For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for July 26, 2023

The way she presented her idea were so outdated. Wall borders? Pale Rose? VERY ’80s. I remember that time. I had a friend whose mother applied the hall bathroom with dark green, apple green and white stripes wallpaper and the room exploded with huge multicolored pastel flower blossom borders at the top all around the room. Her master bathroom had peach paint on all walls and big rose borders. Her kitchen had white lattice borders as backsplash and sunflowers borders on dark green paint around the top. It was so vogue her time.

Remember, this is actually a re-run probably from the 80s.

A “showplace”? This isn’t the 1890’s.

That’s one of the few things I like about renting an apartment. For instance, we have lived here for 22 years. The room I’m sitting in has a ceiling border of plum “drapes” filled with dark green leaves. Personally, I love it. Outdated? Sure. Do I care? Not a wit.

Good one John.

From the expression on Elle’s face, that statement of John’s is NOT going over well ! ! !

My friend’s first wife had a living room like that, that actually had a velvet rope to discourage anyone except her to go in there, and clean. It was stupid. People do not know how to live. Of course she lied to him when they got married, going along with the idea of children, when she had NO INTENTION of ever “ruining her body and cluttering her life” with them. Her ‘living room’ looked like a viewing room in a funeral parlor.

They divorced, he remarried. They had triplets. All in college now. HE WON. Their house is a home,

Let the girl have some fun. There should be some reward for raising a family.

Do a 60s theme, cover everything in plastic!!

My mother did this and no one ever used the room afterwards. :P

And this Elle is how well that idea will work out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uErKI0zWgjg

Peach or pale rose is best paint in the bathroom for most people’s complexion.

I think dental rates are going up.

Think that maybe John mis-spoke?

Didn’t they just add on a room? Are they still paying for that?

Dementia

When one goes to paint a room, it’s a good idea to first wash all surfaces that are to be painted.

That would look very nice for the era you are living in, Elly. Do a bit at a time, as you said.

Do the Pattersons have more pressing money matters? Michael’s school tuition must be a fortune.

Rip out the rugs and get hardwood floors

And Elly begins her doomed-to-failure battle against “the lived-in look”

As The Three Stooges always said—“You won’t know the joint when we get through with it”.

This was WRITTEN in the 80s, so wonder it is “very 80s”

It all started with a couch…..

Told you yesterday…. But, she didn’t stop with the living room… she will move on to the Kitchen and Bathrooms next… Poor John. Now that Mike is gone, his bedroom would be nice repainted in a dusky lavender… LOL

My parents went looking for a new couch when I was around 10, so 1960 or so. They went to a “nice” furniture store and found a sectional they really liked that would fit into our living room. They bought the floor model and got a huge discount on it. When it was delivered, we found out why. Some kid had peed on one of the cushions while it was in the store. It was dark brown, so the spot didn’t show but you sure could smell it. Dad had a new foam insert put into the cushion casing after mom washed it and they had that couch for upwards of 20 years.

But do you know?

My husband willingly lets me make the decorating decisions. He doesn’t care what the house looks like as long as he’s comfortable. It bores him to look at furniture and paint colors.

Good answer, John! But at least Elly is the perfect example of a wife and mother who’s a homebody.

John is a pain in the patootie.

Who wants to live in a showplace? Make it comfortable.

Quit while you’re behind.

Who cares whether a style matches modern ideas? Do what you like.