Wall-Free Living: Is It Right for Your Space?How to Choose the Most Suitable Finishes for Your Home Makeover 31

Wall-Free Living: Is It Right for Your Space?How to Choose the Most Suitable Finishes for Your Home Makeover 31

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It started with a shelf. Or maybe not even a shelf — more like the suggestion of one. My flatmate said we needed “a better place for the keys,” and instead of doing the obvious, I decided I'd create a solution. Wall-mounted. Minimalist. Stylish. Or whatever people call it when they're about to make a mess.

I marked the spot next to the entry light, took one step back and thought, “Easy” Ten minutes later I was looking through the guts of the wall, wondering it looked like someone had stuffed an old sock next to the wiring. The shelf never happened. But somehow the hole got bigger.

That's the thing about home improvement — it doesn't follow a plan. You start with one thing, and the next thing you know, you're repainting. I just wanted a shelf. By the end of the week, I had a dust mask permanently stuck in my jacket pocket.

There's no clear moment when it all flips. It just spins. You go to the store for anchors and come back with a basket of grout samples. That's how I ended up repainting a not even that bad wall because the guy at the store said, “People are doing sage now.”

Tools pile up. You buy the same sanding block because you can't remember where the other ones went. Spoiler: they're all in the laundry, behind the ironing board.

It's messy. Not just physically. One night I stayed at a friend's place because the walls were drying. I also cried over a wonky cabinet hinge. Real tears. Over a hook. I don't know what to tell you.

But you get through it. With YouTube tutorials. You learn things you'd rather not. Like how the bathroom window frame isn't attached to anything.

Eventually, though, things settle into place. Not perfect — nothing is. The tiles by the bin still wobble. But now, I walk into the kitchen and don't trip. That's progress.

The shelf? Never built it. We use a bowl now. Same one we always had, sitting on a slightly sticky check here sideboard. But the wall's patched. Mostly.

And that's renovation, isn't it? Not what you expected. But it's lived-in. With all its wonky lines and accidental charm.