I rearranged our living room, and I have the torn nails and bruises to prove it.

Our living room is a large one, but it’s long and narrow. Three things were terribly wrong with it: one, getting to the seating area was a challenge, two, the bookshelf area was tight, and three, the entryway needed storage, because, “Hello! We’re home! It’s Valentine’s Day! Let us show you how much we love you, by changin into play clothes and wallerin in yer foyer with ALL OF OUR CRAP!”

So, I divided the long room into three clearly defined sections. Now we have an entryway, with hooks and a bench. I am the only one here now, but you can imagine that just heaping with kip, can’t you?

I am astounded at the cost of “hooks.” Now, these are some simple stained wood boards with rubbed bronze hooks. They were $20 apiece. I saw some decorative ones which held very high opinions of themselves. A painted board with white hooks for $70 and a rough-hewn board with wooden hooks for $120. I was aghast. I know that for about $20, I could buy or salvage boards and attach hooks. I laughed at the decorative hooks, I did. I said, “Oh hahaha, you’re so pretty, but no, hahaha!” The only reason I didn’t make my own was because we’re having houseguests this weekend, and I wanted it done.

Then I placed the desk and filing cabinets along the back wall, behind the seating area, so that we have a sorta office corridor. It’s not tight anymore. One can actually walk back there with ease, or perhaps even crouch behind the love seat to shoot arrows at one’s sister. Quite nice, I think.

Opened up the space quite a bit. The flow is much better. I am all about the flow.

And then there’s the gallery wall, or, in my case, the gallery hallway. Isn’t the painted ceiling positively gorgeous? Oh, I knew you’d like it! *winks* It’s nearly done. I need to add a few more frames, but I’m leaving room to add upward and outward.

You really do need to live in a space to know how you’re going to use it. I am the sort of person who might spend months playing around with things, trying to get it right, but when I feel it’s right, I’m the sort of person who won’t bother with it again. Why is that? Because disorderly things bother me, but I hate change.

Now, the back hallway. *sigh* It’s just…I…Oh man…
Never mind that I need to finish sanding and painting back there, I gotta find a solution to my laundry issue! Winter laundry is the suck. The back hallway is only used by those of us who live here, but still, we’re not keen on walking all over laundry once it’s sorted and being washed. I need to find tall narrow, hampers, or people need to stop wearing clothes. I’m sure either of those choices are cheaper and easier solutions compared to expanding the laundry room. Small, ugly laundry room gets no love, bless her heart.

I’ve got to go spray paint some decorative things now, because metallic ones are twice the price of red ones, and metallic paint is $3.69 a can.

I’m glad I’m creative and crafty, because not being so must cost a lot more! I thank all three of my parents for the ability to DIY.

Some people can’t grow or cook food, or sew things, or make anything at all! Meanwhile, my parents are like, “We hafta cut down the azaleas now, they’re visible from the moon,” or “Let me show you these twenty birdhouses I built last week.” While my dad makes furniture and my mother weaves baskets and my father whips out lined drapes on his commercial Husqvarna, they’ve all got somethin cookin.
I don’t know how to live any other way.