Design Dilemmas

Episode 94. This week we are discussing sanding and painting pine tables and the best way to clean grout. Plus hard wearing garden furniture, a travertine tiles quandary and the Sunday Niche Edit.

This weekend, I am helping Max, my son, move into a new flat. He headed to Manchester back in September to start a graduate trainee job and has been sharing a flat, but he’s been DESPERATE for a space of his own, mostly because he likes to sing and play the guitar and it’s not really fair on his housemates, ha. So he’s been looking for a one bedroom and finally found one within budget so tomorrow (Saturday, so yesterday as you read this) he’s shifting his rather paltry amount of belongings a few miles across Salford to a one bedroomed home of his own. I have spent the last ten years of my interior focused life having my kids rip me to shreds about my passion for styling, but oh, how things have changed. Yesterday, Max was searching for coffee tables on Facebook Marketplace, based on his ChatGPT search on ‘what is the best coffee table to put with a black leather sofa?’ query. Who would ever have guessed that my son would be consulting the AI Oracle for interior advice? Although tbh the fact he didn’t ask me is slightly offensive.

Am taking the opportunity to sift through all my artwork to see if any of it will work for him. I am presuming not. Despite his new interest in styling his home, I feel that the only pieces that stand even a vague chance are the David Shrigley posters as they are slightly offensive. He also only owns one plate so with a full kitchen at his disposal, I will be digging out all of the things that I want to get rid of and palming them on to him. See, children are SO useful when they get older.

But enough of interior inspired kids and today, we are discussing the best products to deal with a sanded table top, plus some ideas for painting the legs. We’re going hardcore into how to clean grout in the shower - I know, I spoil you - with tips and tricks. I’ve done and edit of garden furniture that will be hard wearing, whatever the weather and we are discussing the pros and cons of travertine tiles. Finally, the Sunday Niche Edit is based on what I’ve been looking for myself this week, kitchen noticeboards that are adept at doing the job. Perfect.

You can READ ON by becoming a paid subscriber which means that not only do you receive four free posts a month but you’ll also get an eight EXTRA posts a month (including all my plans for our new home) plus Chat threads so you can join our blossoming community. You’ll be able to access my archive to read ALL of my past posts (including recipes and travel write ups) for the price of one coffee a month. I would thoroughly recommend!