Sunday, May 18, 2008

Dreams, and the reality of unpacking boxes

A bit over four months ago we moved house.

When you first walk into a [prospective] new house at inspection time, you begin to visualise what certain spaces might look like: the television cabinet can go here, the antique dresser will go there, the freezer would work well in that tight space.

Moving all your earthly belongings into that same new house provides its share of challenges to those dreams and ideals. The television cabinet won't go where you want it to, so it ends up in the 'wrong' corner. The antique dresser takes up too much space in the bedroom, so it's now in the hallway. The top of the freezer becomes the household workspace, occasionally moonlighting as a dining table when the dining table is covered in baskets of washing.

Over the months that follow, two things happen. Firstly, your dreams of grand but elegant design meet with reality. Secondly, you begin to unpack boxes, ever so slowly. You shift things around and begin to see what might be possible.

A litte bit of both happened in our home this weekend. I finally unpacked two small boxes which had been clogging up our vestibule area since January. Then we shifted some lounges around, and got rid of the coffee table. Okay, we still have the tumble dryer sitting on the loungeroom floor, but this is progress.

The difference is incredible. A few changes have made the loungeroom a really nice place to be in (now add some small, screaming children to complete the picture).

We loved this loungeroom when we first saw the place. We saw it as a space loaded with potential; a great room to share with friends, a welcoming place. Slowly, piece-by-piece, that 'welcome' is being unlocked.

Has anyone out there got a story to share about a space that you're slowly shaping, as your vision for it unfolds? (Thanks to my darling one for tonight's blogging inspiration.)

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