Sunday, February 16, 2014

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.








7 comments:

  1. I love the new family room arrangement. I agree that you need to get rid of those knee walls. I also think (I am sorry to say) that you should get rid of all those books and book cases - you'd have a TON of space in there. The tall book cases make things look smaller in there. You can resell the books at Second and Charles (in Woodbridge) or a similar place - either for cash or store credit (or a combo). Then you can buy books/cds/dvds/other and enjoy it for a time, then take it back and resell. If you have a few titles you LOVE or books you re-read a lot, save those on a smaller book case, but one way to free up space in that room is to PURGE. ;) xoxo

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  2. Thanks for the comments and suggestions! I'm not sure you could get me and Mr Saucy to part with our books. I'm sure there are a few hundred in there we could say good bye to, but for the most part, I think our poor kids will have to deal with them once we're dead and gone.

    Maybe we'll do a little thinning as a spiritual cleansing. I think it'll be good for us. I have old text books still that I can easily get rid of. But to part with a book is completely against my religion.

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  3. Don't do that to your kids. I had to clean out my mom's house. Not. Fun. If you don't LOVE it and/or it isn't BLESSING your life then you should let it go. <3

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  4. I agree with the books ... clean out a few depression era houses and it will cure you of holding on to everything! ... I do agree that letting go of some of the books will help - a lot! Think of it as having room to breathe ... we all need some breathing room - especially in our homes. ... and Girl ... I would totally bust out those knee walls ...

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  5. Since Mr Saucy is home today and tomorrow, I'll do my best to sweet-talk him into helping me with demo. :)

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  6. You are genetically programed to hold onto the reading material. There are still books in the garage that our family can't get rid of. Your uncle has at least two book cases in every room, and I am sure that the 1937 copy of "the Manual of Physical Measurements" on my book case is a necessity.

    Do what you want with the books, loose the knee walls, sooo jealous of the fireplace.

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