Normally I’m a craft klutz. My fingers are not nimble enough for knitting. I don’ have the precision for intricate design. I eyeball levels. I stare in awe at those awesome hex bracelets that have neon string running through the holes, creating an industrial and feminine, fun look. My parents never hung my art projects on the fridge. But just like there is a yoga fairy, the mystical ball of energy that sometimes allows you to do an asana you are struggling with just to prove that you can, before letting you return to flailing, I think there must also be a craft fairy. I imagine her being an older white woman with grey hair, a 1950s housewife voice, and crisp white button up. Just when I’m thought my living room could not look more rag-tag, she blew invisible glitter over the living room, allowing me to be struck by inspiration– but only for a few brief hours!
With all these new and exciting changes going on in my life, I decided it was time to move the living room around. In case you’re new, when I signed the lease for the apartment back in January, I was still seeing Chris. Our amicable breakup occurred at the end of the year, so we decided to see how living together would still go. Being the break up initiator, I decided to be the bigger person and settle into our well sized living room. During the first few weeks I procured two dividers to block the view of my bed, lest Chris’s friends see me in a rare display of open mouth sleeping. I slowly started to realize that Chris enjoyed spending his time with his friends in his room. Without even wanting it, the living room had essentially become my domain. If this had been a high income divorce, it would be like me getting the boat, the beach house, and the limo driver. (Dear Chris, if you stumble upon this, feel free to come sit on the boat—aka the couch—anytime you want!)
Silliness aside, the most glaring issues in my glorified room and lounge was the cheap green 2 panel shutter I had been using for a divider, which was far less charming than the 3 panel white and wood one my upstairs neighbor had given me upon his departure. The nails I had weren’t strong enough to hang it on the wall, and I didn’t have enough scarves or belts to weave through the openings. Plus, it is right in line with the door, so I wanted something good looking for guests coming in. Being a writing major and poet lover, I do, however, have large collection of books; sadly, none of them are leather bound. With a little bit of finesse and common sense physics, I was able to fit at least half of my soft cover books into the slots of the shutter. When the weight of the books was too much, I covered the unused area with random pages ripped out of a poetry book I’m not particularly fond of. Come on, is this cool or what?!
A cute way to display my earrings on the other divider
I plan on continuing my text heavy motif throughout the living room. The coffee table we had in our last apartment that was curb side rescue I plan on upcycling along these lines. I’m also going to cover the lower half of a wall with fun chalkboard paint to write down whatever I want. Perhaps I’ll even buy a bunch of throw pillows so guests can have comfy cheekies while they stun me with their chalk drawings, because, remember, I’m certainly no Picasso. Essentially, I want to find the same solace and excitement in my living room that I have in the kitchen, and it order to do that I need to make a few minor tweaks.
What room is your favorite? Do you take the time to decorate it?
Peel Away ❤
Jocellyn
Peel 