Can you believe that we’re coming up to five years of city life? Truly, it seems just yesterday — and/but also another lifetime — that I was in my February garden and on the beach on our little island . . . and a few months later, I was packing up for a Really Big Move. We still hadn’t found our new home at that time, but we had a small (500 sf., one-bedroom) apartment to stay in until we did. We found and bought our current place by the end of May, I think, but it wasn’t available until September, so that was the year of two moves.
And then we were only in this place a few weeks when I flew to Europe (I just re-read that post from Rome, and oh, does it bring back delicious memories of travel). . . and Paul followed me a few weeks later, using some of that time to pick up Ikea shelves, unpack a few more boxes. . . And then when we got back, it was almost Christmas. By then,my piano had settled in(that link shows how established the piano has become, two years into our move) and design/placement/use decisions got built around it. Instead of using the expected space for the dining table, for example, we bought a mid-century table that we normally leave against the wall, collapsed to seat 4, but can pull out and expand to seat 10 or 12. And conveniently, if amusingly, there’s room under a grand piano to store baskets and boxes of toys and books for the grandkids.
Finding a space for my various creative pursuits was more complicated. The second bedroom was already working hard as our TV/guest-room/library, so I worked at the dining table and tried not to apologize for the stitching or sketching or writing materials spread across it. Or to wince (or worse!) when anyone (he knows who 😉 looked over my shoulder as he walked by. I knew our move had been the right one, but it was hard not to mourn the loss of my beautiful office back on the island, my Woolfian “room of one’s own” with its window directly overlooking the beach, the expansive desk surface, the ample shelves for my books, the armchair in the corner when I wanted a really quiet place to read. . . .
So the problem-solving began. We replaced the custom shelving/organization units lining both sides of the walk-through closet between our bedroom and ensuite with two Ikea wardrobe units, and (from storage) two teak three-drawer dressers which we stacked for efficiency. That left the other wall free for a long, narrow table under which a narrow bench tucked neatly.
Then for a corner of the bedroom itself, we bought a slim-profile rolling office chair and snugged it up to a narrow, open, shelving unit of which the bottom shelf was a small desktop/writing surface. Across the length of that wall, Paul attached a single bookshelf at a height of about six feet.
That arrangement worked fairly well for a year or two but always felt a bit make-do, a bit too cluttered, and when we had the grandkids overnight, sometimes required some shifting. So I culled boxes and boxes of books to reduce the contents of our hard-working second bedroom (guestroom/TV room/Library), and we converted the closet into a nicely appointed workspace — which still makes me sigh and smile contentedly, a year and a half later. . .
Before Christmas, that room was refurbished again (Farrow & Ball Crimson Red was the game-changer), but that’s another post. I’ve finally written my way back to that quiet reading corner in our bedroom.
Because until this summer, even though we’d set up my happily economical workspace in the guest room, we’d kept the shelving, desktop, and rolling chair in our bedroom. And increasingly, it felt cluttered. And required dusting. . .
As well, until this summer, we had not covered a single wall with a paint colour we’d chosen. Our bedroom wall was still the same dark grey we’d walked into when we were first house-hunting, and while we’d liked it well enough, it was time to make the room our own. So we pulled down the shelving, gave the laddered shelving unit/desktop to a daughter, and ordered a gallow of Farrow & Ball Smoked Trout.
And that elegant, restful neutral called for a quiet reading corner. We bought an armchair and moved a teak-block table from another room. Out walking in the neighbourhood, I spotted a carved rosewood prayer/meditation stool in a neighbourhood consignment store and suspected it could tuck underneath the chair when not used as a footstool — and so it has proved. . .
And then all that was left was to find a lamp. Since we’d chosen classic Anglepoise table lamps for our bedside tables, an Anglepoise floor lamp was the obvious choice
And finally, only four years and change after we’d moved in, our bedroom is just the way we want it, and we have another welcome space. The only problem?
Who gets to it first, of course. . . .
Can you believe that just as I uploaded those photos and typed that last line, Pater put my plate of Linguine alle vongole on the table. So I’m going to sign off now, but will be pleased to read your comments — and perhaps you’ll share some experiences about taking your time to settle into a new space. Or perhaps your approach is entirely the opposite of mine and you need to put your stamp on a new home immediately. Some of you may have already gone through the down-sizing we did a few years ago; for some of you it may be in the future. Comments or questions about that process are welcome also.
But I have to grab a fork now.
Chat soon,
xo,
f
Beautiful and functional corner, Frances! I'm always interested in paint colors, and regret that I will only be able to live with a small number of them. The Smoked Trout is wonderful and I am curious about the Crimson Rose. I found Crimson Red and Cinder Rose (both beautiful).
When I moved into this house 2.5 years ago, it was painted gray everywhere, as all houses on the market are around here. I managed to get the downstairs painted before moving in, but the upstairs is still a very pale brownish gray. It looks dingy and I would love to have it repainted, but before COVID I was working long hours, and now that I'm working remotely I'm reluctant to have anyone in the house.
Marie: Sorry, Crimson Red is what we used — it's such a rich pink that I keep calling it rose instead of red. . . I'm impressed that you managed to paint half your home before moving in and completely understand why you're waiting now (Paul painted ours himself and because no one is in here but us during Covid, he could drag it out as his energy levels suited(. I wonder how many colours you'll have painted it in your imagination before the real one goes on the wall — a benefit of taking your time 😉
Yes, it's a beautiful rose color; I was surprised that they called it Red. The house is small so it was only 2 colors – Heppelwhite Ivory (very pale yellow) for the LR and DR, and DKC-46 (bluish green) for the foyer, stairway, and upstairs hall. The kitchen and powder room have not been painted yet.
Oh how lovely and cozy. I love the way you are making every inch of your space your own.
I am finally, as I posted, transforming our 2nd guest room/ostensible workroom to a study/workout space. And I've been living in the house for 35 years! LOL. To be fair, of course, this transformation is about my kids growing up and living a fair ways away, and the pandemic and my husband working full-time from home.
Good to have a lovely sitting area to read. Can't say I have been able to find a comfortable reading chair. Can't bring myself to buy a chair online, so most of my reading is done at my desk sitting in a padded executive chair or in bed. I spend the majority of my day in my home office…a well-loved room of my own…well, when not sharing it with 6 yr old GS virtual schooling. It is only when he goes home for the day and I no longer hear the voices of his teacher and the other children for hour after hour, that I realize how much I treasure silence. 🙂
The art over the reading chair, the chair, and the wall color make for a stunning spot. Really like it. So like a white lamp, too. Can't wait to see your completed den/office/guest room. A fresh coat of paint thrills me like little else these days-it changes everything and I never tire of the possibilities.
Must say the first photo in your last post of you in the leather skirt is such a good photo of you. You look so relaxed and natural even though you are "posing". Love that skirt.
Cheers to the week-end.
A.in London
Lovely colours…so elegant and soothing
Dottoressa
Marie: Those are soothing colours.
Lisa: Being able to take time with a room is a luxury, is the way I'm framing it ;-). So much different than simple procrastination. But seriously, if you'd got to it earlier, it might not have ended up meeting your needs as well as it well now.
Mary: It's such a small room that it could never host my ideal reading chair. We had to leave those behind when we moved — big leather club-style chairs. . . and the matching ottomans. Both positioned so we'd be looking out at the beach when we raised our eyes from the pages. Sigh . . . What you're doing for your grandson now will be foundational in his life. I'd find it wearing, as you must, but I'll admit I'm somewhat envious. I hope they can all return soon, though, to the learning/social environments they deserve.
A. in London. It's a cozy corner and so much calmer than the shelving/desk unit we'd first had there. I'm with you on the difference a coat of paint makes (although much lazier, I suspect, so it doesn't happen often here). Thanks so much re the skirt photo.
Dottoressa: And we all need soothing these days! 😉
Love your reading corner! We went through a downsize nearly 8 years ago (cannot believe how fast that has flown!) and have things mostly tweaked. The 2nd bedroom was intended to have a space for my creative projects, but it has never really felt right. I found an old midcentury sewing machine desk and painted it to match a cool, whimsical pyramid shaped chest of drawers, but realized afterwards that it's backwards: I need a desk which has space on the right of the chair, as I'm right handed!
We did get a very comfy contemporary chair for the living room corner which is perfect for reading, writing, watching movies, etc. however we've had an adult child living with us (one or another) almost constantly since the pandemic and they love that spot as well :~).
I love the art above your reading chair. Is it a painting or a collage? Does the crow/raven carry some secret message?
I am in the middle of preparing for a move. The house where I am going to live for the next three years or so has some attractive details (beautiful stone floor, spacious garden) and some hideous ones, like shiny wallpaper with flowery patterns. So I will have some painting to do within the next four weeks. As most of the walls will be covered with bookshelves anyway, and there are plenty of things to hang in the remaining space, I have opted for white all over.
Adele: It takes a while, doesn't it? We haven't had the experience of having an adult daughter or son move back in. . . that would be a real challenge in our condo (especially since they all have kids now!) But I can imagine both the challenges and the immeasurable benefits.
Eleonore: It's an acrylic painting by an artist we got to know a few years ago and have sadly lost touch with. Her paintings often hinted at the mythic-magical-narrative and she was fascinated by crows (she did a series of clay sculptures of them as well — we have one in the garden).
I'm sure you will make your new home attractive and comfortable. White paint on all the walls is a good approach — fresh, bright, and neutral. Good luck with all that painting!
That is a lovely corner, Frances. Like something out of a decor magazine. Hope the linguine was good. Yum.
What a beautiful and calmingly cozy reading nook. I love this post with its exploration of the process of settling in and the evolution of a space as one lives in it. It takes. time to settle, time for a space and its occupants to come to an accommodation. I am still settling, tweaking, as I suppose we all do.