Last night found me in a bit of funk. Everywhere I look I see piles of things – laundry, half-started projects, tools, paint cans, dust. These tend to accumulate when we are gone for the weekend and don’t have a chance to make a clean sweep through the house. The weeknights are busy and full, in good ways, but still full.
I look around sometimes and I see a house that looks like we just moved into it – there are unfinished areas, areas that have beat up old paint – nothing on the walls, or even worse – nails on the walls from things that used to hang but no longer do. Why is it so hard to just get something done? Done done. Not mostly done.
And then I wonder even what done is. I get stuck in some places in the house because I can see what done might look like – but I also know that if I really did what I’d like to do to the house, that particular space might change in function, and so the previous done would be changed yet again. I know this isn’t about decorating. It’s about something more.
At the root of it all, I know that I don’t want it to be finished. I’m not wired that way. I’m continually inspired and challenged and refreshed by change. Our family grows and changes and that’s a good thing. So if I really don’t want to be done, what is it that is nagging at me? What’s driving me crazy?
I’m not sure I have answers to that, but there are times when I see something that makes me feel the way I’d like to feel about my home. Calm. Inspired. At peace. These are usually images of spaces with lots of light and color and art and books, places where rest and play occur. These images spoke to me this morning – from the beautiful pages of a favorite artist / blog read, Famille Summerbelle, originally posted on Mokkasin (a Swedish online store that sells Famille Summerbelle’s gorgeous maps).
I love this room – it reminds me of F’s gray room, and I love the Princess and Pea reference with the stacked quilts in the corner. When we move her into the iron twin bed from the converted crib she sleeps in now, I’d like to hang something similar over her bed. I’d also love to make her some more spreads like these and pile them into her window seat, ready for snuggling up or for building blanket forts. I’ve also thought about painting a very subtle pattern onto her gray walls like this one when we change the room over. And that book bucket it perfect in every way.
There is so much that I love about this room as well, but I really love the artwork on the wall -especially that Famille Summerbelle world map. I’d eventually like to own that one as well. The lamp, that desk and chair… all of it makes me happy. So maybe this Friday I’m just finding myself needing a calm little corner, some more sunlight and perhaps someone to finish the laundry.
