What's a design dilemma?

9 years ago

Many of you are new to Houzz UK and perhaps to the Advice section too, so I thought I'd quickly explain what this is all about.

If you're renovating your home, looking to paint your walls or want to give your house a quick facelift and you're in need of advice, this is the place to come to! Homeowners and professionals are here to help you with any queries related to design and home improvement. When you post your dilemma, include as much info as you can and add photos of your interior to get more responses. You can also start a poll; maybe you need help picking a specific colour or product!

This is a friendly community and we all love design, so you're in safe hands :)

If you have questions, keep 'em coming!

One Bedroom Wee House Exterior · More Info

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Comments (5)

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OnePlan
9 years ago
you can also see some helpful hints here too !!! http://houzz.com/discussions/1075076
Jo DP
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
As a first floor drawing room apartment on one of the best roads in Harrogate, my daughter jenny, could only afford to buy it because of its extremely poor layout and condition.
I am worried she has made a huge mistake investment wise as she bought at the top of the property ladder and then prices dropped.
They have now risen again.
The layout has even stumped an architect.
The two neighbours also run rings round her because she is so lovely and naieve.
I am trying to gently persuade jenny, to replace the old boiler in her narrow galley kitchen before she spends money on units and relocate it to her bathroom.
Jenny has not had a kitchen for 6 years and is often away travelling. As i write she has just won silver at the Commonwealth Games and I would love to have some persuasive ideas before she comes home.
A new boiler would allow her to get rid of the large water tank in the bathroom and release space there too.
Any kitchen design will be forever compromised by fitting it around the existing boiler cupboard.
She cannot afford a new kitchen and a new boiler but I feel getting the space right is more important than cabinets.
my suggestion is she waits for units and buy the essentials of a good cooker and fridge (her heart is set on a white smeg, a case of eyes bigger than her wallet!), fix the plumbing, and go for an unfitted look until she has the money for units.
The walls between her bathroom and kitchen are plasterboard so part of the wall could be removed to "borrow" a little space from the bathroom for her kitchen.
This scares her rigid.
Also, everyone has to walk through the galley kitchen to get to the main feature of the apartment, a large and sunny sitting room.
Due to a chimney breast that layout is written in stone.
We know the apartment could be lovely once improved but do others think the space improvements are more important than kitchen units?
Jenny has no idea also that plumbing and replastering is entailed as at the moment she has no water pressure (due to said boiler) .
Anyone any diplomatic ideas to persuade a daughter and do you agree?
Please assist a worried mum!
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User
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
One of the hardest things about parenting a young adult is watching them make real or perceived mistakes. Unless the boiler is going to kill her in her sleep, this is her apartment and her choice to make, even if any if us, including her caring mother, would make a different choice.

My daughter went through an extremely rough late adolescence through mid-twenties. I once read that to maintain our relationship, I had to keep my mouth shut and my doors and arms open. If your daughter asks for your advice, give it. Then leave her to it. Competence does not mean never making mistakes. And long term, having a mother who believes she is competent will do her more good than owning a new boiler.

Truly, I've been there. It's hard! You love her and want to protect her. You know things she does not. But she knows things about what she needs that you do not. Your daughter sounds amazing. Someday she may even tell you you were right about the boiler!

Truly, the best to you and to her.
Jo DP
9 years ago
what a lovely reply. Jenny is just coming out of her "late adolescence"! we sailed through her teenage years and it was only the last couple of years it happened!
In the last 6 months I have felt like I have got my daughter back!
Your advice is good.
Sometimes being a mum is like being cassandra in the Illiad... the Gods had given her a curse..she could see into the future but no one would believe her until it was too late and the events she had foretold came true!
denisedian
9 years ago
saw your note from FR re: cone on dachsie...there are now "airline" type collars /stuffed/fabric that are far more compassionate for our canine kids...probably online...I've had these little doxies for over 57 years! Most all from rescue organizations.

What's a design dilemma?

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OnePlan

Jo DP

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denisedian

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