Well I wanted to organize my tool shed this past week...but due to the rain we've been having...it didn't happen...so I'll have to post about that next week!
When we moved into the Love Shack, we had to rent an additional storage unit because all of our furniture just didn't fit...yuck :{ But there is nothing that we can do about it now...except to "get our heads around it"...and move on. So the past couple of weeks, DH and I have been making several trips back and forth to the two storage units, swapping out furniture and what-nots. OMG...I have so many pictures that are just not going to go up here...I just do not have the wall space. So I see more yard sales in my future...this spring/summer for sure. This has been a real "mental purge" moving here because it has really made us re-assess all the "stuff" that we have acquired and, continue to hang onto. Really...we just can't put off "dealing with it" anymore because we do not feel like paying rent on an additional storage unit...just to store things that we're too "emotionally-attached to".
So back to the subject...which is "re-purposing furniture"...which has been a issue for every room here at the Love Shack. First up is my masterbedroom suite...it is a large suite that we originally purchased for our large home in Mint Hill.
Above, is an old photo that. shows the king bed with the two matching nightstands sitting beside the headboard, as well as, the TV armoire in one corner and, my vanity in another. This room was huge and what you don't see (no way to get the entire room in one shot) are my triple dresser and DH's bachelors chest that are on the other walls. We never had to worry about "stubbing our toes" in this room...lol
When we first downsized/moved to our apartment in Charlotte, we didn't have to get rid of any furniture pieces because the apartment had a very large master bedroom suite and we were able to spread all the pieces between two different rooms. However, in the following photo, you can see that we did have to re-think the furniture placement and actually had to put the king bed in front of the window.
We also had to give up one of the nightstands, so we "re-purposed" it in the living room as an end table. But we still had enough space to walk around the room without "stubbing our toes"...barely...lol
The tall triple dresser with the large mirror was always a "show-piece" for all my "bling"...
When we first measured the bedroom here at the Love Shack...we had plans to place my love-seat in there by the end of the bed...NOT...we couldn't get the love-seat through the bedroom door...
...after my meltdown...you see at the Love Shack...the "office" space is also located in the bedroom...so I had this vision that I could have a "seating area" in the office where I could visit with my DH while he was working...NOT...the love-seat is now on craig's list...looking for a new "loving family".
Plan "B'...then was to place my triple dresser on this wall...
BUT...again it just didn't fit because of all the "printer/fax machines" that take up space in the "office"...aka...MY BEDROOM...seond meltdown over...
So we moved the dresser in front of the window...we tried to put the bed there...but then you couldn't open ANY of the drawers without bumping into things...so I was trying to remain "open-minded" about this and after moving the furniture around and around...the dresser is staying in front of the window...DH has put his foot down...lol
BUT...we took off the mirror...WHY...you ask...because it made the room so dark and "closed" the whole room in. To "soften" this window and tie the entire window-wall treatment together I'm adding some white sheers to the existing rod, between the green, linen panels.
So we we "re-purposed" this bedroom suite in many ways...first, we removed the footboard and bed rails on the king bed because I needed the space underneath the bed for storage and the footboard and rails added an additional six inches onto the lenth of the bed. Then, secondly, we removed the mirror from the triple dresser and I'm in the process of adding picture-wire to the back of it and will actually hang it on the "big wall" at the end of the room. Then the third, and final way, was that we "re-purposed" the night-stands into printer stands and because they match the bedroom suite it doesn't make the room look too "institutional". I've also got plans to make coordinated, fabric covers to "soften" these machines as well as to act as "dust-covers".
Right now, I'm still "getting my head around it" and remembering that not everything has to "match" all the time...or better yet...look like it came off the furniture showroom floor. Once I get all the soft furnishings completed and the mirrors and pictures hung up, this room will once again be our "retreat" that it has always been for us. I hope that I've helped anyone else going through down-sizing and/or moving "pains" and if anyone else has some ideas that they have applied, then please send them along.
Hi Roberta
I really like your new room. The colors are very fresh and I like all the contrast of different textures. The grey is really a nice touch too! Did you know I have a degree in Interior Decorating? seriously....so I can tell a natural when I see one! You and me should team up...you can do the clean house bit and organize and I can do the design and together we can do the decorating! ha ha.
Posted by: Bonnie | February 24, 2010 at 11:15 AM