Small Space Living

When we made the decision to move to Fidalgo Island about a decade ago we realized that in order to have the lifestyle we were seeking we would have to downsize. We went from relatively large Midwest housing to small cottage life with a large view.

No, the above is not my house. But sometimes it feels like it.

We only have one child, but as my mom has pointed out, Larry and I have as much stuff as a family of 6.

I like my things. I am decor-driven. But a 1500 square foot cottage won't hold everything and we were forced to pick and choose.

This little loveseat survived the cut. It came from my folks and it has worn many outfits during its 30 year history with my family. It has been upholstered twice and slip covered twice. It's cute and classy and I like having it in our home. But finding a spot for it was a struggle until I had what I consider to be a great idea. I decided to use it in our sun room/dining room as a banquette of sorts.

I moved it by myself one day recently when I was in the house alone. There is truth to the expression, "where there's a will there's a way". Once I made up my mind to have it in the sun room there was no stopping me. I then maneuvered the table, another Bishop heirloom, in front of the love seat. The look is just right.

The pass through from the kitchen was created by removing the old window from this once exterior wall. I am going to brag about Larry now and tell you that he added the sun room onto the back of our house almost entirely by himself. I really like the way he trimmed out the pass through.

We had some friends over for dinner on Friday evening so the table is set festively.

I found this old silver candelabra among my mother in law's things years ago. It has such a comfortable vintage quality.

Though sometimes it seems like we live in a box, I have found that forcing myself to think outside of it, that is, to rethink traditional, has yielded a few creative and pleasing results. There are many quality books written about living large in small spaces. Even retailers such as Pottery Barn have begun to feature ideas for smaller footprints. After all, if home is truly where we hang our hearts then life is less about square feet and more about loving where we live.

Thank you for stopping by. Whether you live in a castle or a cottage, may it be filled with the warmth and coziness of friends and family as you celebrate the beautiful traditions of the Thanksgiving holiday.

May blessings abound~

    Dana

Post Script: For some really great idea-browsing, visit Masterpiece Monday at Boogie Board Cottage and Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life.

When Sadness Takes Up Residence

I have been away from my blog for some time now; I was derailed by swift and unexpected grief.

At the end of September my beloved dog Beanie succumbed to old age. Anyone who has allowed themselves to give their heart away completely to a pet understands the depth of my sadness.

And then tragically, in the wake of Beanie's departure, my dad, for whom I can not even begin to adequately express my love and devotion, slipped into a coma and subsequently left our midst. My sense of loss is profound and the pain is deep.

Recently a very old friend penned these words to me~

Just when I thought I was doing better, some reminder came along and knocked me flat on my back. It was painful. And I never get over missing my parents...it doesn't go away. I just get used to it.

Grief is tricky business. Just when I think I am beginning to brighten, a little thing will trigger tears.

I'm sure that tears will eventually ebb and I will be warmed by the countless good memories of my relationship with my dad. There is such rich history with him and I will never tire of recounting all the ways he impacted me and all of the reasons I valued him.

But for now I am somewhat shackled by emotion.

My dad loved to know that I was writing and he encouraged me to pursue writing as a past time. Now and again I would write a short-short story and share it with him. Or I would deviate from the topics of house and garden to blog about something of a slightly more complex nature; mostly because I thought he wanted me to. He was my father, my friend and my biggest fan. And I can only hope he knows how much I miss him.