Kitchen, bathroom, laundry and beyond
I love having my own home. It’s not only a place that I can call my own, but a space to express my personality. After living in my new home for six months, it was time to decorate and bring more of 'me' into it. So after an exhilarating trip to Albany Mega Centre, I was able to create a kitchen, laundry, and bathroom look that would be the envy of all my friends.
I’ve always wanted my own home but it never seemed like the right time. I’ve been flatting since I was 19 and now at 38, I wonder why I didn’t do it before. I suppose being single for most of that time, I was waiting for that special partner to buy together. At the same time, my settled, home-owning friends often hassled me about it so I never wanted to succumb to the judgemental peer pressure of the happily married.
But with house prices down in 2023, the time seemed right to jump on the property ladder.
At the time of purchase, I was thankful for the fresh vanilla walls and the grey-tinted carpets. But as the months passed, their blandness started to depress me. Even the cat seemed to stare at the walls with a look of distaste on her face. I made the decision to decorate, making it a project to tackle one weekend at a time. Through February I repainted the dining room and kitchen, the main bathroom and the adjoining laundry, adopting a bold green and crisp white palette. It’s looking fresh and sharp.
Then the time came to adorn each room appropriately, with new things that spoke to who I am. A Sunday at Albany Mega Centre was just what I needed to fully express myself.
I started at Bed, Bath and Beyond with a full set of bath towels, face cloths and floor mats. In fact, I bought two sets. The first was made up of two different shades of green, one a dark forest green and the other a pastel mint green with a dark green edge. The second set was plain white. Between them, I knew I could mix and match to create different combinations that would always pop against the green walls.
From there I also purchased a soap dispenser and toothbrush holder. This set had a green and white pattern which would look good with the tiny green and white soaps I had at home. I also bought a white toilet roll holder, toilet brush and rubbish bin.
The next stop was to Storage Box. The laundry is tiny and doesn’t have much space for decoration. The key needs here are practical. I find a nice cabinet that I can put in the corner to store my cleaning products. I buy a couple of plastic tubs – in green of course – and a wall-hanging unit I can use to dry things that can’t go in the dryer. The only other item I buy is a good quality canvas launder hamper which is on wheels, allowing me to move it easily between the bedroom and the laundry.
After the two easy rooms, next is the kitchen. I start at Briscoes. They have excellent prices and is therefore the best place to buy the essentials. I start with a classic white dinner set that will look great with the green, nature-inspired, placemats I found. Six wine glasses are matched by six water glasses from the same range. I finish up with a simple, yet elegant, cutlery set, a serving platter and a big green bowl for pasta, salad or both.
The last touches for the kitchen are from Farmers Home and feature a simple glass vase, a brightly coloured fruit bowl that will look great on the kitchen island and a couple of ceramic wall ornaments for the blank wall between the kitchen and the dining area.
I return home on a high from my shopping adventures and the prospect of setting up the house. My friends with their well-worn, child-battered, houses will be jealous of the freshness of my new place. I haven’t had them around for dinner in a long time and I’m feeling inspired to do so. It’s Easter this coming week, so I’ll make it a good Friday by setting up all my new stuff. Thanks to the amazing kitchen, bathroom and laundry wares from Albany Mega Centre I’ll have my married friends around on Saturday, ready to show them that I can play house as well as they can.