Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Sweet Emulsion

Some comedian I can't recall once said that you know you are getting old/turning into your Dad when you see a stick and think "I'll keep that for stirring paint" or something along those lines. In my case it is a strip of plastic edging from when we had the kitchen refitted, but the idea is much the same. And it got a fair bit of use this weekend as I chose to recover from my cold by repainting the bathroom. Again.

Can anyone tell me what a normal level of decoration rotation should be?

We've been in this house thirteen years now and have so far done:

Kitchen, Bathroom, Lounge - four times each
Bedroom, Dining Room - three times
Stairs/Landing, Spare Room, Study - twice

Those totals seem a bit extreme to me, when compared with my nearest point of reference - my parents. They have been in their current house twenty years now and only got round to redoing each room for the first time since taking possession about two or three years ago. And only then because they had an extension built which meant some walls got moved around. In the one we lived in for eighteen years before that I can't remember any room being done more than twice.

I know it isn't constant, but it seems like we are always thinking about colours and how to do each room next. And I just can't say no to MrsB when she starts hinting that a freshen up is in order. I think she may be obsessed with change. And its not that I object to the actual slapping on of paint, it is just all the preparation, living with a room out of use and all the contents distributed everywhere else for a few days etc that gets me down.

And there are a couple of pots of Moroccan red waiting for the kitchen to get a fifth look this side of Christmas too...

4 comments:

Valentine Suicide said...

I can't abide it. I really don't enjoy any kind of DIY, though I have guilt around this particular inadequacy.

I'd rather pay someone to do it, so I can fill my time doing stuff I actually enjoy..

I'm rubbish, me.

Cocktails said...

You are very good. We have been in our flat 8 years and have painted um... once...
and we're not intending to do it again in a hurry. DIY is misery.

Simon said...

Well, I could live without doing any more for a couple of years, it is just the nag factor!

We did get a man in to do the stairs each time, as I didn't fancy the extreme ladder work. And also for the last go round of the lounge and dining room as we had some spare cash and needed a professional touch on the really bad bits of the walls.

FitForNothing said...

Blimey been here 15 years and decorated when we moved in but haven't since! That's apart from having the loft converted which made a mess of the hallway, which we touched up but it doesn't match!

I'm with VS I'm afraid, can't abide DIY, plus we have teenagers and dogs which would just render any redecoration redundant.