home truths
LISA DAWSON performance was the fact that I forgot to buy a wallpaper brush and had to use a shoe duster. A minor setback. Occasionally, my gung-ho approach can lead me into unknown territory. Our sitting room came with the Handy Andy of Pinner and a man a cream carpet – totally unsuitable who could fit a triple wardrobe with for a family of five whose children are vanity alcove and mirror lighting before prone to eating chocolate Hobnobs you could say 6cm MDF plywood. When and a Lhasa Apso dog who is prone not carrying out his day job in the to stealing and regurgitating them. Senior Civil Service, he would plumb In exasperation, I used a screwdriver bathrooms, lay patios, cable electrics to peel up the corner and discovered and install kitchens. So you’ll fully the original floorboards from 1759. I appreciate that when I met my husband, decided that the only thing to do was to Joe, the benchmark was pretty high. bring the boards back to their original However, it wasn’t long before I realised beauty by sanding them. Two days, 200 that I’d married a man who barely sanding sheets, a ruined manicure and recognised a rawl plug, and whose a pair of broken Havaianas later, I was understanding of a spirit level was done. It wasn’t the greatest job in the a large gin and tonic. world, but I’d done it alone and within Over the years, Joe has tried a budget. Winning. hard to up his home So what are my improvement skill ‘the fact top tips to make your levels. But not even home improvement the Which? How To I forgot to buy attempts more Do DIY book and a DIY than SOS? top-of-the-range a wallpaper • Trust your Stanley Mobile tool kit instincts. I have a fear can disguise the fact brush and had of hidden electrics that he’d rather chop to use a shoe after seeing my dad off his own head than electrocute himself get the drill out. I once duster was A by drilling near a light left it to my mum to switch. Unless you are help him put a TV on minor setback’ totally confident, step the wall as the stress away from the drill. was too much and I • Know your limits. My hallway has feared divorce. I returned to find a 30ft ceiling drop. Rather than risk they’d used the wrong drill bit and injury working on ladders precariously were stuffing bits of kitchen roll into positioned across banisters, I hired a what looked like sink holes in the wall. decorator who knew what he was doing. Subsequently, I’ve embarked on And who had appropriate insurance. many a DIY job myself over the years. • Be a can-do person. So much I’ll try pretty much anything before I of DIY is just trial and error. Who make the decision to find a man who cares if you get it wrong? You can fill can (i.e. not my husband). A few years a hole, you can repaint a room. Try ago, I ventured into wallpapering. Our before you call in the tradesmen. downstairs toilet was adorned with a My next challenge? I’m stripping burgundy rose textured monstrosity the dining room wallpaper and tiling which made my eyes bleed. One our home bar, a job I haven’t tried morning, I decided that enough before, but I’m looking forward to was enough. It took me 10 minutes proving I can. And what’ll Joe be doing? to banish the flock, half an hour to pop He’ll be standing behind it, cheering out for wallpaper and three hours to me on with a large gin and tonic. put it up. The only thing that stopped FOLLOW LISA @_lisa_dawson_ it being an award-winning decorating
PHOTOGRAPH KATIE LEE
My dad was absolutely brilliant at DIY. He was the Nick Knowles of his time,
23
Take a tour of Lisa’s home on page 72