non covid-for fun. biggest mistakes/regrets home, furnishings, decor, etc.

[elaine]

so, along the lines of a noncovid post (but nothing to do with TS). What's your biggest mistake/regret on home, furnishing, decor?

for me: plaid $$$ sofa 25 years ago--why didn't I pick a solid color!!! New home is completely beige.
not getting a 2nd large window in basement bedroom for $750 more (only got 1) and didn't get 9ft ceilings in basement for $3K more.

 

[klpca]

so, along the lines of a noncovid post (but nothing to do with TS). What's your biggest mistake/regret on home, furnishing, decor?

for me: plaid $$$ sofa 25 years ago--why didn't I pick a solid color!!! New home is completely beige.
not getting a 2nd large window in basement bedroom for $750 more (only got 1) and didn't get 9ft ceilings in basement for $3K more.

I also had a plaid sofa, lol. It must have been the thing. Mine was ivory with forest green, navy, and burgundy stripes. (Can you feel the 80's vibe?) This was just after the mauve-ing of America, another wonderful decorating trend in the 80's. I paired that sofa with dark green wallpaper (damask design) that was below the chair rail height wallpaper border, with ivory painted walls above to the ceiling. I probably have a picture somewhere. But I remember feeling pretty good about that room!

 

[VacationForever]

Our biggest financial mistake was adding a sunroom so that we could build an indoor Endless Pool and then adding solar panels to bring the utility bills down. It cost us $150K for the project and maybe got back 30K when we sold our home.

 

[rickandcindy23]

We made a huge mistake by buying a house with a huge yard. Did that 41 years ago and still regretting it. 1/3 acre is just too much dirt to weed and plant and generally take care of. Very little of it is grass. That is the easy part. Rick even built a giant garage in the back. Love that garage. It's got a huge work area. I used to sit out there in the fall to answer phones. Now it's a wood shop.

I have made a lot of decorating mistakes in my lifetime. It seems that when Rick helps me with the decorating, I like it better, so I always put his opinion ahead of mine now.

We wallpapered our bedroom with floral wallpaper that I really love, but I am also seeing it as very out of style now. So this wallpaper may come down. The texture is gone from the walls, sanded it off for the wallpaper, so taking down the wallpaper is work, re-texturing the walls with knockdown is work, and of course the ceiling is popcorn, so that is going to come down, even if we have to replace drywall on the ceiling. The ceilings have had a few coats of paint, so sanding or scraping is not an option.

I want to replace the full bed in our daughter's old room with a murphy/wall bed. It would give my granddaughter and new baby grandson some room to play and enjoy the plethora of toys I have in there. The room is packed with stuff. The bed I have in the room is beautiful. I would bet someone would want to buy it. It's an antique white metal bed, so pretty. It has the bars all along the top for curtains all around it. I got it at Penney's a long, long time ago. I think it was about 15 years ago or more.

I have been organizing a lot of closets and rooms over the last few weeks.

 

[Luanne]

I also had a plaid sofa, lol. It must have been the thing. Mine was ivory with forest green, navy, and burgundy stripes. (Can you feel the 80's vibe?) This was just after the mauve-ing of America, another wonderful decorating trend in the 80's. I paired that sofa with dark green wallpaper (damask design) that was below the chair rail height wallpaper border, with ivory painted walls above to the ceiling. I probably have a picture somewhere. But I remember feeling pretty good about that room!

I think I had that same sofa! We finally got rid of it when we moved to Santa Fe. Honestly though, I never regretted buying it.

 

[Cornell]

I purchased my home 3 years ago. It was built new. I live alone w/my daughter. I regret having a double bowl sink in the master bath. I would rather have a single bowl and a lot more counterspace to "spread out" on with make up , hair appliances, etc. I was told from a resale perspective that a double bowl is important. I question that - how many couples are in the bathroom together using sinks at the same time.

 

[klpca]

I purchased my home 3 years ago. It was built new. I live alone w/my daughter. I regret having a double bowl sink in the master bath. I would rather have a single bowl and a lot more counterspace to "spread out" on with make up , hair appliances, etc. I was told from a resale perspective that a double bowl is important. I question that - how many couples are in the bathroom together using sinks at the same time.

I think that is the right advice for resale. I know people who won't even look at a single bowl vanity. I'm easygoing and get along fine with my husband but I would pause at a single bowl.

I vacationed in Maui a few years ago with a friend at the Marriott Ocean Club, which is a converted hotel. A one bedroom unit has two bathrooms. Both of us thought that having a bathroom to ourselves was the ultimate luxury!

 

[Luanne]

I purchased my home 3 years ago. It was built new. I live alone w/my daughter. I regret having a double bowl sink in the master bath. I would rather have a single bowl and a lot more counterspace to "spread out" on with make up , hair appliances, etc. I was told from a resale perspective that a double bowl is important. I question that - how many couples are in the bathroom together using sinks at the same time.

I LOVE our double sinks. And yes, there are many mornings when dh and I are at the sinks at the same time. We stayed in a hotel recently where the bathroom had two sinks. I'd never seen that before and was very impressed.

 

[Cornell]

I think that is the right advice for resale. I know people who won't even look at a single bowl vanity. I'm easygoing and get along fine with my husband but I would pause at a single bowl.

I vacationed in Maui a few years ago with a friend at the Marriott Ocean Club, which is a converted hotel. A one bedroom unit has two bathrooms. Both of us thought that having a bathroom to ourselves was the ultimate luxury!

Now I don't feel so bad about my decision - thank you!

 

[rickandcindy23]

I think I had that same sofa! We finally got rid of it when we moved to Santa Fe. Honestly though, I never regretted buying it.

Our house is old, as stated above. 41 years old. We had just a single vanity, and even when we remodeled our bathroom, still no room for a double sink. We were lucky to be able to put in our big bathtub. I was disappointed, but he uses the other bathroom more than the master bath. It works fine. I do regret the uba tuba granite, which I used to think was beautiful. It gets dusty. Rick's bathroom stays cleaner because the top is white marble.

 

[Luanne]

I also had a plaid sofa, lol. It must have been the thing. Mine was ivory with forest green, navy, and burgundy stripes. (Can you feel the 80's vibe?) This was just after the mauve-ing of America, another wonderful decorating trend in the 80's. I paired that sofa with dark green wallpaper (damask design) that was below the chair rail height wallpaper border, with ivory painted walls above to the ceiling. I probably have a picture somewhere. But I remember feeling pretty good about that room!

This is my plaid couch. These pictures were taken when the house was on the market. That room NEVER looked that clean while we lived there, lol.

 

[Luanne]

I think that is the right advice for resale. I know people who won't even look at a single bowl vanity. I'm easygoing and get along fine with my husband but I would pause at a single bowl.

I vacationed in Maui a few years ago with a friend at the Marriott Ocean Club, which is a converted hotel. A one bedroom unit has two bathrooms. Both of us thought that having a bathroom to ourselves was the ultimate luxury!

Our home resort Maui Hill has two bathrooms even in the one bedroom units. When dh and I have stayed in a one bedroom by ourselves he uses the second (hall) bathroom.

 

[elaine]

definitely double sinks in master bathroom-your agent was correct.

 

[slip]

Our home resort Maui Hill has two bathrooms even in the one bedroom units. When dh and I have stayed in a one bedroom by ourselves he uses the second (hall) bathroom.

Same with my wife and I.

 

[VacationForever]

@Cornell We would not look at a home without a double sink in a master bathroom. We all have our space and it does not matter if we use the sink at the same time. I set up my toothbrush, hand lotion etc next to my sink and my husband has his stuff by his sink. So the realtor advised you well.

 

[Panina]

My biggest mistake was buying my last house, not my current. chose a house that was perfect for my other half and my step daughter.

Perfect neighborhood for a 12 year old. For my other half it had a man cave, 3 car garage and a nice size yard for his gardening.

It was a house that was not suppose to be our forever house. It had nothing that I really wanted, a large kitchen, counter space in baths, screen porch, people my ageetc.

It ended up being a headache when my daughter turned 20, the time we had said we would move. My other half didn’t want to move as it was perfect for him.

He finally gave in but I regret putting everyone before me initially.

 

[elaine]

Panina, from prior posts, it sounds like your spouse is getting used to the new place. And you now get to start a new chapter. I'm also about the start a new chapter to DH's dream retirement locale in coastal NC (sorta the reverse of you). I like the NC place fine, but it'll be a big change for me-both location, social, and then retirement. I raised kids and worked--I don't have any hobbies except TUG--who has time!

oh, yes--on decor--wallpaper matching my Laura Ashley bedding and scalloped brocade valances! Rose/mauve sponge textured bathroom paint with green floral border at ceiling. We also had burgundy recliners to match our jewel tone plaid sofa--along with burgundy walls. Who knew I was such a decor diva!

 

[Cornell]

reading your comments, I’m glad I listened to the experts on the double sink situation!

 

[pittle]

I also had a plaid sofa, lol. It must have been the thing. Mine was ivory with forest green, navy, and burgundy stripes. (Can you feel the 80's vibe?) This was just after the mauve-ing of America, another wonderful decorating trend in the 80's. I paired that sofa with dark green wallpaper (damask design) that was below the chair rail height wallpaper border, with ivory painted walls above to the ceiling. I probably have a picture somewhere. But I remember feeling pretty good about that room!

I may have had the same sofa! Actually we had 2 plaid ones in our basement and they were incliner ones with the same colors you described! We had navy recliners to go with ours. Our dark green wallpaper under the chair rail was in the dining room! We did all of that in 1992. I thought both were amazing!

We also regretted not making our basement deeper so that the ceilings were higher.

We did the big wallpaper thing in the 70's and 80's too! Along with mauve-ing with light blue in the early 70's.

 

[klpca]

Panina, from prior posts, it sounds like your spouse is getting used to the new place. And you now get to start a new chapter. I'm also about the start a new chapter to DH's dream retirement locale in coastal NC (sorta the reverse of you). I like the NC place fine, but it'll be a big change for me-both location, social, and then retirement. I raised kids and worked--I don't have any hobbies except TUG--who has time!

oh, yes--on decor--wallpaper matching my Laura Ashley bedding and scalloped brocade valances! Rose/mauve sponge textured bathroom paint with green floral border at ceiling. Who knew I was such a decor diva!

Omg. Sponge painting!!! Always topped with a wallpaper border! Good times

 

[CalGalTraveler]

I think I had that same sofa! We finally got rid of it when we moved to Santa Fe. Honestly though, I never regretted buying it.

LOL...I have that same couch set in pine green plaid at our vacation rental. I don't regret it either. Very tough, still looks like new and doesn't show stains from renters. Pine green works in forest setting still so not out of date.

We moved from our last house that had 80s mauve decor.

 

[stmartinfan]

Wallpapering pretty much every space in our new home when we moved in about 20 years ago. We even worked with a decorator and it was the in thing at the time, I did lose 20 pounds the year I lost my job and spent the time stripping wallpaper and repainting most of the rooms. The only good thing was that we put a very neutral beige paper that looked like a woven fabric but was industrial grade in our stairway and two story foyer. It survived 15 years and 2 young kids and didn’t start to look worn until the last couple of years. We would have had to repaint that challe ing to reach space every year with the traffic it got.

 

[clifffaith]

I’m answering in the car without reading anyone else’s reply. Our Sleep Number bed was the worst purchase ever. I’ve been plotting how to leave it behind when we move, worst bed worst I’ve ever slept in.

 

[elaine]

My mom and dad had a sleep number type bed that “sank” in the middle And so heavy. We put it in rented dumpster when we did home Reno. Otherwise, I didn’t know how to get rid of it.

 

[Beachclubmum]

I’m answering in the car without reading anyone else’s reply. Our Sleep Number bed was the worst purchase ever. I’ve been plotting how to leave it behind when we move, worst bed worst I’ve ever slept in.

Good luck on your plotting. Worst case scenario is you could pay off the movers to make it disappear between old residence and new residence. Like, maybe it fell off the truck.