Priority: Closet. First Foxcroft Farm Before and After

Priorities.

 

Priorities are determined by action. You can state your priorities but what you actually do demonstrates your true priority.

Sometimes priorities are straightforward, as in “make time for friends and family”. Sometimes they can surprise you, as when you move to a new farm. After getting the animals settled, the first priority was kitchen. Then, a place to sit to eat, then a place to sleep, etc…

Once the basics are addressed, then comes the real tell on the priorities. “What are you going to first?” I was asked before we moved in. “I think the front door. I want a door that will allow more light into the front hallway.” Now, I wasn’t wrong, exactly. One of the first things I did was to paint the front door one of my tried-and-true blues, and polish the pretty brass knocker and handle plate. But it is still the same door, just fresher makeup.

As it turned out my priority settled on the closet. Strange to be a first priority, as almost no one will see the closet. But, after Eldest and Youngest who are here with us for the time being had bedrooms set up it was time to create a bedroom for Huz and me, which required emptying the room of boxes, most of which were destined for the closet. And, although I very much liked the square footage in the closet, I found it to be uninspired in its current state. So, Youngest and I embarked upon a closet “up-do” before I filled it, knowing that once it was filled it would become a very low priority.

It made sense to start there for another reason. The ceilings are all covered in textured plaster. We have waves, and flower shapes and random textures too, in all but two rooms of the house. So, the closet was a good place to experiment with how to remove it, (acquiring strong shoulders) and what kind of mess it makes (lots).

But, this is “the fun stuff” for me, getting dirty and creative, making a mess, and then making it shine.

I decided what I wanted to create was a bright, inviting and comfortable little room, where I could see the clothes to choose from and then see what I have chosen. This is a huge upgrade for a woman who lived a large portion of her adult life without a full length mirror!

The most interesting feature of the closet is the skylight. So, after I decided to highlight that feature, the room designed itself.

Original closet, before.

During the character building phase.

Current Situation as seen from design-challenged bathroom

One small room down, lots of rooms to- STOP. Don't get overwhelmed. 

 

 Looking up.

 

 

As it does, finishing one space means the adjacent space looks tired,

and our master bath is a real re-doozy!

So, for now, I have done the necessary –removed the bathroom carpeting, and am experimenting with removing the wallpaper. There is a LOT of wallpaper in Foxcroft,. I have removed legions of wallpaper in the past (Bluebells had rooms with 8 layers), but I got a fancy-schmancy steamer for this project, and will get the chance to master its usage. I’m not a master yet.

I guess it has become a priority.