Really?'s Profile

@MARY AND FELIPE, I've spent time in Argentina so I know it's more common there than in Europe for people to hire domestic servants. I still think you're wrong that it's "almost everyone" in South America that can afford to have a cleaner. I'm not calling into question your right to hire a cleaner, or your treatment of her, but I think you might be unaware of just what a large proportion of society is less well-off than you. For example, I think UNECLAC estimates 56% of Paraguayans to be living below the poverty line. It's easy for us all to live in a bubble and to think that the people we associate with are representative of the majority. I suspect most of the people reading this blog are part of a relatively well-off minority (even those living in tiny rented flats and decorating on small budgets). It's hard for us to see that, usually.

Wouldn't work in my bathroom but I couldn't afford them anyway! Those are very beautiful tiles.

Sorry, but, "the fresh and modern facelift that this bathroom desperately needed"?? Come on! That was a perfectly nice bathroom before. Most people in the world would be thrilled with such a bathroom. OK, someone with money burning a hole in their pocket wanted to muck about with it, and yeah, the new version looks posher - but the makeover was definitely not "a must". Can we please recognise that we're talking about a tiny percentage of people who have the money to re-do a more than adequate bathroom just for fun?

Really good suggestions from people here. You definitely need more shelves but put all your stuff in boxes so it looks less cluttered - I just got some from B&Q that I'm really pleased with and they were cheap compared to other places (search on diy.com for 'bigso' to see if they have them in stock near you). That wardrobe's too small and it looks like there's space next to it - the idea above about replacing it with an open hanging rail is good. The bookcase alcove would be more useful with more shelves in it, and would look a lot less cluttery with a simple curtain hanging across it (inside the frame if you can) - take the door off, and more shelves might be better than those drawers?? Could you add another shelf under the one by the window?

Also, I know this is a little off-subject, but I'm seeing a single-glazed sash window and curtains that are way too short. In Aberdeen! If you can afford thermally-lined curtains that actually fit the window, you'll appreciate them in a few months' time. In fact, if you could fit a curtain pole inside the window frame, so the curtains would hang up against the window, it would make the room feel less cramped and your current curtains might actually be long enough...

I can't believe you're all surprised/shocked about the train toilets. Although you can't see the track down the loo in a British train, the waste does get flushed straight out onto the track - that's why you're not supposed to use the toilets when the train's in a station! Is this not the case with American trains??

I'd be concerned about chemicals in reclaimed wood, but let's not imagine that most new wooden furniture is somehow very healthy and chemical-free - it's not. Whenever I can, I choose untreated FSC-certified wood (the FSC part isn't to do with chemicals, it's to do with not completely wrecking the planet). I am then free to choose exactly what I treat the wood with, e.g. Auro organic finishes, natural oils and waxes, etc. Conventional finishes are mostly very toxic.

Wow, that bed is terribly close to the ceiling! I don't want to lower the tone too much here or get too personal but I'm thinking that might impose some restrictions on certain in-bed activities... The flat looks really nice otherwise, but I'm amazed at what some people will put up with to live in certain neighbourhoods!

Ooh, nice hovel! What neighbourhood is this in?

MMILHAM - I'm also young and on an extremely small budget, but I've sworn off Ikea after one particularly crappy piece of furniture (Leksvik?) and now prefer to buy second-hand instead. You can get far superior quality for the same money.

As a Londoner I'm kind of embarrassed that we're going to have a Ikea town here. Surely we could have come up with something that didn't involve an exploitative multinational company known for its crummy furniture? With the huge wealth of design talent in London - and even specifically east London - this seems really disappointing.

And, um, some people don't actually have a dishwasher.

Those are lovely. I can't tell how big they are, though - do be careful they don't fall on anyone/anything!