Arrangement #7,482

I rearrange the furniture like other people change their sheets. I've done this since I was a pre-teen. I think it was my way of having control over something. (ME?!? Having control issues? WHAT?!?!) 

Now, as a grown-up, it's ... me having control over something. 

And constantly wanting something "new" but not being able to buy new things whenever I want. This is another reason I love to recycle, fix things, paint things, change things, and make things. It's my way of having something *new*. Plus, as a child, my family did not have disposable income, so we were that family who pulled things out of other peoples trash and Daddy would fix it. I think I was in high school before Mama ever had a "new", and I mean, *out of the box, she's the first-owner* "new" vacuum. 

One of my favorite memories was of the day the cleaners a few doors down from Daddy's office went out of business. Everything that wasn't picked up was thrown in the back dumpster. Daddy came home, got me, and took me back there with him. He quite literally threw me into the dumpster, and I started tossing out furs. Yes! Furs. Fur coats. Shawls, wraps, full length, jackets, hand-poufs... It was a PETA nightmare, but to a little girl, it was princess dress-up heaven!  Most we're ruined, worn, torn, and unwearable, but we kept the nice ones. I think there's one or two still around somewhere, but I'm not sure where.

I got off track. Again... ME?!? Distracted? Naw... Can't be. JESUS! What kind of bird is that? It's HUGE!

The furniture. I was originally writing about the furniture.  

Our house is long and narrow. Not a square, or even a shallow and wide box. Nope... It's narrow and long. It's a GREAT house, with a LOT of WONDERFUL features, upgrades, and flash things that make me say, "Ahhh" when I see them... But furniture placement and "flow" has been a constant struggle.

Take a look. This is the family room. I just moved the couch long-ways in front of the fireplace and TV. And I *think* I LOVE IT!!

No, I didn't "pick-up" before taking the pictures. I'm a real mom with real kids and real dogs. The house will never be clean all at once all at the same time. If it is, something is either very very wrong, or I have aquired the entire staff of Downton Abbey.

So this is the current arrangement in the family room. We can all sit on the sofa together to watch TV. I can sit between the kids to keep them from fighting. I can snuggle with both kids, AND my 110 lb gigantic baby lapradore Homer can snuggle with me too.

Then... We have *this* space up front. Ugh... What/how do I do anything with this? It's designed to be a formal sitting room and dining room. We do entertain enough to keep/need the big table, but it needs a bit more space. I have to get the knee walls down and out. They totally make the space unlivable, and half of my first floor is waisted space.

Take a look...

So, how would you arrange this space? If I had the knee wall gone in the dining room, I'd love to have a round dining table to soften the corners and edges. With the knee wall gone by the front door, I'd be able to bring the furniture all the was to the entry-way wall, after brining the hardwood all the way from the door to the family room. It will soften the entry, and would eliminate the bottleneck at the front door.

Speaking of remodeling, in the above pictures of the family room, the wall that currently has my wedding portrait (and the kids preschool alphabets) needs to go as well. There is also a useless wall in the foyer that needs to go. We'll have to leave supports, but they need to be round columns instead of the jagged angles that they are now. I have more right angles than the Bush Administration up in this joint. 

So... Donations to the "Oh Sweet Jesus, Girl Your Home Needs Some Serious Work" fund can be mailed, addressed, and written out directly to me or my Honey. Checks always accepted. I'm southern, so your thank you note will be hand written, and will include pictures of what your donation contributed.

Thank you.

Keep improving, my friends.