When we brought our home two years ago, I signed the contract before I had even been inside the house. The market was near the bottom and houses were moving quickly. I trusted my husband when he said it was what we had been looking for. High set, timber floors, big yard, room for a studio underneath - practical if not pretty, in the suburb we had brought our first house in. Perfect!
I remember feeling teary the first time I walked around the property. And not in a good way. My anxiety rose as I followed the pest and building inspector around, while my heart sunk a little lower with each new problem he pointed out. We had been looking for a renovation project - a new kitchen and bathroom, carpet to rip up and floors to polish. But a new roof, gutters and ceiling? Asbestos? Besides the hundred other small complaints that had added up in an unloved rental property? Did I mention I was pregnant with Emerson? Still, it was a great decision and one I have never regretted.
And here we are, two years later. Much has changed. Not only did we replace the roof and gutters, we added whirley birds, insulation and solar panels. Not only did we pay to have the asbestos removed in the eaves, bathroom and shed, we replaced all of the above. We ripped up the carpet and had the floor polished. We painted every surface. We replaced lights, knocked out walls, dumped the old fusty curtains and lived with sheets until we could afford new curtains. We built veggies patches, added a water tank, replaced the rotting wooden fence, removed several palm trees and one all mighty tree from the middle of the yard that was too close to the house for comfort. Recently we replaced the kitchen.
Then last week our new lounge room furniture arrived. Despite this being the third house we have brought. Despite being thirty one years old. Despite having been married for ten years and having two children. Buying a lounge suite made me feel strangely like an adult. It's a very 'adult' sort of thing to do. I felt the same way when I first saw our finished kitchen, like, I'm a grown up now. I wonder if that feeling ever completely fades? I hope not.
Before
Then - our coffee table and tv cabinet, which were all we could afford in our early days together, and our brown leather couch
Now - our new lounge, coffee and lamp table, and tv cabinet (from Oz Design, which I happened to pop in to one day after a trip to Spotlight.)
We have long spoken of replacing our tv cabinet, but this is the first one we have both seen and just loved. Love the Tasmanian oak and the fact that it is made in Australia, and love those very 60's legs. (My husband is also loving his new television.)
Two vintage single chairs, a couple more light fittings, a few cushions, a print or two on the walls and our lounge room will be 'done'. Or as 'done' as these things ever are...
