When one moves, one realizes that location, packing, paperwork, financing, and relocating are next to nothing when compared with the daunting task of...
...UNPACKING.
Ugh.
For us, moving wasn't nearly as cray-cray as unpacking a hundred and sixty two thousand boxes (no, I'm not exaggerating...okay, maybe a tiny bit) and trying to make previous furniture work in a house with a completely different layout and size.
Certainly, if you're moving from a similar sized home, or downsizing, your furniture concerns are a bit different. Rearranging pieces to make sense in your new house, or having to part with old furnishings that won't fit in your new place, have their own challenges. For life in our new home that we fondly refer to as "Oxford Park" (Oxford floor plan on a property lot off Parkview Drive), we need a fierce amount of new/different furniture.
FIRST HOUSE
OXFORD PARK
Can you see the difference? Our new house is more than twice the size of our first home, not including the unfinished basement.
Yeah. Whoa.
The crazy thing is, the number and type of rooms are almost identical. The only additional rooms at Oxford Park are the loft on the second floor, and a powder room/half bath on the main floor. Everything else is the same! Crazy. I can't tell you how nice it is to have more SPACE. This home is so much more functional and provides tons of storage and elbow room.
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| Shoes in the foyer? Hemnes (and Ty Purrington) to the rescue! Also hides unsightly air vents! |
The biggest obstacle we face now is that our old furniture (couches, bookcases, dining table, etc.) are completely dwarfed by the lofty higher ceilings and more open floor plan.
"Curse you, tiny toilet furniture!"
What worked in our old house just doesn't work here. There's room for things, but not only do they not fit the space, they don't match! Because our rooms were smaller and more closed off, we could have different finishes and styles in every room. Between hand-me-downs, thrifted pieces, or functional Ikea furniture, our old place had dark stained wood, birch wood, white laminate, black laminate, modern and antique styles. It worked in general because each room had it's own theme, but combine all those furnishings in larger rooms that have different layouts, and you suddenly have a hodgepodge of colors and styles.
What worked in our old house just doesn't work here. There's room for things, but not only do they not fit the space, they don't match! Because our rooms were smaller and more closed off, we could have different finishes and styles in every room. Between hand-me-downs, thrifted pieces, or functional Ikea furniture, our old place had dark stained wood, birch wood, white laminate, black laminate, modern and antique styles. It worked in general because each room had it's own theme, but combine all those furnishings in larger rooms that have different layouts, and you suddenly have a hodgepodge of colors and styles.
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| The truth about moving - the endless furniture musical chairs. |
Here we are in the loft, trying our best to make sense of it all. This is not a magazine worthy, cutting edge "eclectic" look. Trust me.
There is light at the end of the tunnel, my friends. My beloved white Expedit (RIP) is being relocated to the Great Room, the bookcase is heading to the food pantry, and the Lack side table is getting a makeover (can't wait to share!) for Chloë's room. Two white bookcases are being brought in to flank the window, and that white desk is going to make for a great craft/study table.
Eventually we'll be bringing in a sleeper sofa, a new rug, a painted vintage console, and some fun artwork. Yay!
There is light at the end of the tunnel, my friends. My beloved white Expedit (RIP) is being relocated to the Great Room, the bookcase is heading to the food pantry, and the Lack side table is getting a makeover (can't wait to share!) for Chloë's room. Two white bookcases are being brought in to flank the window, and that white desk is going to make for a great craft/study table.
Eventually we'll be bringing in a sleeper sofa, a new rug, a painted vintage console, and some fun artwork. Yay!
Meantime, don't fret if your home is looking like the "Before" picture in a major way. Create a pin board, grab some tear sheets from your favorite shelter mag, decide how the room needs to function, make a list of what you need, and don't lose hope! You'll get to that glorious "After" photo just like I will...eventually. But remember to enjoy the process. That's what makes a house a home. Living, dreaming, planning, loving, and having fun!