I've been a full-time mom for a week now. I have no other purpose in life besides that job. Well, no other paying purpose, I should clarify.
It's both scary and exciting all at once, knowing that my time is (somewhat) mine again -- at least naps are, knowing that I can stay on the Internet and surf around for fun, and not feel any guilt.
I do feel a bit guilty about not picking up in the housekeeping department, but I'm giving myself a full week to just splurge with my time. And since I'm not very good at staying still that now means I have taken on a house project (or two) this week.
I have been giving a lot of thought to what makes a house a home and the thought of nesting. It could be that I've been watching too much HGTV, again. But, after picking a very wrong agent to sell our house, taking a job that will be just down the street and knowing that a change may be coming down the pike for my better half, we have taken our house off the market to let life settle. It's a decision that is both comforting and disappointing. The upside, because there always is one in most situations, is that I'm free to decorate, again. There are so many ideas spinning in my head -- none of which are even feasible since we will be selling this house one way or another.
So now with a little extra time since the girls are easier to deal with, and come August a little extra money ... what makes a home? Here's my list so far. Please feel free to add to it with your own thoughts.
- Textures: I love seeing fabrics, metal and wood in a room. Rustic. Woodsy. Soft, like wrapping in a blanket. I'd like to incorporate more of this into our living spaces in the next few months. Bella's talked a lot about her home, and blankets.
- Colors: Personal colors, vivid, earthy colors. I have a very strong lean toward oranges and browns. I'm going to do our kitchen in various brownish reds. It's partly there. In fact, I might be spending a great chunk of summer tearing down wallpaper and painting the four rooms left bearing the old stuff.
- Creative spaces: I think our house has great flow, but there is a creative block I am sure. I am no feng shui expert, but I know how I feel. That said, we need more visuals on the walls that inspire more than the desire to head to the local art store.
- Plenty of light, but privacy, too: This is a hard one to achieve in the city. I think our house has a good amount of light and privacy -- at least the inside does. But, I could do better with some of the window treatments and that is a goal of mine. Good, beautiful shades or curtains in all the rooms. I, personally, also feel that good blinds or shutters add to a home. Not sure this is in the cards for this old house.
- A place to gather: We do not really have this space. I've never really had this space so I guess it's no big loss. Our backyard is about the best we have for a group to sit around and chat. I've worked on our living room being this central point but I'm not sure it's working.
How about you? What makes your home?
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7 comments:
Ahhh, yes. My home. I would just love to buy a decent sofa! ha! Any decent furniture, really. I am also dying to paint the walls. The builder painted the walls GRAY! Not a dark gray...if you have to pick gray, it's not a bad gray. But I really dislike it. We may move, so we're waiting...we've BEEN waiting to paint. I want more cheerful colors.
My office is in our bonus room, and we were able to have that painted...I picked a light lavender - it's my sanctuary. Of course, it's also the playroom, and my "office" has been pushed into the corner with barriers of file cabinets, a trunk and a chair.
Unfortunately, decorating and furniture-buying is at the bottom of our priority list. We just don't have the money to do anything. My husband puts technology in front of furniture because we use it, and I have a hard time arguing with that since I do use it all the time.
I love your wall paper removers - they are doing a great job!
I too love HGTV, and I get some brilliant reconstruction ideas in my head, and my hubby gets nervous!
I think what makes our home -- is not so much the decorating but the life that breathes into it everyday...it is the laughter, sometimes crying...the cat meowing and being chased by our 3-year-old...and of course, the hugs and kisses.
:)
LOL at the twin toddler wallpaper removers! That's who did the job for me too! Mine worked for juice pops. Just found your blog. I'll be back!
Art on the walls. Books on the shelves. The dog sleeping on the bed and the kid running down the hall. Neighbor stopping to say hello. Coffee waiting. Ta-da! Home.
Sun makes our home a good place, apparently (my daughter did a count up) we have twice as many windows in our new house compared to our old one. So there is a lot of places the sun can come in to warm us.
I love your little helpers, that is one of my favorite jobs, peeling wallpaper... I just love the feeling when you get a big bit.
I forgot to say your print will be waiting whenever you are ready...
I've been thinking about this a lot -- homemaking. We moved into our house 6 years ago and have barely hung two pictures on the wall. That said, we both work outsidethe home full-time and we have added two new human beings to the mix (total: 3 kids under 8). But lately I've been feeling like our home is just a flophouse where we crash at night. I'm making a modest list of things to do over the summer to make it homier.
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