What’s the best home decorating decision you’ve ever made?

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

When you move into a house, often one of the first things you do is plan out in your head what you would like it to look like and where your belongings will go. What colour you will paint each room, the furnishings, the flooring and then there are the decorative touches. For me, I think it is often the little decorative touches that make a place unique and feel like home.

Speaking with you here in the CC, I know you put a great deal of effort into creating a welcoming environment for your guests and this got me thinking about the favourite things you have done in decorating your home.

Perhaps you decided to remove a wall enabling light to flood in, perhaps it was your bold use of wallpaper in your living room, perhaps it is the amazing table you built for the kitchen, perhaps it is your colourful use of tiles in the bathroom, which your guests alway comment on!

Please share what your favourite decorating decisions are and feel free to share any photos.

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Mari98]

Most of the time I have a vision and then build on it while I'm in the process. I am still working on this space to make it better! 🙂 Im now working on the old laundry room to make it into an inviting bathroom. And will do it on a very tight budget. 

[Lizzie]

This sounds exciting @Mari98. How is it going? Are you doing all the plumbing yourself too?

It is great to hear that it is possible to make great changes to your home even when you are on a tight budget. 

[Ken28]

Adding custom soundproofing panels was one of the best things I've done. It adds some color and interest to a bland hallway and cuts down on echoing in the house.

[Lizzie]

Wow @Ken28, this is great. I would never have guessed these are soundproofing, they look purely decorative, that is really clever. What are they made from? 

[Ken28]

@Lizzie, to make these, I took accoustic insulation panels (Owens Corning 703), sprayed them with adhesive (3M Headliner Adhesive), and wrapped them with fabric. Impaling clips and command strips were used to hang these without any holes in the walls.

I purchased several fabrics from a friend who works as an interior designer. The fabric was relatively cheap, since they were all remnants that were going to be discarded soon. I used upholstry fabrics, as they are thicker (not at all translucent) and have lovely patterns with some depth to them.

 

If you're feeling really artsy, you could purchase blank canvas and make your own paintings. (I'm not that good... I tried and failed.)

[Lizzie]

It is very inventive @Ken28. Were you conscious you needed to put in extra soundproofing, or is it just a win win because it works well decoratively as well?

[Ken28]

@Lizzie, When I installed hardwood floors, the house got really echoey. With the echos, I needed to soften the hall to reduce noise, so I looked into sound-dampening options. The panels seemed like a good option, especially when I could add fabric and kill two birds with one stone. Quieter house and prettier walls. Win - Win. 🙂

[Lizzie]

It is a great idea @Ken28 and they look really nice. I hope they have helped to dampen the sound. 🙂

[Kevin1322]

@Ken28  that is brilliant.

my day job I run a framing shop, I reckon these could be incorporated behind painted or printed art  canvasses, too.  I've sent a link to this to a friend of mine with a music studio.... maybe we can persuade him to lose the egg boxes from his walls 😉

[Ken28]

@Kevin1322 ,

just make sure that whatever external material you use is soft and breathable. 

If you use a canvas painting with a thick clearcoat, it’s likely to just bounce the sound. Soft fabrics that aren’t sealed should work better. 

I’ve also read of people using layered bath towels in place of the fiberglass foam board. That would work well with a framed piece. Since I didn’t want to frame mine, I relied on the rigidity of the soundproofing sheet for shape. 

[Kevin1322]

Yes, good point about the clear coat. We can get away without that with some inks I believe, and makes the print process cheaper.

I like your idea of the fabric.  We get a lot of framing work in from Africa and Cuba  and the carribean which is on "canvas" that you could mistake for bedsheets.

I like the idea of the fabric covered panels myself.  There is a printer near us who prints onto cotton or polyester cotton duvets and sheets.

I think we have discovered a new market 😉

[Cindy21]

I keep a bit of extra paint on hand to touch up between guests.

My best 'decorating' decision was to get a soaking bath tub. Guests love it.

My other best decision was to stick access panels to plumbing in ceiling.

My final decision was to get a bed that lifts up and has storage underneath.

[Lizzie]

This is great to hear @Cindy21. I particularly like you have a magic bed (as I call them), the amound of extra storage created is amazing. I am a fan of furniture that cleverly saves lots of space. 

Have you got any further decorating plans for the near future?

[Kevin1322]

Definitely the best decorating decision was to tile the entire ground floor with R12 rated non slip tiles that look like a wood floor.

It took me 3 weekends, and I was broken by the end of it. More than a ton of tiles, a house full of furniture and dogs to shuffle about..... but worth it.  Never have to do that floor again in my lifetime 🙂

As we are close to a very popular hiking trail (the South West Coast Path) and also the TET (Trans Euro Trail) for off-road bikers, and also have three dogs including one with three legs who needs a bit of traction on the floor, this was an ideal floor option for us.

Mud, I laugh in your face 😉

Only small drawback is that whilst it may be very grippy, even when wet, it does require a deep clean with a steam cleaner every couple of days.  Oh, and don't drop your phone on it 😞

Our hikers and bikers can come is as muddy and mucky as the weather makes them without worrying.