HOME IMPROVEMENTS - A CATALOGUE

(Warning - This is really a post to document for Alice, not really interesting unless you know the house and even then it's pretty boring!)

I inherited my home nearly 5 years ago. Before 2003 my parents had lived here (with me too sometimes) for almost 13 years since converting it from a barn and outbuildings during 1990.

In the 13 years that they owned it they did a few modifications, some big but mostly small. As I remember them:

• Redecorated the downstairs bathroom from Laura Ashley's sweetpeas to a cloud and hot-air balloon paper - it's not as bad as it sounds but I still prefer the original and my opinion matters on this one as it was my bathroom (and the downstairs loo) whilst I lived here!
• The reception rooms have all changed - the drawing room is smaller, the original sitting room is now a study, the original dining room is now a playroom, the dining room is now at the narrow end of the drawing room but was a sitting room at one stage too, confused?!
• The kitchen was enlarged and the utility room was moved into the dog room.
• Nothing changed upstairs. The only bedroom to have a change of colour scheme was mine (and that was downstairs).
  
• The garden was ripped out and replanted in 2002 - along with the kitchen this was Mum's project after Nick died.

In the past 5 years, I've had:

• an upgraded burglar alarm installed,
• a doorway created into the drawing room,
• totally redecorated the master bedroom and the nursery,
• refitted the main bathroom and put in a power shower (major improvement!)
• redecorated all the reception rooms and the hall,
• ripped out, shuffled and refitted the kitchen,
• had a lot of work done on the garden and more paving added,
• installed garage doors,
• had more cupboards built in the study, hall and kitchen lobby,
• replaced all (bar the kitchen) windows and doors in the house, upgraded to hard wood frames and double glazing (and still the gas bill rises, ugh!)

But all in all this house feels like the 4th Road Bridge!