Lisa Dawson Design Dilemmas newsletter

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Design Dilemmas Episode 125. This week we're discussing a room that needs finishing touches, black out blinds and kitchen cupboards. Plus dark ceilings and, of course, the Sunday Niche Edit. Oct 4 READ IN APP Good morning lovely subscribers and I am gearing up for a super busy week as on Thursday I am heading to Austria for three nights on a breathwork retreat. I have never been to Austria, nor have I ever done breathwork so I will be reporting back with full details upon my return. I’ve been reading about it, though, and am feeling quite excited to try it, although a little apprehensive as I’ve heard that it affects different people in different ways (if you’ve done it, do let me know below). I’ve made a conscious decision this year to try absolutely everything and take every opportunity available to me, so I am looking foward to trying something completely different. There’s going to be yoga and hikes and Nordic walking too and honestly, I cannot WAIT. Give me all the new experiences, I am here for them. Housewise, this week the guest bedroom was decorated and hopefully by the time you read this, it will also have been carpeted. I want this room to double up as a mini office for Max when he comes home on a Friday sometimes so I bought a desk to put in the alcove. I measured it up, found one that fitted, bought and ordered it. I arrived, put it together (badly, one of the parts is upside down but you can’t see it) and then, this afternoon, went to put it into position only to find it is about 15mm too wide. ARGH. I am now frantically trying to work out where else in the room it will go without ruining my moodboard. It is SO annoying, I was so sure I had measured it right. But no. I also need to measure up the windows for blinds, the cupboard for a curtain and my bedroom for curtains and cafe curtains and this, again, is not my forte. Until I do this, I can’t order fabric or book someone in to make them so until then, I am bedroom curtain free, which is slightly distressing for the neighbours as I’m hanging tablecloths up every night. Max left to go back to Manchester the other evening and told me that our house looked like a squat from the outside. The shame of it. Anyway, this time in a few months and it’ll ALL be done. But back to business and today we’re starting off with a room that is looking good but needs a few finishing touches. We are debating really good black out blinds that do the job yet don’t look too white and plasticky, plus looking at changing the colour of kitchen cupboards and investigating spray options. And finally, we are looking at a lovely high ceilinged bedroom and considering colour options. The Sunday Niche Edit today is all about round fabric footstools and I have to admit they are all rather lovely. I am nothing if not niche. Paid subscribers (particularly if you’re new), remember that you can add your dilemmas or quandaries below here in the comments or you can join in the Group Chat (the speech bubble on your app or just click the link below) where there are thousands of you waiting to help with any issues that arise (I pick ones from both of these locations for my weekly post, so whack yours in). Join Lisa Dawson’s subscriber chat Available in the Substack app and on web Join chat You can READ ON by becoming a paid subscriber which means that not only do you receive four free posts a month but you’ll also get an eight EXTRA posts a month (including all my plans for our new home) plus Chat threads so you can join our blossoming community. You’ll be able to access my archive to read ALL of my past posts (including recipes and travel write ups) for the price of one coffee a month. I would thoroughly recommend!... Subscribe to Joie De Vivre to unlock the rest. Become a paying subscriber of Joie De Vivre to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content. Upgrade to paid A subscription gets you: Four posts monthly plus eight add