Welcome to the Easter weekend everyone! I hope you're having a great time with family and friends, taking time off from work, and reflecting on the sacrifice and gift that Easter symbolises.
I didn't mention earlier, but we had a deadline on our guest room makeover. The Big Fella's parents are here for the Easter weekend because it's the Little Big Fella's birthday on Easter Monday this year.
So, as promised, I have the end reveal photos for you all!
Here's a reminder of what we started with:
Drum roll please!
Ta da!!!!
We tried to include as much as we could without over-crowding the room.
All of the drawers and cupboards are empty and will remain that way so guests can empty their bags and feel completely at home. And there's plenty of room under the bed for suitcases or shoes or whatever while they're here.
We didn't quite get to it, but we have a wrought iron rail that we plan to install and hang a few wooden coat hangers, for those things that really don't want to be in drawers.
Obviously we've got the lamp, mirror, clock and tissues, but we've also included a USB charger in the wall next to the power points. Here's a close-up:
This way there's no need to search around the house for somewhere to re-charge your phone/s, tablet/s, fitbit or whatever. And no need to fight for charging time with all of the stuff that we've always got plugged in!
Our first guests have said that the bed is quite comfy. And we've provided a selection of pillow heights and weights without adding a billion that you have to put somewhere while you sleep!
So, what do you think? Who's coming to stay???
The Big Fella and I decided that because we're not really using the 3rd bedroom as an office (which is how we originally set it up), we'll turn it into a proper guest room.
It's now nearly done, and what we thought would be a pretty easy little makeover, turned into a standard Big Fella event (basically bigger than Ben Hur).
The majority of the furniture arrived earlier in the week, and the rest will be here on Sunday. So I thought I'd give you a little preview of the room before it's actually complete and fitted out!
This is the room as it was. An office-in-the-making, with a whole bunch of stuff that hadn't found homes after the move. We sold the desk, chair and the drawers (you can't really see them, but they're in the corner), and sorted and packed up the rest of the stuff (for now).
You can't really see in this photo, but there are those thin, aluminium blinds on the window.
Not for long!
Ta da!!! Empty room!
I did a fair bit of internet research and decided that I wanted a kind of simple, modern French style in the room, probably with pale steel blue walls, curtains, and a few stylish but simple touches to the room.
I had wall colours, linen and decor pretty much mapped out, and it was all based on a white bed (the room is small so I wanted to make it feel bigger with lighter furniture). Maybe something like this:
But when we bought furniture for the Little Big Fella's room a few years ago, we didn't see the furniture in person and we greatly regretted it. So picked out a free Saturday and drove to the big town 2 hours away and looked at furniture.
It became clear, very quickly, that the Big Fella couldn't stand the furniture I'd been thinking of. We went to several stores and every time I went anywhere near something white, he'd say how poorly it was made and write it off straight away.
Okay. Where to from here????
In the first store we went to, we saw this bedroom setting, which the Big Fella loved and I didn't mind:
After driving around and looking at LOTS of bedroom settings, we ended up at the end of the day back at this store. It was the ONLY setting we'd seen all day that we both like, so we placed the order.
On the way home we were talking and the Big Fella asked if I was happy with our choice. I couldn't honestly say yes, because everything I'd planned had to be changed. The paint colours, the linen, the window furnishings, the lighting... everything!
I had to go back to the drawing board.
I was looking through a magazine and came across this:
The picture rail caught my attention, possibly because we have similar paneling (but only part way up the wall) in the dining/lounge areas. I showed it to the Big Fella, who pointed out that the ceiling is painted the same colour as the majority of the wall, which he quite liked.
We'd been looking at colours in a couple of paint brochures, and were leaning toward those in the "stone" ranges. We decided to go to the local hardware store and choose the paint and get started.
They didn't stock the paint range that we were looking at, and the colours they did stock didn't match. So we chose the closes thing:
But before we could paint, we needed to make some changes.
The ugly blue light shade HAD to go, as did the aluminium blinds.
We'd originally talked about putting in pendant lamps as bedside lighting, but the small roof cavity and awkward ducting changed our minds. Instead, we ended up putting 4 LED downlights in the room.
The Little Big Fella helped his Dad get everything ready for the electrician.
We did a couple of other little things (to be revealed) and then the painting could begin!
The photo doesn't show the picture rail and the contrast with the main wall colour, but once it dried, it looked fantastic!
The Big Fella was on a bit of a high that afternoon (possibly an effect of the paint in a small room!!!) and said he wanted to rip up the ugly, brown carpet before the furniture arrived.
I was somewhat hesitant.
Pulling up the carpet hadn't been part of the plan (it was on the list for the future but would take a bit more money than we wanted to spend at this stage). I asked if he was willing to put in all that extra effort, and place himself under extra pressure at this point in time.
He was eager to do it.
Bye bye, ugly, brown carpet!
Hello beautiful, already polished (but obviously not in perfect condition) hardwood floors!!!!!
What an awesome surprise!!!! I messaged my friend, J, who'd had a similar experience about 10 years ago and she celebrated the discovery with us.
So, now for the sneak peek!
Full reveal to come!!!!!
The fog is closing in.
I can sense it.
Feel it closing around me, stealing all joy.
Nothing is wrong.
But things don't seem right, either.
I have everything I could want or need.
I feel guilty for not being content.
Nothing satisfies.
Nothing seems worthwhile.
The mess bothers me but the energy required to fix it is too much.
There is so much to do.
Physical fog has a sense of mystery and adventure. There is great beauty in it and the way it transforms the landscape.
This is not beautiful.
There is no adventure and the only mystery is why.
Why does this happen to me?
Why can't I be satisfied with my wonderful life?
Why does it come once or twice a year and engulf me, paralyse me?
I can't be a good mother or wife like this.
I can't provide what they need from me.
The fog seeps through my skin, dulling the nerves. It tries to claw its way further in, to take everything from me. I fight but I'm losing grip on my weapons.
How can I turn the tide?
Where is the sun to burn the fog away?
I can't see the light that I know is there.
I struggle on, knowing that in the past it has eventually moved on and I have emerged from the other side.
Is the other side just around the corner, or have I only begun the journey?
