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Decorating in the UK

With so many TV shows focused on home decorating you might be forgiven for thinking that decorating your home necessarily must involve some Laurence Lleweyln-Bowen inspired scheme of Moroccan bathing or mirrored sleep. Of course this is not the case and you can often make great improvements to your house with very simple redecoration.

Decorating your home is however not as simple as you might initially think. A lot of preparatory work must go into ensuring that surfaces are ready to take paint or walls smooth for papering. After builders, plumbers, joiners or electricians have been in, it is normally the painter and decorator who will end up tidying up their mess after them – filling holes, smoothing plasterwork, or sanding wooden surfaces before a coat of paint or varnish is applied.

Before you begin, think carefully about what you want to achieve. For ideas about the look you are keen to capture check out magazines, keep notes and rip out pages with fabrics, colours or furnishing that you like. Ask yourself how long will it realistically take? Can you afford to function without the room in questions while the work is being done?

If you decide to take this job on yourself you should ensure that you have the correct tools and materials, for painting you will need several sizes of brush, a roller, trays and sheeting to protect other surfaces from any stray paint. If you are painting on fresh plasterwork ensure that you leave ample time for it to fully dry out before painting – often several months will be required. Paint fumes can be toxic, ensure the area in which you are painting is well ventilated and that you are wearing appropriate safety gear to protect you from the fumes.

If you are embarking on tiling then make sure you buy extra tiles from the same batch. If you need to go back later, due to breakages or unforeseen circumstances, you may get tiles from a different batch which do not match the originals. Tile from the centre outwards towards the walls, use spacers and wipe away excess grout or sealant before it hardens.

Decorating your home is a good way to consolidate its value, particularly before you sell it. If you are decorating prior to sale remember that not every buyer will share your personal taste – try where possible to use neutral light colours which make the space feel bigger and provide a blank canvas for your buyer to paint themselves and their lifestyle into.