Article published October 04, 2009
There’s a new place for everything
So your house hasn’t sold and the makeover team from the TV show hasn’t contacted you. That makes you on equal ground with thousands of other homeowners who thought that by now they would be packed and moved.
In some ways it probably would be a morale boost if the house makeover team moved in, you moved out, and voila! the results of their magic paintbrush and carpentry skills were so appealing you would never want to move. Personally I have seen a lot of wild color combinations and window treatments by the TV crew that I couldn’t live with. On the other hand, the longer the realty sign is at my house, the more changes are needed to soothe my no-sale disappointment. I don’t mean changes for the benefit of the occasional client the real estate agent brings in, but things I can do just for Digby and me. After all, it’s still our home.
How well I remember back home with mother in Adrian, living in those three small rooms in our rooming house. Every Saturday was not only cleaning day, but the furniture had to be rearranged. It was not a big challenge because there weren’t many pieces to deal with, but it must have been mother’s way of brightening our little corner.
Now with eight rooms and lots of stuff accumulated, rearranging things is a path to contentment. It is always surprising how furniture or accessories seem to fit better in a new location.
The best example involves two chests. One, an antique, was in the bedroom for many years. The other chest is contemporary with hand-painted roses. It had been in the dining room for about 10 years. In an “antsy” mood I decided to switch them, which meant a move up and down the stairway. Lo and behold, the antique chest looks perfect in the dining room with other dark wood and the chest with the flowers and larger drawers for clothing looks like it was purchased with the cherry bed. Why does it sometimes take us so long to get it right?
Observation of friends and relatives’ homes has proved that it is customary to leave everything in the original location until a major piece of furniture is purchased. But just moving a lamp into a different location sheds new light on old scenery, to coin a phrase. If you don’t mind making new nail holes, it’s surprising how refreshing rearranging wall hangings can be, including moving a mirror to enhance a different room. On rainy days we can bake cookies, clean drawers, read, or rearrange the knick-knacks from room to room and shelf to shelf. I find the latter entertaining. Yes, I know the rule: if the house is on the market clear it of all bric-a-brac and family photos. I obeyed that rule for about three months. Then it was back to home sweet home.
My biggest makeover change is also the one that is most rewarding, but not the least expensive. How many times had I scrubbed and Bill, the carpet cleaner, steamed the off-white living room carpet? The answer is, so many times in 15 years it was time to buy a new one. Between sending the old carpet to the Salvation Army and getting the new one delivered, there was a period when we had a naked golden oak hardwood floor. It was beautiful, and it still is. The new rug never made it to the floor.
It’s in the attic ready for the next makeover, and it will come.
Mary Alice Powell is a retired Blade food editor.
Contact her at: mpowell@theblade.com.
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