Can a " space " be depressing?

Allira

I'm looking at cushions.

Our suite came with cushions a few years ago but they match the plain suite (same fabric) and really are rather dull.

Same here. This sofa is big and comfy but the cushions need a bit of a lift.
All the material and stuffing came from a charity shop.
I had to pay top whack for the cording though.

fancythat

Perhaps list on here what you find depressing about the house?

Some very kind and thoughtful suggestions here. The layout is typical Victorian terrace. It's light with high ceilings.

The kitchen is grim, brown and sucks the life out of me. I feel like any of the great ideas re decorating are just tinkering about. However there is no budget for new kitchen ( unpleasant back story here)
So it's a case of sprucing up the existing " facilities"

Partner is not unpleasant in any way... well no more than any of us are! Just not a DIY person.

Food for thought folks, Thanks

Just paint over the brown.. a nice light colour.. you can even paint tiles.. look on You Tube..

Yep...I've often seen adverts for the "before" and "after" of kitchens being repainted. On the other hand it may be something you can manage yourself.

I know it was a 1980's thing (as I recall) but I still like a colourwashing paint effect personally. I'm pretty much as useless as they come at DIY - but even I managed to colourwash a bedroom in my last house one time and felt reasonably pleased with the result.

My cushions are all different colours and totally unmatched! - hooray!

My house is south facing and very light and there is no way on earth I could survive in a dark gloomy house.

My DDs have strict instructions that wherever they find for me when I crock right it up, it must be LIGHT!

It's amazing what a coat of paint can do on kitchen cabinets. If you do them a light colour the room will be transformed. A pale sage green, or a rich cream, perhaps?

Elsewhere, I agree about lamps making a big difference. You can get rechargeable ones (try Pooky.com) which means that you aren't restricted by the position of sockets. They even do wall lights that don't need an electrician to fit, and you can put table lamps on shelves or mantels without having cords trailing and looking messy. Just be sure that all the bulbs are the same colour - having a mix of 'warm' and 'cool' light can look wrong.

If redecorating a whole room is out of the question, look at touching up any chips or scuff marks on paintwork, as they can make a place look neglected. You can buy little bottles of gloss paint that are designed for touch-ups. They are like liquid Tipp-ex, with a tiny brush in the lid.

Every now and then I do a refresh by moving things like pictures and ornaments from room to room, just ringing the changes. Even changing the position of plants can make a difference, as you are looking at something 'new'. Far less drastic than decorating, but it helps. I think it's known as shopping your own home, and it means you don't end up with far too many 'things' when you fancy a change.

There are videos on YouTube about interior design that might give you ideas, too.

I haven't really anything much to add to this discussion, because I love my home and when I return to it it seems to wrap its arms around me.
I love lots of light, and light painted walls, and yet my kitchen doesn't have a window and opens off the garden room! All the units are shiny white and the work surfaces are black. Unless I'm actually doing something in there, I leave it lit by the under-unit lights and I have a view through the glass door into the garden room and from there to an expansive view.
The garden room itself is mostly windows and french doors, but the back wall is navy blue. So I rely on what I call pops of colour from cushions, rug and pictures. And flowers! At night I never use the ceiling lights but rely on the cosy light from lamps. The furniture is old stuff I had already which has been painted white.
I am alone now and this little area is my cocoon and it makes me feel happy. It has evolved over the past 8 years and I love it - and nothing in it is expensive.
It's a case of finding/knowing the colours that make you feel good and then just gently and gradually going with the flow. But first the brown theme of your kitchen just has to disappear!! Good luck.

pascal30

Just paint over the brown.. a nice light colour.. you can even paint tiles.. look on You Tube..

If you paint the kitchen cabinets I would recommend a small roller for the flat surfaces, you get much smoother results..

Progess....a friend's partner may do some decorating.

If you looking at the house as a "whole"? It can seem overwhelming, break it down into individual areas/zones Tackle one thing at a time, even emptying one cupboard can be a sense of achievement. Look at each zone and think how can I tidy/ brighten that up , look at the colour scheme as others have said a new throw and some cushions or rug can brighten a room up no end.

glasshalffullagain

Progess....a friend's partner may do some decorating.

Yay! That's good news. You can start googling for ideas and inspiration for colour schemes and accessories to bring it all together.

Exciting times.

glasshalffullagain

fancythat

Perhaps list on here what you find depressing about the house?

Some very kind and thoughtful suggestions here. The layout is typical Victorian terrace. It's light with high ceilings.

The kitchen is grim, brown and sucks the life out of me. I feel like any of the great ideas re decorating are just tinkering about. However there is no budget for new kitchen ( unpleasant back story here)
So it's a case of sprucing up the existing " facilities"

Partner is not unpleasant in any way... well no more than any of us are! Just not a DIY person.

Food for thought folks, Thanks

I've just had a brown kitchen replaced, although I did quite like the wood it was past its sell-by date. However, the upheaval is something I wouldn't like to go through again.

I don't know what your budget is but brown doors can be replaced and also worktops.
Doors can be painted, if it's too much to tackle then they can be taken away, dipped and repainted which would probably be longer-lasting. Otherwise I think there are several specialist paints recommended if you DIY.

Walls painted in a light colour
Declutter worktops (it's surprising what we don't really need) and some small pots with herbs or flowering plants in the windowsill will cheer it up.

glasshalffullagain

Progess....a friend's partner may do some decorating.

Oh, missed that.

Decorators are like gold dust!

I find my DIL is prone to bouts of depression, and it is reflected in her environment. Blinds are drawn down, and the house is filled with clutter, including laundry and dishes not done. When she is well, it is much improved by tidying and letting in light. I don't interfere, but have subtly asked her and my son if there is anything needed during these times.

So yes, your house can reflect your moods, and vice versa. If your environment is cheery and light, surrounded by your favourite things, I do think it can lift your mood. Sometimes even a small change can make a difference; a new lamp or a basket to hold daily clutter.

glasshalffullagain

fancythat

Perhaps list on here what you find depressing about the house?

Some very kind and thoughtful suggestions here. The layout is typical Victorian terrace. It's light with high ceilings.

The kitchen is grim, brown and sucks the life out of me. I feel like any of the great ideas re decorating are just tinkering about. However there is no budget for new kitchen ( unpleasant back story here)
So it's a case of sprucing up the existing " facilities"

Partner is not unpleasant in any way... well no more than any of us are! Just not a DIY person.

Food for thought folks, Thanks

We'd a holiday home with grim brown kitchen and diner. I very carefully washed, painted bone colour chalk paint, waxed twice.

Bright and lovely. Cheap to accomplish.

Absolutely! That’s why my home is my sanctuary and is full of beautiful things and furnished/set-up to make me feel happy.
If you’re not depressed in general then maybe think about how to make your home more of a happy place? It doesn’t have to cost much (if anything.)
When I walk into someone’s home I have an immediate reaction and some immediately bring me down. They tend to have no personality and are devoid of any personal touches. Think pictures, books, plants, treasured objects, colour (neutral walls are fine but lift with cushions, rugs, vases etc.)

It's a weird one, been here many years. Something feels " off " about it.

Anyhow short term, not moving and budget is practically zero!

Hopefully some change is coming.

I look at a lot of decorating Facebook pages and what surprises me is how some rooms look bigger if painted in dark colours. You have to know what you’re doing though, and I don’t. I find that, because everything in my house is pretty old ( when someone else eventually moves in they will replace everything) it’s difficult to keep clean. New things seem to stay clean for longer. My kitchen is solid pine and very good quality, very well fitted. It would look so much nicer with light painted units but they would never be as good as what I’ve got. Plus if, heaven forbid, I lost my current dog and took on another, it might chew or scratch everything. I only very rarely leave my dog in the kitchen and go out but I’ve only just noticed that she has scratched at the door; I had thought that she just slept in her crate ( which is open and full of blankets and duvets for her to snuggle into). The door, which was once an outdoor door, was damaged by my first whippet, and is just a bodge up job ( I’ve covered the damage with plywood and painted it with blackboard paint to write on).

Whenever I go into an unfamiliar house I pick up vibes. Sometimes good, sometimes bad.

I was invited round to see an ex colleagues new home. Large old property in large garden. Loads of rooms and she was thrilled with it. I walked in and immediately felt cold even though it was a sunny September afternoon. She took me over the whole house and I felt uncomfortable in all the rooms. I couldn’t wait to get outside actually.

Just a couple of months later I was sad but not surprised to hear her husband had died aged 51. That house really gave me the creeps.

Has something changed/happened to make you feel this or has this home always been 'hard to love'?

kittylester

I love my home but I think a house feels even more welcoming with fresh flowers and plants. Daffs are so cheap and cheery at the moment too.

I agree with this. Our present home has a lovely entrance hall - our old house only had a small lobby - and l love walking in to this welcoming space. I try to have fresh flowers as often as possible. The corner unit and everything on it is secondhand; mostly from charity shops, which proves that you don't need to spend a lot of money to make somewhere cheerful.

There’s nothing like a depressing kitchen. My husband only sat up and took notice when I was ill ..and then he decided, yes, we could really do with having it replaced. It cheered me up no end.
It’s tricky if funds don’t allow this. Sometimes I find looking at ideas in mags or online, help me to come up with changes. You might want to look into just replacing the cupboard fronts perhaps, or could they be painted. If the whole house is awful to you, it may sound drastic, but I’d think about moving. It’s awful being in a home that pulls you down, whether you were depressed to start with or not. Good luck.

Are you happy with your partner?

I would like to change my curtains - I had the walls painted last year but didn’t change the curtains. I might do that this year. OP - why don’t you try re-decorating the room you usually use. New colour for the walls and new furnishings. Hope your mood lifts now that the sun is here. Also, talk to your GP

emilie

Are you happy with your partner?

Mostly.