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Post by alf on Jul 26, 2018 16:23:11 GMT
Any recommendations for kitting a house out from scratch? A stipulation is that they have to have solid wood stuff that would suit an older property, and deliver and in reasonably defined time slots - my likely next abode is a terraced town house on a narrow street in central Winchester. I'll probably park in a car park 2 mins walk away rather than risk the road. This is a price I'm prepared to pay for a lovely house within 5 mins walk of a big sports centre/gym, nice high street with loads of shops/restaurants, endless food shops and coffee houses, etc,. not to mention gorgeous cathedral grounds and walks and so on for walking/running. By myself, the thought of being able to pop out to endless choices of restaurants, pubs, cafes and small supermarkets for food when I get home at night (and I'm home all day about half the time) appeals a lot. I have used these people before and found their chests of drawers and so on excellent: www.cotswoldco.com/Even not going crazy I'm going to need a single and double bed, work desk, small table/chairs, kitchen table/stools, 2 sofas, 2 chests of drawers, 2 wardrobes and some book cases/general storage. Then loads of gay frippery to make it look nice (big rugs, pictures, ornaments and lights and stuff). And a TV and stand but I'll use Currys for that as their prices and delivery seem decent. (I have a digital amp and two speakers I can use and I'll take the blue ray player with me since the X Box can do the job). I struggle to see change out of £5k for that lot even being sensible! Just a decent bed/mattress is going to be £1500 or so. I look around here and there is almost nothing I'd want to take furniture-wise. The garage - with 6 bikes, a pile of car wheels, 5 RC cars, 2 guinea pig hutches, and god knows what else, is another story - and one reason I'm not pushing Mrs ALF to make a move in a hurry as and when I go - it's going to take time to sort, and things are currently highly amicable (in true female fashion now I'm looking seriously to go soon she wants me to stay) and I want them to stay that way!! |
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Jul 26, 2018 16:29:43 GMT
IKEA - I know you are saying you want solid wood stuff for an older property but they do plenty of stuff that will sit well within any type of dwelling and you'll get plenty of change out of your £5k, something you might be glad of in the months to come.
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Post by LandieMark on Jul 26, 2018 17:05:22 GMT
I second Ikea. It’s decent stuff but you will need to assemble. The big name stores like Furniture Village et al do decent stuff these days, but will have long lead times.
My dad had used the Cotswold Co. before and they do do nice stuff.
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Post by Martin on Jul 26, 2018 17:27:17 GMT
I used a mixture of the better Ikea furniture and Oak Furniture Land when I had to kit a house out quickly from scratch. There will be plenty of time to change it in the years to come and it saves money so you don’t have to compromise too much on the really important stuff like the TV, Dishwasher etc!
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 26, 2018 17:39:22 GMT
The suggestions above are all good, but it is also worthwhile looking on Ebay and the like. We have been able to pick up ex-showroom / exhibition, very good quality furniture for peanuts.
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Post by PG on Jul 26, 2018 17:51:54 GMT
I'd also second the internet. There is probably a local sales site, or gumtree equivalent. As a seller, it gets you cash for stuff that you'd have to throw away or donate to a charity. As a buyer there is a huge choice of cheaper / cheap stuff, some of which is pretty good quality. For example we sold a pine double bed for £100 and got swamped with interest. You'd need to borrow / beg / steal a van to pick some of it up, but you'd save a fortune.
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Post by Andy C on Jul 26, 2018 18:11:56 GMT
Ikea is a good shout as is eBay
We got a solid oak dining table and chairs for £500. Nice family we bought it off had paid £1500 from oak furniture land a few months before . Only selling as the wife didn’t like it
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Post by bryan on Jul 26, 2018 22:00:40 GMT
Are there any furniture auctions near you. We have a weekly one with loads of decent furniture at low prices and delivey is via man with van so timing no issue. Or IKEA www.arthurjohnson.co.uk/ Sale room 4 catalogue for the decent modern stuff |
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Post by Alex on Jul 27, 2018 8:25:31 GMT
Agree with others. Ikea is only down the road from you and provides reasonably decent stuff at reasonable prices. For really solid stuff you probably want to look at eBay or even see if there’s a local auction house but it depends how modern you want though. If you want modern and in vogue furniture you could try www.made.com. They’ve got a sale on at the moment and are always in my wife’s home magazines. |
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Post by Tim on Jul 27, 2018 8:36:30 GMT
We bought some stuff for the office from MAde and it was pretty decent.
If I was in ALF's position I'd probably get some cheap(ish) stuff from IKEA to start and then replace it over time, rather than adding to the stress and trying to get the 'right' stuff in a short time period.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2018 10:04:37 GMT
As you are going to be in Winchester, a visit to the Royal Hussars (PWO) museum might be of interest. As far as I know they have not changed the decor for a few decades and the picture of the flying Chieftain should still be on the wall.
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Post by alf on Jul 27, 2018 10:10:47 GMT
I get that chaps, but I see having to do this now - then re-do it - as a waste of time. It's also the case that until quite recently a lot of the furniture here was old and/or IKEA standard, and even if we separated and got back together in the future (which is an increasing though still well sub 50% possibility given my unchanged feelings for her and how we are getting on, but I still want to go from here as the proximity is killing me) we were done with our time in this house and would have wanted a lot of new stuff.
The internet won't get me stuff delivered, unfortunately. If I'm living here while trying to set up the new place (which I think I've found) through the last 3 weeks of August, I'll need some decent delivery slots to make that work. In such a wealthy area the potential for great stuff second hand and even from the "shop" at the tip is huge - if you had huge time on your hands, a van, and parking.
The house is Victorian era, everything inside is white painted, wood floors, white woodwork and so on - I think the furniture is going to need to be mostly white and white or off-white, with grey sofas and soft furnishings. Painted, decent quality, wood looks a lot different to the shiny gloss IKEA MDF. I really want to make a proper go of it and of course every grand I spend now costs me £500 in the long run - and its not wasted as its stuff I want/need... But it is not going to be cheap from the looks of it! Even something like a Tempur bed costs a fortune...
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Post by Martin on Jul 27, 2018 10:40:45 GMT
That could blow your budget in one go.
We a Tempur bed last year, ended up spending more than planned as we got a deal which included bed gram, pillows and (NASA developed, lightweight and works really well all year round) duvet, but it was money well spent. I’ve never slept as well and no longer suffer from back ache every morning. It’s one of our top 3 house purchases, along with the Bean to Cup coffee machine and the portable aircon unit we bought 6 weeks ago.
You’re right about spending money now though, I did the same and the courts see it as reasonable expenditure, as long as you don’t go mad, so better than giving half of it away in the future.
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Post by ChrisM on Jul 27, 2018 12:22:53 GMT
As you are going to be in Winchester, a visit to the Royal Hussars (PWO) museum might be of interest. I don't think they are about to sell off any of thier furniture, though. There are plenty of military-type museums in an around Winchester, fsascinating places to visit. Put 13-16 September in your diaries (a bit off-topic, I know).
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Post by johnc on Jul 27, 2018 12:36:33 GMT
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Jul 27, 2018 15:12:26 GMT
I get that chaps, but I see having to do this now - then re-do it - as a waste of time. It's also the case that until quite recently a lot of the furniture here was old and/or IKEA standard, and even if we separated and got back together in the future (which is an increasing though still well sub 50% possibility given my unchanged feelings for her and how we are getting on, but I still want to go from here as the proximity is killing me) we were done with our time in this house and would have wanted a lot of new stuff. Even something like a Tempur bed costs a fortune... If you're even thinking about the possibility of getting back together don't go splashing the cash on expensive beds. A mate of mine was in a similar situation and he and his missus did get back together after 9 months or so but she made him throw out his expensive king size divan as she wasn't sleeping in any bed where "he'd been shagging slags" during their brief estrangement. |
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Post by Big Blue on Jul 28, 2018 6:18:34 GMT
Used furniture on eBay. That’s what I did when Marlene took most of the furniture.
Buy a new bed though, mate.
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Post by Roadrunner on Jul 28, 2018 8:40:08 GMT
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Post by alf on Jul 30, 2018 10:53:56 GMT
Yep - that's exactly it! By the time I have bought one double and one single bed (latter for Lu's occasional room), bedroom furniture, TV, a little office furniture (I work from home a few days a week so need it!) and even cheap IKEA sofas (which seem one of their better products) I'll have spunked the full £10k since the rent deposit/first month's rent/fees are nearly £5k. I now need to tell Mrs ALF (today since I'm out most of this week) I'm definitely off, probably not going on holiday with them this Friday, and persuade her to agree to shipping £15k of mortgage over-spend into our joint account, for which to happen we both need to ask. Wish me luck as it's going to be a messy day. I saw a glimmer of hope at the weekend but then she saw her therapist again and came back a different woman as usual - she's far more into being told how she should feel than seeing how she actually feels, and the therapist clearly sees no problem in her continuing her emotional affair with the guy next door while stringing me along. I differ! |
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Post by PetrolEd on Jul 30, 2018 12:09:02 GMT
Well done on the brave decision and good luck.
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Post by Martin on Jul 30, 2018 12:25:40 GMT
Good luck, hope it goes as well as can be expected
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Post by Alex on Jul 30, 2018 13:19:26 GMT
Indeed good luck, I wouldn’t like to be in your shoes right now but hopefully once you get through the shit times, you’ll be in a much better place yourself and ultimately much happier.
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Post by PG on Jul 30, 2018 13:25:45 GMT
As you suggest, I expect it is going to be a messy day.
Therapy is a weird one. I did some after my divorce from the first Mrs PG. And the reality to me seems to be this. Therapists never actually criticise you. They want you to reach the conclusion by being guided and mental reflection. And it strikes me that how that works out is totally dependent on your own aspirations for what you will get from the process. If you go to have your views reinforced (which usually results in you becoming convinced that your issue are caused by other people, not by yourself), they will be. If you go to seek enlightenment of yourself, then you might just achieve it. Your issues may well be caused by somebody else's actions or words, or by your own actions and words, but it is how you choose to react that is the key thing. You should never expect everyone to change around you. You have to be part of the change.
It does rather sound as if Mrs Alf falls into the first category? Her therapy convinces her that she has done nothing wrong. Whereas it ought to make her aware that everybody does things wrong - including her. It is how she chooses to react to them that is important.
So if there is no news from you by, say, 9am tomorrow morning, should we inform the police to start the search for your body........
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Post by Big Blue on Jul 30, 2018 13:40:33 GMT
So if there is no news from you by, say, 9am tomorrow morning, should we inform the police to start the search for your body........ Genuine LOL there. Seriously: good luck with it. I can imagine your stress levels. In fact I remember the feelings quite well enough. Lay off the booze is my main advice. |
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Jul 30, 2018 13:58:37 GMT
I hope it all goes well, it's a conversation I wouldn't like to have and it could end up being very emotional. Stick to your guns and the decision you've made, to cave in now and not leave would leave you in a very weak position.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 30, 2018 17:19:55 GMT
All the best, not the best but perhaps it will bring some clarity and closure or at least a feeling that you did the right thing. Being a punch bag, albeit an emotional one, has to end.
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Post by bryan on Jul 30, 2018 18:41:39 GMT
A very difficult day, but hopefully everything goes as well as can be expected
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Post by LandieMark on Jul 30, 2018 19:01:19 GMT
Best of luck!
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Post by PG on Jul 31, 2018 12:17:01 GMT
Well, we're well past 9am. Has there been anything on the news? ;-)
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Post by Bob Sacamano v2.0 on Jul 31, 2018 12:26:19 GMT
Well, we're well past 9am. Has there been anything on the news? ;-) So I guess that's a spare forum place going then? |
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