Problems in the Sitting Room

Men putting in the new ceiling. At least the room was empty then.

Thinking about what to do with the room, I could instead have a large, beige velvet cord sofa or a shabby tan chesterfield, stick to old-fashioned table and chairs, but maybe go for a mismatch in chairs (I already have a nice old chair which needs re-covering, and could find two other mismatches in dark wood, obtain a barley twist legged largeish gateleg table with two bits that fold down, again in dark wood. I could have white cupboards made to fit the lower parts of the alcoves with a couple of shelves above. Then I could get a panel to fill the centre of the fire surround ?tiled, have a shelf placed on top of this and then put the overmantel mirror on top of this.

The main problem would be cutting away the bottoms of the fire surround to fit the skirting board, which would be even more complicated if I had a new floor put in, necessitating the removal of the skirting board. This is why I never get things done.

It all seems so complicated I never know where to start. I have to say I am heartily sick with having stuff all over the house in untidy heaps, the overmantel mirror propped up in the bathroom, pictures hanging drunkenly at random in the sitting room and the room unpainted. It is like living in a squat.

The gateleg table and chairs was my original idea for the room, until I became seduced by my current repro walnut table and chairs almost identical to ones I had in Twickenham. These had cost a lot of money new, so when I saw ones like them on Ebay for £60, I just had to buy them. They have been very useful over the years, but central pedestal tables always seem to get a bit wobbly and the chairlegs rather scratched since they are varnished. I really do prefer older things. The table does fold up and down very well though. I must have the occasional whinge about all this. I have decided that at my advanced age, I should have orderly and tranquil surroundings.

I shall give this more thought, while also thinking about what to wear to meet the telly people on Monday.