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Show us yer house and house-related meddlings

Am considering changing the layout of my study. This is the current layout which I set up in a rush after I’d moved in.

View attachment 359930

The fan sits on a Kallax 2x 2 storage thingy. This and the other kallax 1x4 I would sell or use somewhere else.

Replacing with a corner unit Billy bookcase and a second Billy bookcase to allow for future storage needs. The storage boxes currently in the kallax would then fit on top.

Then is to put the desk in front of the window, rotating it 90 degrees clockwise as it fits neatly between the shelves and the

The only issue I can foresee is that I would lose access to a pair of plug sockets behind a bookcase (they’re currently behind one of the kallax) but figure I can get round this with an extension lead with individual switches and use a holesaw on the bookcase backboard to allow access to the socket.

I just need to pick a weekend to do all of this when I won’t be doing overtime!
Comfy looking chair there, better than the one I have
 
Well I’ve moved around my office and the £180 on shelves, bracket and a new extension cable feels like money well spent. I had hoped to finish it at the weekend but I felt pretty rough so didn’t do much.

Bookcases are now built and sitting in their metal bracket feet to make the corner. To be attached at the top and then fastened to the wall later in the week. The left one doesn’t seem to be stand quite flush at the top as the others do which I think must be the floor being a bit uneven. Oh well.
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Quite hard to photograph the room but for an 180x 230cm space which I spend 40 hours or so a week in I am quite happy. A lot of extra storage space created and it also feels less cramped

I’ve ended up losing access to two sockets by putting the bookcases where they are. I debated drilling through the particleboard of the bookcase with a hole saw to give myself access to the socket for switching on and off but in the end decided it would be more practical to use an individually switched extension cable running out of one of the sockets.

Should I need to change a fuse or get the socket rewired then it means removing a bookcase but that shouldn’t be necessary very often, once a decade maybe.
 
It's another "what should I do with these cupboards" post.

What should I do with these cupboards? This room is destined to be a combined office and sewing room when I've finished clearing it, but was originally a bedroom so has a lot of built in cupboards. I was tempted to take them out as they rather dominate the room but actually they will be useful in a sewing room.

I thought of painting them, with some kind of decoration in the currently hessian covered centre panels 🤔 The hessian definitely has to go.

Also, talk to me about floorboard sanding...

A row of panelled wooden cupboards
 
It's another "what should I do with these cupboards" post.

What should I do with these cupboards? This room is destined to be a combined office and sewing room when I've finished clearing it, but was originally a bedroom so has a lot of built in cupboards. I was tempted to take them out as they rather dominate the room but actually they will be useful in a sewing room.

I thought of painting them, with some kind of decoration in the currently hessian covered centre panels 🤔 The hessian definitely has to go.

Also, talk to me about floorboard sanding...

View attachment 363447
Another vote for cupboard-keeping. Sanding floors is a piece of piss, hire sander, follow instructions from hirer, empty bag regularly. I think you're meant to sand diagonally at first to ensure all boards are level or something, I didn't and was still pleased with the result. Will you be varnishing ?
 
It's another "what should I do with these cupboards" post.

What should I do with these cupboards? This room is destined to be a combined office and sewing room when I've finished clearing it, but was originally a bedroom so has a lot of built in cupboards. I was tempted to take them out as they rather dominate the room but actually they will be useful in a sewing room.

I thought of painting them, with some kind of decoration in the currently hessian covered centre panels 🤔 The hessian definitely has to go.

Also, talk to me about floorboard sanding...

View attachment 363447

is there shelving inside? or are they wardrobes?
 
Another vote for keep.

Floorboard sanding is incredibly messy. I have ripped up 3 carpets upstairs & will be painting the floorboards rather than sanding & staining due to this.
 
is there shelving inside? or are they wardrobes?
One is a wardrobe, one is all shelving, and one is a sort of cavernous space with one shelf, suitable for hoovers and stuff.
Another vote for keep.

Floorboard sanding is incredibly messy. I have ripped up 3 carpets upstairs & will be painting the floorboards rather than sanding & staining due to this.
Painting the floor had also occurred to me but don't you have to sand them a bit to paint them anyway?
 
RubyToogood it depends on the quality of the floorboards. Mine seem ok so will be washed, paint primer then painted. I have painted floorboards in 2 houses & never sanded.
What kind of colours did you go for moonsi til ? I went for a light colour as it was a bedroom (I was young and foolish) and regretted it as it wore really quickly. Technology has moved on apace since then though so today's floor paint may be more robust.
 
I have painted bedroom , bathroom & hall floorboards including stairs & so far only been white though previous owner in my last house painted them silver.
They need re-doing every few years & never been a problem with furniture that I recall. Currently thinking to go dark like a burgundy or midnight blue .

Another reason for not sanding /staining is they need a lot of upkeep to keep clean & looking good. Dirt & spillages are a nightmare.
 
Another vote for keeping the wardrobes. Maybe shelving them out inside?
Covering the panels with colourful cloth might be an option or wallpaper or just painted panels.
 
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I love that blue floor!

I desperately want to take the horrible carpet up in our dining room which is the only room we haven’t changed.

One corner is really wonky though so we can’t do anything unless our landlord will fix the boards.
I doubt very much the boards are in good enough condition to leave them.
I’d like to put the same flooring though the whole ground floor but it would probably be way too expensive.

We really should have replaced the lounge flooring before we bought massive sofas that can’t go anywhere else in the house to do LVT or whatever we choose. We’d have to have half a room done at a time. Fucking faff!

So cheap shitty laminate is staying then!
 
Keep the cupboards. Efficient storage is king. You can refresh in loads of different ways

Sanding floors is ace, but it’s a bit of an epic job. It took me two days per room in my gaff

I’ve just taken the plunge and ripped off the Victorian lathe and plaster in one of my rooms and re-boarded with vapour resistance backed plaster board. Used the old battens. Just got to work out how to fill finish and final plaster

 
It's another "what should I do with these cupboards" post.

What should I do with these cupboards? This room is destined to be a combined office and sewing room when I've finished clearing it, but was originally a bedroom so has a lot of built in cupboards. I was tempted to take them out as they rather dominate the room but actually they will be useful in a sewing room.

I thought of painting them, with some kind of decoration in the currently hessian covered centre panels 🤔 The hessian definitely has to go.

Also, talk to me about floorboard sanding...

View attachment 363447
If sanding the floors proper, be mindful of the dust that will collect on/in the hessian. It gets everywhere.
 
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Reactions: izz
I'm thinking now that if I paint the cupboards with several colours rather than one it might help to break up the "wall of cupboard" effect. Main bit in one colour, moulding in another and centre panel in another. That sort of thing.

Basically I just don't want it to say "ex bedroom".
 
A few years after painting my floors white some high tread areas need a touch up. Also I had to get a plastic mat for my desk chair as the castors fucked it up badly.

Other than that I think it's easy to look after. Sweep and mop as often as your own levels of slatternliness dictate. Certainly easier than carpet.
 
I’ve just taken the plunge and ripped off the Victorian lathe and plaster in one of my rooms and re-boarded with vapour resistance backed plaster board. Used the old battens. Just got to work out how to fill finish and final plaster
Why not do insulation-backed plasterboard while you're at it?
 
I'm thinking now that if I paint the cupboards with several colours rather than one it might help to break up the "wall of cupboard" effect. Main bit in one colour, moulding in another and centre panel in another. That sort of thing.

Basically I just don't want it to say "ex bedroom".

I think that would be difficult to do well. Contrasting panels would break it up better I think.
 
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