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You’ll have to take my word for it:

While Neen was away earlier this year (10 weeks in the States), I had a project on the go. Her sister came to sleep over one weekend, and slept in my bedroom (I was on the couch- this is not Jerry Springer’s blog). The following day she tactfully suggested that the bedroom needed some attention.

She was right.

Since 1999, more or less, we have had three people sleeping in our bedroom. The ‘Oooh, that’s such a good gap between your three children’ may have been true for some reasons, but definitely not when it came to having our own space in the house.

We’d done one or two things to the lounge, where we spend most of our time. (Again: Three children means a bed is pretty much for sleeping/lying awake in and fretting about bills/jobs/world peace). Not much romance happening. I don’t mean that in a nasty way, just a ‘life goes on and you go with it’ way.

There were piles and piles of papers and magazines, boxes full of old clothes and random crap, bookshelves completely spewing extra books from every inch and some horrible furniture. A tiny vanity chest Neen had used since she was at school, and, on my side, a stool groaning with books.

We tend not to throw things out. Neen likes to keep papers for reference- she writes/reads loads of technical stuff. We both tend to cram all the surplus rubbish into the cupboards, and then let it take up the floor space.

So: In the space of a few weeks, I took what could laughably be referred to as a budget, and, with Bee, shopped like crazy. I painted the walls, having filled the cracks, a lovely pale wheatish colour, did manly things like window treatments (blind, pale blue organza curtains and mirrors and crap hanging down). I bought real bedside tables and a matching long table- both with drawers, and painted those, too. I painted some picture frames, and framed some lovely pictures, and also painted two paintings for the walls.

I bought linen and scatter cushions, candleholders and vases, and even plastic flowers (trust me, Bee made me do that, and they do work). We have a magazine rack and floor space, and the baby stuff is mostly gone. Just a changing mat and nappies, which we hide away. I bought lovely lamps, which have three dimming settings – all you have to do is touch the silver base, and a large throw for the bed.

Shelves went up, and the bookcases got tidied. The incense was ready, and the room looked like a damned hotel room (in a good way).

I also did a couple of things to the back garden, geraniums and other plants, and painted the kitchen and Hannah’s room. I put a row of mosaic tiles around the bath, and hid away all the clutter.

This was all done without Neen knowing, and she was totally amazed by it. I think it’s one of the best surprises she’s had, and she deserved it. I’m not writing this to make myself look good, though- this should have been happening all along, I just let things slip a little…

It wouldn’t have happened without Bee’s tactful suggestion. Thanks, Bee! Now, the youngest child is slowly starting to spend more time in his bed rather than ours, and we’ll finally have our own room again, after ten years of parenting. Madness. Finally, a place to go and read, or sleep, or snuggle. I can recommend a makeover- it does add a new dimension to what has become invisibly normal.
*There are no before pictures, and no after ones- we’re not big on cameras in the bedroom :-)