Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Home Improvement

I love my suburban 1978-built home, but by HGTV standards it could use some improvement.

I love that we’ve decorated with art that reflects where our hearts lie—over the fireplace, Hoosier impressionist TC Steele’s Selma in the Garden; Picasso’s Boy with Pipe in the front hall; Monet’s Poppy Field in Argenteuil on the living room wall; giant trout and salmon identification posters in the upstairs hall.

I love that we’ve placed the dining and living room furniture on the diagonal, European-style. I’m fond of the intricate prayer rug from Morocco that’s the centerpiece of the family room. Very convenient is the crammed “office” that we can shut the door on to keep our self-respect when company comes. Fabulous are the custom shelves that line three walls of the living room to house our enormous collection of books. And happy is the gardener with a half-acre of mixed sun and shade to play with.

Those are the positives. Now the negatives…

The 1970s shag rug and wallpaper in the master bedroom that we’ve never bothered to replace. Our night tables crafted of bricks and boards, a holdover from college days. Badly mismatched hand-me-down and thrift store chests of drawers. The peeling wallpaper in both upstairs baths. The kitchen cabinets that still sport 1970s hardware. The counter top that no one would take for granite. The ugly front door we could never agree on a replacement for.

Dave and I have not talked about where we’ll go when it’s time to give up the house. I once figured we might stay another 10 years tops, and that was three years ago!

HGTV could have a field day fixing us up to sell. But could we? The thought makes me tired. I’m content sitting here in our cozy family room in front of the Moroccan prayer rug, my head deep in the sand.

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