing about surveyors, is the their fee depends on the value of the property, so at the start of the conversation you tell them the value and 9 times out of 10, their value comes back the same.  It's like magic!!  Obviously sometimes they will find a problem such as damp or subsidence and reduce the value dramatically.

With a bit of detective work and a sprinkling of common sense, you can work out what your house is worth.  Remember that there is no set formula.  If you can't compare like for like in your area, take the closest you can and add or subtract value.  For example, a bigger garden, an extra bedroom (as long as it is a good size), downstairs toilet would almost always add value, a tired kitchen or no garage would have less value than a similar one that did.

Country Cottage Mood Boards

Country cottage style is something I've always loved but never had a property that would match.  This is a scheme that I would use if I had a county cottage.

This is a bright and fairly neutral take on a country cottage, since cottages are typically quite dark, keeping the decor light and bright is important.  It has clean lines with rustic accents.

Autumn Accents

I am loving this season change from Summer to Autumn and feel ready to change up my decor to reflect it.  Obviously I'm not going to make major changes for every season but it occurred to me a few years ago that we have decorations that we bring out for December, but why only December?!  I'm not talking about anything so major as Christmas trees but a few changes to make the decor feel new are always nice.

For me, Autumn is about getting the candles and snuggly blankets out and getting ready for winter.  It's a time for eating home made soup by the fire.  I just love it!

Thinking about how few autumn decorations I have (by now I am usually fully focussed on Christmas) I thought I'd put together a few ideas for Autumn Accents.

This is just a selection of items from a wander around the internet.  I feel like October time is a good time to introduce a few gold cushions - they can stay right through to Christmas (or all year if you don't get easily bored of decor like me) and keep you safe from of terracotta and orange overload.

Of course with Autumn comes harvest and Halloween so I like this reference to a pumpkin (available on etsy).  As I said before I love candles and blankets.  I also think that changing up the artwork would be fun and a good chance to get the kids involved.

I fell in love with Autumnal wreaths but I'm not sure the UK is on board with wreaths for anything other than Christmas.  I might be standing a wreath up beside my fireplace rather than on my front door!!

Disney Snow White themed home office

Heigh-ho-heigh-ho it's off to work we go so it might as well be reminded of Snow White. 

Halloween - Disney Style

Yes, it's still September and Halloween is over a month away but the Parks have started Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Parties, which means the decorations are up and I just love them.

If you follow me on Twitter you'll know that I've love all the seasons but I've been longing for crunchy leaves and chunky jumpers for a few weeks now, so I'm ready to embrace Autumn and Halloween.

I only decorate my own house for Halloween on the day. I know in other parts of the world decorations for Halloween are more like decorations for Christmas and go up weeks in advance but my neighbours would just think I was confused or really strange.

On this basis, I don't want to spend too much money on something that only comes out once a year although I found these lights on the Disney Store (US) website and I love them. Plus, I've just found a way to get them shipped to the UK - this is dangerous and certainly going to mean a lot of online shopping. 

I especially like these because they look so friendly, having a small child, I don't want Halloween to be too scary. 

Another favourite activity to Disneyfy (is that a word??) is pumpkin carving.  There are lots of fab templates and stencils out there and I've tried a few.  This one is definitely my favourite.  This was last years effort.  I also did Mickey and Minnie but they didn't turn out too well.

I also have a bit of a cheat which is a Jack Skellington tea light holder.  It comes out every year (about 5 years now) and it so much less time, effort and mess than a pumpkin.  

A little flower arranging weekend

This past weekend was the local village fair and I like to support it by entering a couple of flower arrangements.  So, I thought I'd share some photos of them here.

The first category was arrangement for a wedding, this was mine, a rose topiary ball mounted on a champagne bottle.  I won't do a full tutorial but I'll go through it quickly.  

This is a 16cm topiary oasis, I found the bottle I wanted to use, but for stability I had to mount the ball on sticks which went into the bottle. (Special thanks to my dad for drinking the contents of the bottle so that I could use it - what a hero!!!).  I added the foliage (and I should know what it is, but it was just a plant in the garden) I added roses all over mixing the colours and then filled the gaps with a little gypsophila.  I stuck labels over the bottle to show a table number and date.

The slight shock was how many roses it required - 60 small rose heads went into this one ball! 

A few people asked me about the costs to make at the show so I'll try to break that down.
Oasis - £5 (think this was discounted)
Roses - £12 (6 packs from supermarket)
Gypsophila £1.50 but only used about half
Foliage - free from the garden
Sticks - £1
Bottle - had already but I know you can buy empty bottles online or buy a drink you happen to like
TOTAL: £17.50 excluding bottle, which isn't bad as DIY for a wedding.

The next category I chose to enter was a flower arrangement depicting a song.  Here is mine.....guess the song.

 Got it?  Here is a little close up that might help!

It's "We're Off to See the Wizard" more commonly known as "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" from the Wizard of Oz (helpfully the category was depict a song, not song title, so I got away with it).  

The yellow roses to depict the yellow road, the foliage at the back (with leaf shine although that doesn't really show in the photo) to represent the emerald city and red shoes as an extra clue that Dorothy might be visiting.

My favourite part of this, of course, is the red shoes.  Although they were by far the most difficult part.  My daughter refused to donate any of her dolls shoes, so I bought a doll (shhhh, daughter will be getting a shoeless doll from Christmas) and tried to coat them in PVA ready for glitter.  This is where I learnt that plastic doll shoes are totally repellant to PVA glue. Even after thorough soapy washing and even after submerging in glue, it just ran straight off.  So being the girl that I am, got some hairspray from my bag and that stuck the glitter on.  Hairspray worked brilliantly and I did a couple of coats to make sure it was truly covered.  I used a hot glue gun to stick cocktail sticks to the shoes to secure them to the arrangement.

I was super pleased that these both won first prize in their category and the Yellow Brick Road one won Best in Show. It's only a small village show but it's still always nice to win something.

Disney Mickey and Minnie Wedding Cake Topper

This isn't related to construction or interiors. but it is Disney and cake.  What better for a Friday afternoon??  This is a Mickey and Minnie Wedding Cake Topper and I adore it.

It is a customised replica of this photo frame holder that came from Disneyland Paris (not sure if it is still available but similar items with the characters in wedding attire are still online).  The bakery took the photo holder and made this amazing topper.  Changing just a few details like the colour of the dress and recreating the back without the large heart.

I think the cake is a balance of Disney (I mean the mice are pretty obvious) but not too OTT with the simple ivory icing below rather than trying to over-theme it with carriages and castles.  Im not sure if the detail is really clear on the photo I have but the top and bottom tiers are plain and the middle one has the delicate lace detail from the brides dress.

                 

 




If you are interested to know where this was made please feel free to message me.

Choosing new flooring

To set the scene, this house is a 4 year old new build with new build carpets (in case you haven't ever experienced this delight.....it is cheap carpet thrown on top of whatever surface was left - in this case, it was cracked, plaster splashed dusty and dirty concrete).  4 years of prams, dogs, visitors and the joys of dirt from the building site outside on poor quality carpet wasn't great.  

It's a shame I can't show how it started out, even if I had a photo, it would never be a fair side by side comparison so just imagine showhouse cream carpet - after 4 years and countless attempts at cleaning, this was the very sad result.  

Stained, bubbled, awful.  It had to go, it was unsafe and unhygienic.

The final decision after months of samples and discussion was vinyl tiles.  

I know the price is high, and ridiculously high depending where you go (but more of that later) but it also comes with a 15 year guarantee for commercial use and I believe a lifetime guarantee for domestic use so it's clearly robust.  I know from experience that any freak damage can be rectified by removing and replacing tiles - not easy, but possible.  When you compare the initial cost with the cost of probably replacing the other types of flooring over 15 or more years, the figures are easier to handle.

In the end, the decision between Amtico and Karndean came down to colour, I wanted something a bit darker in a wood effect and the one that suited the best was Karndean Rubra (WP316 if you are interested).

The cost....this was an adventure!  I went to several suppliers and the costs varied by £2000.  In the end, I was lucky enough to have worked with a flooring contractor in the past who was able to do it for a sensible price.  Although I had a previous connection, this wasn't 'mates rates', it just wasn't the ridiculous mark up that the shops added.

The result -  It's a bit controversial in that the direction is technically wrong, the main living room should run away from the door and not across it and unlike most vinyl tile floors it doesn't have a border.  This is purely because I wanted the flooring to flow through the whole ground floor, which it does.  Plus, with such wide planks (36"x6") the border would either have to be cut down (extra labour costs) or make the hall really narrow.

Some more photos to show the flow between rooms and the detail.  It's been down for a few weeks now and so far so good.  I'll come back with an update if I fall anymore in love or if any problems crop up.

Disney (UK) Homeware Lustings

After spending far too long procrastinating on the Disney Store website, I wanted to put together a list of 'Homeware Lustings'.

First up is a range that fits my love of Minnie and would be perfect in my kitchen, which already has red accents. 

Disneyland Paris Minnie Mouse Spot Bow Serving Dish £14

The rest of the range is just as cute.  I love them all.

Now for something a little more subtle.  I love this heat proof mat, because at first glance it is just pretty tiles.  Its only when you look a little closer that you see the Mickey Heads. Sadly, I don't have anywhere where this would fit.

Disneyland Paris Azul Collection Heat Proof Mat £10

And to finish the kitchen theme, this is something I already have.  I love it so much that I wanted to share it now it is back in stock.

Disneyland Paris Mickey and Minnie Mouse Ice Cube Tray £5

I do use it to make ice, but it also makes great small chocolates and gift sized soap moulds.  Unlike some moulds you can buy it is quite sturdy so doesn't need putting on a separate tray and doesn't spill when you are carrying it.

And finally, because maybe if I wish upon a star.....

Arribas Jewelled Collection, Cinderella Castle Large Figurine £4,900

I'll just keep wishing. Comment below if you also lust after these items or if you have any already.

Choosing an Estate Agent (UK)

My advice here is based on my own experience and probably only applies to the UK.  This advice is mainly based on office based agents but may apply to internet agents too - I may do a separate post later on internet only agents.

Choosing an estate agent is really important and can be really tricky.  For most people, its something you only have to do a few times in a lifetime so it can be a bit of a mystery.

Meet several agents 

My training as a quantity surveyor taught me to always get at least 3 prices for everything and choosing an agent is no different.  I usually invite 3 or 4 local agents to view the property.  Just call their office and they will be happy to come and value your property, this should be free.  

Prepare your home to the best it can look, this is going to be the time that the agent decided on a value, so do everything you can to make a great impression.

Let them know that you are meeting several agents, healthy competition never hurts to get the best possible fee!  I am obsessed with punctuality, so when an agent turned up 45 minutes late to an appointment I told him on the doorstep that I wouldn't be needing his services.  Imagine if he turned up 45 minutes late to meet someone who wanted to view the property?!

Having said that, be aware that the person who comes out to value your property is probably not the person who would accompany viewings so don't base your decision on that one person (this is a reason I like to visit offices - I see all the staff).

Do your homework

Look up what is on the market in your area at the moment, which agents have properties under offer? This isn't always fair as some properties are just tricky to sell and it ins't really the agents fault, but look broadly and you will get an idea of who is selling lots in your area and who has properties on the market but isn't selling them.

Check where the agents office is, although a lot is done on the internet now, if your property is in the window of a local agency it may just catch someones eye.  It is also easier for you to pop in and check on progress.  I like to take a personal approach when I can rather than phoning. 

Also do your homework to find out the value you should expect, what have neighbours homes sold for (Rightmove have a sold houses section on their website).  Beware that sold house information is 4-6 months behind and isn't always 100% accurate. 

My experience has been that an agent will usually recommend a much higher sale price than the others - tempting isn't it? Very tempting, until 2 weeks into the contract and they call you to advise you to decrease it, and even if you are lucky enough to get an offer, remember that a surveyor has to agree to it (unless you have a cash buyer).  

Surveyors tend to use local sold prices for their valuation, so say your neighbours split up/lost their jobs and had to sell quickly at a low price, that will more than likely bring your price down to a surveyor too - it's wrong but it happens and it can end your sale if the mortgage figures don't work out.

Fees

I can't speak for the whole country as I know fees vary from agency to agency and area to area.  You will usually find local agents are similar - they all know what each other are offering (and they will probably ask you too).  

Recently I have been offered fees of around 1%+VAT but I usually try to negotiate it down to 0.8%+VAT.  Some agents offer "free legal" with a fixed fee, ask a local conveyancing solicitor for their fees to see if this is really a good deal - this will vary on the value of your property so I can't start estimate this fee.  Also remember that this legal fee may only be the solicitors time and not include any of the necessary searches which form a large part of the legal fee.

Viewings

Do you want to do viewings yourself or have the agent do them?  There are pro's and con's to both. 

I personally sway towards vendor viewing being better as the vendor can talk about the local area, the neighbours, what its really like to live there, etc that the agent might not know.  Also, depending on the agent, they may not be free to book in viewings for a few days, a vendor may be free sooner.

However, if you are not completely comfortable, I would really recommend letting the agent do them, you don't want to put potential buyers off with your nervousness.

**edited to add: if you are letting an agent do viewings, make sure they will be able to fit them in speedily.  Recently I have been having to wait over a week to view a property, and if that is yours, theres a chance I'll find something different while I'm waiting.**

If you are lucky enough to get a second viewing, have information such as council tax, water rates, any other local information available as you will probably be asked, you want to appear to be as helpful as possible.

Contract

I think most agents tie you into to only being with them for 12 weeks, I try to get this shortened to 6 or 9 as it means I don't waste too much time if it doesn't work out.

Get Ready

Get the photos and description written and make sure you are completely happy before they go online, "there's no such thing as a second first impression".  Many people looking for property will be looking daily or even have alerts set up so you can expect lots of initial interest.

Make sure that you are free for viewings (whether you are doing them yourself or an agent is doing them).  If you have extended family coming to stay for a week for example, it might be best to hold off until they have gone and you have the house back to normal.

Also know that as soon as the information hits the internet people may be walking/driving past so make sure the front of the house looks great, keep an eye on litter, weeds, anything else that might put people off.

Good Luck

At the end of the day, selling houses is all about finding the right person willing the pay the right price.  There is a lot of luck involved as well as doing everything you can to have the best chance.  Try not to get too disheartened if you don't get an offer immediately, it's just a tough process.

Can you stop property tourists?

I wrote 2 years ago (here) about property tourists.  These are the people who aren't content with having a nosy on the internet and have to visit a property in person even though they aren't going to buy it.

This popped up for me recently for a couple of reasons.  A few days ago, I was in the hairdresser and chatting to a lady beside me about plans for the weekend and she mentioned she was going to view a property (she didn't know me or what I do - I don't think).  So I continued the conversation to ask what area, etc and I couldn't believe it when she said she wasn't really moving, she was just looking for design ideas.  Now let me pause for breath for a moment. Design ideas??  You are wasting someones time (I estimate it takes about 3 hours to prepare for a viewing on average) and invading their personal space because you can't be bothered to google some design ideas or hire a designer.  I'm sorry, I just don't think thats ok.

I feel like show-houses are slightly different, unless you deliberately waste the sales assistants time, it isn't really too bad.  Although so many photos are on the internet now that there isn't really any need to see it in real life if you aren't interested in buying.

I have Summer Terrace on the market, which is probably why this is so personal to me at the moment, and I have had several viewings, or to be accurate, several appointments to view and some people who bothered to turn up.  

As a vacant property it is less of a burden to me when people don't turn up, I waste an hour maybe, but I know now to expect it and take some work with me to do so I don't waste time waiting for someone who doesn't show.  

So if you are selling, how can you prevent a property tourist wasting your time?  Well, the truth is you can't 100%, but there are a few things you can do to help.

• Pre-checkthe viewers - Talk to your agent about your concerns, it isn't uncommon to refuse to let someone view who isn't in a position to proceed - either under offer on their own property (and check that) or have funds in place (the agent can check that too).  It is a bit of a risk to not let people view, but a good agent should be able to weed out the less serious enquirers.

• Quality over Quantity - Some agents go for quantity over quality, so if you do book a viewing and the agent is going to handle it for you, my advice is to stay local and spy.  It sounds a bit crazy, but you will be able to see if the viewers look genuine or if they are wasting your time. 

• Do viewings yourself - There are some people who aren't deliberately wasting time, they are genuinely undecided on moving.  My experience has been that people are less likely to book a viewing that they aren't sure about if it is the vendor showing them the property.  I guess it's a bit of a safety blanket of meeting an agent and remaining anonymous to the vendor, so consider that as an option if you feel able to present the viewing yourself.

Minnie Mouse (Red) Bedroom

This week I wanted to put together a Minnie Mouse themed bedroom, once again, nothing too permanent and for an older Disney fan.  There are loads of Minnie Mouse bedroom furnishings for children, but I wanted something less childish. To avoid the more childish designs I stuck to the red and white outfit rather than the pink outfit that Minnie wears sometimes.

I think there are some brilliant quotes associated with Walt Disney and from the films, perfect for a teen or young adult to be inspired by.  These look great framed and again, cheap and easily changed.

The dressing table is plain white but I would replace the knobs with cute red and white polkadot ones for a Minnie themed room - available in DIY stores or online quite cheaply.

While my husband would argue that a Dooney & Bourke bag isn't really a bedroom necessity........I'll leave that decision to the girls!

Alice in Wonderland (Girly Tea Party) Bedroom

I took the theme of Alice in Wonderland, but the more I thought about it, the more it could be a bit scary.  Instead, I decided to take reference from the blue white and black from Alice's outfit but have a girly and more whimsical tea party theme.  I find this happens sometimes in designs around characters, thats why the characters are an inspiration point but not integral to every part of the scheme.  I find it important to remember these designs are for homes to live in, not theme parks or hotels to visit.

The art work and clock not only balance out the pastel colours, but also clarify to the Alice in Wonderland reference.

The other items are a tea party themed fabric for the curtains, pretty garden tea party bunting and tea cup and teapot themed accessories.  As always, being a boring realist, the furniture is quite plain and will adapt to any change in theme.

Disney Mickey Mouse Theme College Room

This themed room is for a room where you can't make permanent changes, maybe rented or college room.  To hand art or even the clock, look no further than 3M Command strips. 

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Summer Terrace - before and afters

For someone who once worked as a photographer, I'm now rubbish at remembering to take photos.

Here are the few I can find.

I've probably included the kitchen loads but here it is from start to finish.

Most of the other rooms look like they haven't changed (as i talked about in a previous post just a like of paint?) The room with the biggest change is definitely the airing cupboard to shower room.

...which became...

                

 

I really wanted to stage this property but the advice of agents and what I have been seeing is that properties in the area are selling empty at the moment and I don't want the extra expense and hassle if it isn't necessary.  However watch this space, I may change my mind.

Summer Terrace - well that took longer than expected....

So there has been a definite lack of updates - I'm sorry. Also at this point I'd like to add a disclaimer that this is probably a pretty grim read, it's just brutally honest.  I will do another post with the after photos and a summary of the progress to get it finished.

I have now finished the project and it is on the market, in total it took 7 months although for at least 3 months nothing at all happened and then it was very much part time.

It was tough, tougher than any other projects I've done and I'm not completely sure why but I'll try to gather my thoughts below.  

My previous solo renovation project was a pretty painful experience overall.  I was led by advice which turned out to be not that great.  I went through several sales that broke down for various reasons and it was really tough.  

It happens, it wasn't necessarily that I'd done anything wrong (maybe a couple of things I'd change in hindsight but nothing major) and the market wasn't great.  In summary, it was just a bit (lot) rubbish as an experience and left me questioning if I should carry on or just take the easier route and get a 'proper' job.

Anyway, jump forward a year or so and after some smaller design jobs I had some confidence back and started hunting for a new project.  Which was also much harder this time.  I do limit myself by location but I feel like all the renovation projects are priced so highly these days (and good luck to them - I get it - just from my point of view it isn't great).

I found this house and it was good on paper, I knew it wasn't great, but good is better than nothing.

With the knock to my confidence I found myself second guessing every decision and I think that is why it took so long to get started.  No matter what design decisions I make, they will be right for some people and wrong for others, I'll never forget one time when a viewer told me they didn't like gas fires and would have to rip out the brand new (not cheap) fire and replace it with electric.  I guarantee if I had put in an electric fire someone else would want to replace it with gas.  I can't always win, but then I can't leave it with nothing.

The market still isn't great and agents are estimating 3-6 months for a sale so it will be around a year from start to finish even if things go well.  And thats before I even get started on the viewings that didn't turn up or the cheeky downright rude offers that people think its ok to put forward.

I do wonder if buy to sell is over for me, I guess I'll wait and see what the future holds.

Sorry for the depressing nature of this, I'll get myself back to some happy Disney designs soon.

Tiling DIY - Tiling around a pipe

In a bid to save some money on my latest project, I am tackling the tiling myself, I have learnt a lot over the last few days and I thought I would share some of what I have learnt incase you are going to give tiling a go.

I have 3 rooms to tile, bathroom (onto existing walls), shower room (onto new plasterboard) and kitchen splash backs (onto fresh plaster).

You notice I included the surfaces that the tiles are going on to......I previously didn't really think this was important. After 2 days of trying to level tiles around lumps and bumps, I can say it is important.

Tip 1:  Preparation is key - trying to make tiles look level and straight while negotiating bumps that turn tiles into seesaws is not fun....and ultimately doesn't look good.  Sand or scrape away any imperfections or previous tile adhesive.  Check the walls are level - mine weren't.  You might have to compensate for walls that aren't square and this is easier to do if you can anticipate it.

Tip 2:  Mark out the tile positions before you start.  There are hundreds of tutorials about different ways to set out tiles around windows, showers, etc so I'm not going into that here.  What I found helpful (although a little time consuming) was a pencil in on the walls the first row or section of tiles to check that there weren't any odd shaped end tiles, it also gave me a good grasp on how many full tiles I could do in a run before stopping to cut a tile.  As a non-professional, I am not quick enough to cut a tile while there is adhesive on the wall without it drying out.  Also I was able to make some complicated cuts easier by where in the tile they landed - see below!

Tip 3:  Use fresh adhesive.  This one sounds a bit funny, but I chose to use ready mixed adhesive (because life is complicated enough already) and I had a tub left over from a previous job.  My money saving instinct kicked in and used that up first.  It wasn't until I finished that and opened a fresh tub that I realised how much easier to use the new one was.  Yes it's obvious now but I thought I could save some £££'s.

Tip 4:  Find a friend.  Unless you are a pro, I really don't think this is a one man/woman job,  we got into a rhythm of one putting on the adhesive while the other cuts and sticks on tiles.  It worked really well, although typically areas to be tiled are quite small, so make sure its a good friend!!

Tip 5:  Electric (wet) cutter AND manual cutter:  In the DIY store the assistant tried to talk me into just buying the electric cutter and saving money by not using a manual one.  I ignored the advice and I'm so glad I did.  I find the electric one terrifying (I value all of my fingers) and maybe its just me but I also find it quite slow.  The manual cutter is a cut and crack (probably not the technical terms) and ready to go.  The electric one also has it's place.  There are cuts you just can't make manually, unless you have some super skills I'm not aware of.

Which brings me to cutting tiles to fit round a pipe.

In the bathroom I was tackling today I had 2 pipes to contend with, toilet and sink.

The sink luckily fell into place on a join and as it will be forever hidden behind the sink, I just cut a square which I will seal with silicone.  The toilet, well the toilet tested every last ounce of patience I had - fortunately I had planned it to land in the centre of 2 tiles so it was 2 semi circles and not 1 circle. (see tip 2!)

Not only is it a super awkward place to get to (assuming the toilet pan is connected) but it's a circle, in tiles that like to break in straight lines. 

This is my step by step of how I did it - which may not be 'textbook' but it worked.

Step 1: Mark the circle.  This involved some close contact with the toilet pan so you might want to make sure its very clean.  I put tile tile up against the pipe and marked the top and bottom positions, then using a pipe of the same diameter (or you can use a compass - the one with a pencil for drawing circles - not the direction one) scribed the edge to weaken the tile.  I then used a pencil to draw in the line for my own benefit.

Step 2: Cutting it out:  Use the wet cutter to make lots of small straight cuts to the edge of the curve.  Not going to lie, this is quite difficult, as the water makes it difficult to see exactly where the curve is and where to stop.  Slow and steady is key.

Step 3: Break away the unwanted pieces.  Once you have all the little lines, use nippers or nibblers (depending where you are from) to literally snap out the sections.  As long as you are gentle they come away without breaking any further and leave you with a round curve which can be filed to a more precise shape. 

Once I had done one, I was able to use it as a template for the second, which made it much easier.

And ready to attach, 2 semi circles to fit around the pipe.  I can't get a photo of it in situ because of the angle, but I'm pleased with it anyway!!

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Summer Terrace - Days 13-21 - big change

In my last post I talked about the dark corridor and opening it up to let more light in.  I still wasn't completely happy with it.  I also wasn't happy with the bedroom next to the corridor, it was ok, but it was an odd shape and meant that furniture wouldn't really fit.
As you can see on the picture below, the top (as you look at the diagram) bedroom isn't furniture friendly.  The bed in the diagram is up against the window and radiator - not ideal - and it doesn't fit anywhere else.

To solve both problems, I decided to move the bedroom door - it's pretty drastic but it will make the house so much more user friendly.  In the picture below, you can see the other problem with moving the door, the stairs are in the way.  So in a major change, having taken the wall down to open up the stairs, I changed the layout of the bottom of the stairs and the moved the door to the bedroom.

So...the changes....

The new stair layout.

Look how much space it saves!  They are still really big steps, I was worried but I've run up and down them many times and not missed the turn at all.

The result - extra light and a better layout. I'm really pleased.

before plaster

I've lost track of days now, I'm not completely sure what day of the week it is, but here is that same view after plastering and a first coat of paint.  It will have spotlights when it's done to add even more light when required - previously there were only 2 wall lights for this whole corridor area.  It feels much wider now.

Look at all that light!

looking up to the top floor (the loft floor)

looking down from the top floor 

I can't find a 'before' for this angle, but believe me, it was very dark with the solid wall and very little natural light coming in.


The bedroom which had the door moved has completely changed too, but that room is currently full of bathroom furniture and tiles so I'll have to wait to add photos of that change.