It’s the Little Things

When we moved from Oklahoma to Alabama, we gave away and discarded most of our living room furniture that was either worn out or did not suit the new style to which we had decided to become accustomed. In the meantime, the mis-matched pieces we are using ended up being dumped helter-skelter into the room. Yesterday, seized with ambition that did not extend to washing windows, I made a stab at arranging pieces in a more pleasant and usable manner.

In studying the scene, I heard a small voice urging me to switch the chair placement. I resisted, answering with all manner of excuses: I like my chair in the corner; the light is good and I can easily see out two windows. My lamp has to go with my chair and will be unprotected from boisterous grandson out of the corner. That ugly large chair and ottoman Bigstreetrod is currently using is heavy and bulky. If moving it proves a poor choice, I’m going to have the effort of moving it back.

The Voice persisted. Large ugly chair and ottoman went into the corner area and mine free-floated out from the wall and windows. Placed the lamp behind my chair and cherry occasional table between them.

Well now!

“God is in the details.” ~ Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, architect.

The change could not help the puke-green walls or make old furniture new, but things were definitely more pleasantly livable until decorating takes place. Bigstreetrod attested to this, when he was complimentary to a degree I found a little peculiar.

100_1655Then this morning, when I plopped myself with tea into my chair, my entire body sighed with pleasure. I thought, “Wow, this really does feel better. It just feels sooo right!”

Looking around, I began to laugh. The furniture is now arranged in virtually the same position as we lived with for the past sixteen years in Oklahoma: my chair on the left, Bigstreetrod’s on the right, table between, with windows behind and beside, and the television directly at the far end of the room.

Hmmm…lessons in listening to the Voice, the strength of habit and feng shui, and how little things mean a lot.

“You can stand the big things. It’s the little things that will make or break you.” ~ Anna Marie Henderson, my mother.

Blessings,
CurtissAnn

6 responses to “It’s the Little Things”

  1. Hi, CurtissAnn–So happy to see you are getting settled into the new home. I wonder what it will look like a year from now? What color do you want your living room to be? Yes, that particular green would be challenging. Maybe it’s lovely in soft light?

    So happy to see great reviews for your new book in PW and Booklist. Congratulations! xoxo

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  2. I’m laughing out loud as I read your words! I realized about a month ago that the furniture placement in my living room and bedroom are almost exactly the same as they were in our previous home. No wonder I felt at home so quickly! It all reinforces one of the favorite saying we had at AT&T after divestiture: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

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  3. puke green…you must really hate that color to call it that! It definitely doesn’t go with your turquoise throw on the ottoman. I thought you painted everything you wanted painted before you unpacked. Guess not.

    Our first house was done in 70’s avocado green. Green liv rm and hall paint, carpets, all the bathroom fixtures~sink, toilet, tub, and linoleum floor and bathroom walls. As soon as we could, we ripped out everything in the bathroom and put in white fixtures, white tile floor with blue grout and of course painted all the green walls in the house white. Boring color, but at least not green.

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