Tuesday 22 July 2008

Changing Rooms - Credit Crunch Style!!

So, here I continue, with my great big two fingers up at Brown, Bush, oil giants etc!

When we moved into our house, about 5 1/2 years ago, we had a lot of plans for it. The main one being an extension to make it into a 4 bedroom with playroom/study etc. This would then lead to the kitchen being done, that blooming blue stairs carpet being ripped out etc etc! We decided that once I went back to work and started teaching and we had 2 wages again and both kids at school, we would go ahead with it. Hmmm, that's before oil prices sky rocketed, the housing market slumped and when you could actually buy a loaf of bread for under £1! So, needless to say, the extension has been put on hold until the financial climate improves, or both kids move out and we no longer need a bigger house! Your guess is as good as mine as to which will come first!

Anyway, I've decided that, as new kitchens etc are a bit of a luxury, I'm going to make small improvements to the house and spruce it up a bit. We started a couple of weeks ago by giving Xander a big boy bedroom (see here). This week, it's been the turn of our room and Emily's 'house'!

Rob built Emily a playhouse in the garden a couple of years ago and I've been meaning to get her some curtains for it so it looks like a proper little abode! Anyway, at the weekend I blitzed it (seemed to have turned into a bit of a store room!) and debated the curtains. Now, traditional fabric curtains would look good, but not very practical over the Winter (I can just imagine the foisty smell next Spring!), so I came up with this ingenious idea for water proof curtains. Take 1 kids party table cloth (plastic not paper), cut it up, grap a staple gun and voila! Instant make-over for the bargain price of £2.49!!



Next came our bedroom. We've never done much with it as we'd planned on a nice shiny new room with the aforementioned extension. Anyway, after over 5 years I was sick and tired of looking at it so, off I trot to B&Q, £20 and 2 rolls of funky chocolate (coloured not flavoured unfortunately!) wallpaper and here's our new bedroom! I did get very extravagant and buy 2 new cushions last night to match the paper, but, coming in at £27 in total, I think that's quite good and much cheaper than an extension!


So, we shall not be beaten, do you hear me Brown?! We the people will have shiny new houses no matter what, so nur!!

4 comments:

. said...

I've changed my mind about Friday. We're not coming to you. You're coming over here.... to revamp my house for a fiver!! :)

Great job on the make-overs hun. Especially loving the plastic play house curtains. I think I might have some of those for my room....now...where did I put that staple gun????

xMx

Unknown said...

What a great idea on those playhouse curtains!! I bet she loves them!

And it's probably a good thing that your bedroom wallpaper is not chocolate flavored. You'd probably get a bunch of weirdos in there trying to lick it, and you don't strike me as the type who wants all those extra people in there.

Rach said...

Blimey woman!!!!

I agree with Marie - on your way to her house can you call in to me and throw some paint at the walls please?!

xx

Lou said...

Marie - you know me, will do owt for a fiver! ;)

Jaime - they wouldn't get chance, would have eaten the entire wall myself within the first hour!

Rach - you have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and you need ME to throw paint at your walls?! :P

xx