Ideas for interior design

[AshfieldFOCUS.com]

Hi,

In another thread, I have asked about pebbledash problems. This thread is related to those houses.

Both houses are terrace. One is an end terrace and one is mid.

Both have downstairs bathrooms, only one has a suitable room upstairs to move the bathroom to.

However, my question is about getting ideas for the design, then dressing the house.

Are there any sites that you know of that can help me to imagine a room design, with probably colours, room layouts etc. (Photos, etc.)

Unfortunately, I am not a designer, and as the houses are at the lower end of the price scale, cannot justify the cost of a designer to help.

Thanks.

[Kaz]

Originally Posted by AshfieldFOCUS.com

Both have downstairs bathrooms, only one has a suitable room upstairs to move the bathroom to.

However, my question is about getting ideas for the design, then dressing the house.

Are there any sites that you know of that can help me to imagine a room design, with probably colours, room layouts etc. (Photos, etc.)

Hi

Before I start I should just say that I'm not a designer either but I tend to keep it reasonably simple and neutral i.e. magnolia walls and white woodwork. I know everyone says it and it may sound boring but it isn't offensive and makes rooms look a bit more spacious.

Regarding the bathroom that can't be moved upstairs, which to be honest most people would prefer, I would compensate for that by spending quite a lot on making it really nice i.e. good quality suite, decent shower, chrome fittings, nice mirrors and accessories etc.

I tend to get design ideas from magazines rather than on-line as you browse through them at any time and even cut out pictures and stick them in a scrapbook. I don't pay loadsamoney for the likes of Good Homes, House Beautiful etc but do look thru them in the shop (naughty I know ). I tend to pick up all the free brochures from the DIY stores, IKEA and the like.

For dressing bedrooms, I use airbeds on top of boxes, either plastic or cardboard, to give the height with white or cream bedding. That might sound a bit bizarre but it works and not only do you have to buy beds but you can take them to each development.

The thing about dressing the house is that not everyone can imagine how it would look so you have to give them a helping hand i.e. if you've got a kitchen that's big enough to be a kitchen/diner then put a table & chairs in it etc.

I've just had another thought, if you move the bathroom upstairs does that mean you'll be losing a bedroom?

Kaz

[Kaz]

Originally Posted by AshfieldFOCUS.com

Both have downstairs bathrooms, only one has a suitable room upstairs to move the bathroom to.

However, my question is about getting ideas for the design, then dressing the house.

Are there any sites that you know of that can help me to imagine a room design, with probably colours, room layouts etc. (Photos, etc.)

Unfortunately, I am not a designer, and as the houses are at the lower end of the price scale, cannot justify the cost of a designer to help.

Thanks.

Hi AF

I'm going to have another go at sending you a reply:

You say that you can move one of the bathrooms upstairs. Is that at the expense of a bedroom?

For the one that can't be moved upstairs, I'd make it as nice as possible to compensate for that i.e. spend quite a bit on the fixtures and fittings etc. to give it a 'wow' factor. Is there any possibility of being able to fit in a Saniflo WC upstairs as well?

I tend to get design ideas from magazines rather than the net. You can pick up lots of free brochures from DIY stores etc. On the whole, I keep it simple i.e. magnolia and white but introduce colour with accessories i.e. cushions, flowers, candles etc.

I could go on but want to see if this gets through first!
Kaz

[AshfieldFOCUS.com]

Hi Kaz,

Both messages have now come through.

I know about magnolia walls etc. but everyone does those. I am thinking possibly a two-tone living room (light colours) as that seems to be the trend now.

The bathroom upstais would be at the expense of a bedroom. In actual fact, that bedroom is very small and has the water tanks in it.

It is a typical terrace. Front room, through to middle room, through to kitchen, then the mandatory two doors into the bathroom at the back.

My idea was to move the bathroom upstairs into the small bedroom (I don't think it will make much difference in value on this road), and then extend the kitchen. Remove the bathroom and knock the outside wall through to put in some patio doors. (Having doors from the kitchen into the garden creating a visual line from the front door also appears to be a trend). The kitchen won't go all the way through, but nearer to the patio doors will be a dining area.

[Kaz]

Originally Posted by AshfieldFOCUS.com

The bathroom upstais would be at the expense of a bedroom. In actual fact, that bedroom is very small and has the water tanks in it.

It is a typical terrace. Front room, through to middle room, through to kitchen, then the mandatory two doors into the bathroom at the back.

My idea was to move the bathroom upstairs into the small bedroom (I don't think it will make much difference in value on this road), and then extend the kitchen. Remove the bathroom and knock the outside wall through to put in some patio doors. (Having doors from the kitchen into the garden creating a visual line from the front door also appears to be a trend). The kitchen won't go all the way through, but nearer to the patio doors will be a dining area.

Your plan sounds spot on to me.

Incidentally, in the other house where the bathroom has to stay downstairs. At the risk of teaching my grandmother to suck eggs again, it's no longer a requirement to have 2 doors between the kitchen and bathroom, you just need to put a vent/extractor in the bathroom (but I'm sure you already know that).

Something you may not be aware of though is that from 1 April, any gas work you have done must be carried out by someone registered on the new Gas Safe Register in order for the work to be 'legal' (they're taking over from CORGI). Again, apologies if you knew that already too but I'm just trying to help as best I can.

By the way, are your houses in Northampton?

Kaz

[AshfieldFOCUS.com]

Hi,

I just typed in a long message and pressed the damn wrong button. Doh!!!

I knew about the building regs change for bathrooms off the kitchen, but it doesn't seem hygenic to me unless it has a percieved barrier (for example, open plan kitchen / living room, and the bathroom is off the living room not the kitchen).

As to gas, I would never try and do that myself. Fitting radiators yes, but not the connection to the boiler.

The houses I am looking at are near Nottingham (about 15 miles away from nottingham, near to where I live). I have a flat in Northampton on Becketts View. There are now too many flats in Northampton and it is affecting the prices. Damn builders.

[Kaz]

Originally Posted by AshfieldFOCUS.com

As to gas, I would never try and do that myself. Fitting radiators yes, but not the connection to the boiler.

Hi

No, I wasn't suggesting that you would be. I was just asking whether you are aware that as from 1 April, CORGI will no longer be the regulating body for gas work. It will be the GSR run by Capita?

Kaz

[AshfieldFOCUS.com]

I am not sure I was aware or not. I had heard something about it, but not enough. I would have just gone to a corgi engineer, but if people are corgi registered and not GSR, then they will be breaking the law...???

I sort of partly agree with the safety legislations, but it really sometimes takes it too far... If you have invested money in becoming corgi certified, and now have to invest more money on becoming the new certificate... then this is a tax on knowledge. WTF is the difference? Corgi was competence based. Do you become incompetent just because the legislation changed? I think not.

I am electronics trained in the RAF (no longer serving...) and had to learn about electricity. So, Part P says I am no longer competent unless I get the certification.

I also heard (don't know how true it is) that part p is region specific... i.e. you have to be registered in a particular location, else you can't do it. WTF??? Why? If you are certified, then what difference does it make? Just because you cross over the border from Nottinghamshire to Derbyshire doesn't make you incompetent.

[Kaz]

Originally Posted by AshfieldFOCUS.com

I would have just gone to a corgi engineer, but if people are corgi registered and not GSR, then they will be breaking the law...???

In effect, yes. They will be undertaking an 'illegal' installation in the same way that non-CORGI registered gas installers do now. It becomes a problem when you want to sell/rent out your house.

If you have invested money in becoming corgi certified, and now have to invest more money on becoming the new certificate... then this is a tax on knowledge. WTF is the difference? Corgi was competence based. Do you become incompetent just because the legislation changed? I think not.

Current CORGI registered gas installers only have to re-register with the GSR and, I believe, don't have to pay again until their renewal is due. I don't think it's an issue of competence as much as being 'legal' to protect the public from all the cowboys.

I also heard (don't know how true it is) that part p is region specific... i.e. you have to be registered in a particular location, else you can't do it. WTF??? Why? If you are certified, then what difference does it make? Just because you cross over the border from Nottinghamshire to Derbyshire doesn't make you incompetent.

I have posed this question on the Electricians Forum and they said that's not the case (or words to that effect if you know what I mean )

Kaz

[AshfieldFOCUS.com]

Ah, OK.

I was told this by a (now retired) electrician just before Part P came in. From what I remember, he said that if you want to do it in a different area, you have to have a license from some form of authority to practice in that area.

I do know another Part P electrician, so I will try and find out what was meant.