I’m too picky for my own good. When it comes to home furnishings anyway. I agonise over the right style of dining table – too big, not big enough, can we accommodate the new table so we can pull it out for extra people? I lose sleep when it comes to choosing just the right shade of green paint. Or maybe I should stick to a shade of yellow? No…no…that would make the room too hot looking. But what about when the sun isn’t shining? I know, I’ll just buy a couple more sample pots to try. Please, don’t ask me if I prefer eggshell over a silk matt finish. I’ll lose yet another night’s sleep. Do you empathise with my agony? Do you feel my pain?

We converted a through lounge and a tiny little room into two good sized rooms – a fun family room which opens straight onto the garden and the other room where we can relax in in the evening. Makes sense right?

For two months, I’ve agonised over just the right sofa for our new family/dining/eat-and-be-merry/whatever-we-feel-like-doing-in-there room. This room is going to be for eating in, crafting in, doing homework in and just chilling during the day. I like it. It’s sunny, airy and very bright. So guess what sofa I chose? Yep, you’ve guessed it! A red one!

Just like this one:

I’ve trawled websites, shops, ebay and antique shops. It had to be right. We like to lounge while we read, listen to music and nap, so this one seemed right. It won’t show up the dirt like the last biscuit coloured one we had and easy to sponge down if it gets grubby. And, wait for it…a chenille fabric feel. Hmm. I had to have it delivered before Christmas so it was getting to be a close call. It’ll arrive real soon…

I agonised over just the right dining table and put my family through my self-inflicted torture.

‘Do you like this one, Joe?’ ‘What do you think, John?’ ‘Sara, couldn’t you just die for this colour?’  I’m pretty sure if I’d listened more closely to their answers, I would have blushed at the expletives in their replies . Ooops!

I did chose the just-right dining table after the same long-and-drawn-out decision making and it arrived last week. I like it! It’s just right.

For years, we made-do-and-mended and that’s all good but for the first time, I can pick and choose and I’m having a ball! Once the room is finished you can see it all for real. But for now, it’s a closely guarded secret. Well, not really but I don’t want to show the swishes of different coloured paint on the walls, the patchy samples of flooring or the piece-meal curtains while I decided on the right fabric.

Two windows, a whole floor to lay, four walls to paint and oh, I am undecided on just the right interior door!

And don’t mention table-lamps will you? Please?