shabby shabby

I spent Thursday sorting out one of the bedrooms. Lego in one box, playmobil in another, dirty socks in the washing basket, broken things in the bin etc etc. My little helper and I got a little distracted and ended up playing shops, cafes and making dens. As i was pushing a row of drawing pins into the ceiling I realised how liberating having a tatty house is! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy looking at well styled interiors pictures as much as the next person and daydreaming of stylish storage boxes, tastefully coloured walls and beautiful bedspreads, but then where would the children stick their stickers and spill their drinks and crumble their crayons!?
 A friend was telling me about her son having a melt down in B&Q last week because he wanted to paint his bedroom bright red. My friend was sure that she had convinced her son that a dusty Farrow & Ball neutral paint, world map wall paper and a bespoke cabin bed would be perfect, and whilst she tried to pretend that she wanted his opinion to count, there was no way she was painting the freshly plastered walls of a very small room bright red! I felt grateful that I am able to say yes to stickers on the walls and drawers, yes to sellotaping pictures around the beds and yes to hanging big bits of old sheets and net curtains from as many drawing pins as you can find!