How is it going ? How is your passing of this anniversary date going? Did you achieve everything you wanted to do?
Flashback April 2020… I then shared my concerns about not taking this downtime to clean up my life. Panicked by the idea of running out of time!!! A year later… Where have I got to? And you?
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3 magazine holders that seemed very harmless, looking almost organized, but were the TIP OF MY ICEBERG MESS!!! I have to admit, I’m quite the specialist of the neatly aligned piles that end up being part of the decor… years later! This is exactly what I was talking about back in April 2020, when these magazine holders, had already been there for the last 3 years. Yet another year had discreetly passed and they were still there.
Today, the 3 magazine holders have been emptied, sorted and promoted to new functions. There are no more bins to sort, no more camouflaged piles, no more icebergs… Finally! But why procrastinate so much? Why am I addicted to this so popular practice?
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been hearing about a lot of people sharing their Pandemic experience and still wondering why haven’t they been as creative and active as they would have liked? Of course, there are also those who have written 2 books, 3 albums with 3 children at home while completing their doctorate in biochemistry… It is well known, the busier you are, the more things you do. This article is for all the other less organized 🙂
Recently, in a Zoom Class I was attending, we came upon the subject of the Maslow’s hierachy of needs. I did not study Psychology, but I had vaguely heard about it over the years. What had always seemed obvious to me, this time, however, resonated very loudly.
If you haven’t been creative, if you haven’t done everything you wanted, maybe Maslow and his Pyramid could be the culprits! In a few words and without any Psychology credentials (on my part), the Pyramid shows how the basic needs must be met, in order to satisfy the needs of the upper levels. It’s quite interesting to see how the Pandemic is affecting our needs for self-esteem and fulfillment, when our basic needs are no longer met.
We all experienced the Pandemic differently, but who would have thought, a year ago that we would be here today? As a Designer, I thougt this personal project would illustrate this very strange passage; through a year… put on hold. This project really began in 2014, inspired by my passion for objects that tell a beautiful story.
1- RESPONSIBLE DESIGN, RE-USE & RECYCLE
A table bought on Kijiji for $50, modified and painted by me. Total budget: Less than $100. A second life for a table that might have ended its days in a waste container. No scrap, no purchase of new furniture, no production of new materials, no transport, less pollution… a little work and lots of fun!
2- Slow Design – Transforming over time…
In 2016, a new life began for us and for the table. It took the whole year to unpack all the boxes and for my table, to finally find its actual color. In my office, just like in the other rooms of our house, family memories, found treasures, recycled pieces are existing with our most recent findings.
- An Armoire that came with the house, a bit crooked but so charming
- A small folding table (about 60 years old) repainted more than 20 years ago
- IKEA KALLAX shelves (Color 2017)
- A reclaimed turquoise shutter found in Cape Cod which reminds me of so many beautiful moments and the time when we were still traveling…
- And this water heater salvage from my grandparent’s house. Small but quite heavy, that has been moved at least four times between Quebec City, Boucherville, Sainte-Julie and Saint-Bruno; and who will continue to follow us…
2017
The positioning of the furniture hasn’t changed. Heavy and bulky curtains gave way to lighter curtains and bamboo blinds. At the beginning of 2020, like almost all of the other curtains in our house, I decided to remove them to air out the space.
1 year later, I can proudly announce that I have finally… FINISHED MY OFFICE OVER HAUL!!!
Printemps 2021 – Ongoing…
Organization
- Take a step back and take the time to think about what you want to do with your room.
- Eliminate anything you don’t use, inspires you or you don’t have a real attachment to.
- Don’t change your mind!
- 1- Donate, 2- Recycle, 3- Shred and as a last resort 4- Throw away
- Purify, Edit, Reduce to what is essential…
Decor Ideas
- Have fun, mix and match inspiring objects and create living pictures of memories
- Create unusual and colorful groupings
- Ferris Wheel print found on sale for $40,
- An Etching Volibre by Richard Lacroix
- and this little painting I love. Painted on the banks of the Seine in Paris. A travel souvenir given to my father by his boss and mentor in 1970. According to the story, it was still wet when he brought it back rolled in its tube.
- And buy yourself beautiful flowers!
Projects to come & more DIY stuff…
- Paint the large wardrobe – Color to come…
- Painting my table (a 4th life) – Color to come…
- And decide the fate of the new carpet… which I don’t assume… quite yet!
If you are still wondering, yes there is a lot of thought behind each choices. Design comes with a lot of choices and, especially when I’m the client, with a lot of doubts! The rug is a very good example. Henri our cat, loves the new carpet (as all carpets), but there is still something bothering me… It was decided with the two cats, that the decision will be postponed! Of course, it would have been wiser to paint the furniture before putting the new rug in place, but hey, Designers don’t always go for the easiest way!
What about you? Would you like to create room just for you, a home office or for your craziest projects there. Make your dreams and passions come to life!
Zoé and Henri insist on saying… that it’s their room too 🙂