Welcome to the 6 week update. There was no week 5 update as Linda, the founder of the One Room Challenge has cancelled the week 5 update due to the events surrounding the racially-motivated, murder of George Floyd. His untimely death at the hands of officers formerly employed by the Minneapolis Police Department was the catalyst for historic protests in all 50 states and in 18 countries across the globe.
I am so thankful that Linda has decided to pause the ORC so that we can take a moment and pause, learn, breathe, and reflect on this atrocity that echos the violence and attitudes against Black American citizens since we were introduced to this land.
REFLECTIONS
The last couple of weeks have been draining both emotionally and mentally. However, I'd like to acknowledge that this is the first time that we have witnessed a collective response of this magnitude outside of the Black community. It took for folks to be locked down in their homes during a pandemic, with no sports, movies, or any other distractions, and a video that filmed the last minutes of this man's life, while a white officer so casually rested his knee on his neck for folks to finally say "Oh, I see now, this IS problematic, you were not making this stuff up!" While I am a little disheartened by the delayed response, I'm hopeful to see people coming together around a common cause and the swift action of lawmakers to reform police departments and companies and corporations and local governments taking a stance on the right side of history.
I am still processing everything. IT. IS. A. LOT. My emotions range the full spectrum and I feel challenged trying to even write this post. It's interesting living through history...and while I don't intend to minimize the significance of recent events, I'd compare it to a home renovation:
Before work is to be done, we have to acknowledge that there is a problem...the house is old, ill-designed, and was constructed years ago. The codes that were acceptable then, no longer apply. In fact, we now recognize that they are indeed dangerous and can be harmful...so an update is necessary and overdue.
Then comes demolition, literally tearing down the old structure...some will disagree that there was ever a problem. The old home is comfortable and familiar. Witnessing what appears to be the destruction of their perception of a perfect home makes them confused and angry. Demo is messy as hell and to those who lack vision, they can't see that anything good could come from this wreckage and debris. But how can we knowingly live in a space that is dangerous only because it has always been that way?
After we have demolished the old, outdated structure, reframing and rewiring is done. It helps us to see new what the future could be. Soon an entirely new structure is built, one that is aligned with modern guidelines and provide a safe dwelling for today's occupants.
Currently we are in the demo stage, we are in the process of tearing down the old....lead paint-containing, asbestos-riddled, deteriorating walls, with janky wiring that may have worked for some appliances but not without the risk of fire for others. Rebuilding will take time, effort, and patience. Initially the investment seems to keep adding up, but when it's all done...we'll know it was completely worth it, we'll be better for it. Because when you know better, you do better.
It goes without saying that Black Lives Matter. The notion that they don't, feels so personal from my perspective. The lives of my children, family, friends, business owners that I support, associates, former classmates, their families, the individuals that have supported me in my own endeavors, my neighbors, and those of strangers with melanated skin, all matter. Our lives matter. They always have and always will.
ONTO THE UPDATE
What I did:
Installed sconces
Hung artwork and mirror
Decided on curtains
Nixed the feature wall
Brought in new nightstands, area rug, and bedframe
I selected the Mendes sconces from Lamps Plus because they are
- inexpensive
- plug-in
- brass
- fully adjustable
- have a solid shade...
which would prevent light from spilling all over the room. Delmar goes to bed much earlier than me and I wanted to avoid disturbing him while I'm up. That was literally my criteria and this piece fit the bill. They install easily too. I specifically wanted plug in sconces because I didn't want to hire an electrician (remember my goal was to keep this project on a strict budget). Because they are plug-in style, I purchased the matching cord covers to keep them looking neat. They do give off a bit of a hotel room vibe tho. If you look closely at the picture you'll see some chalk lines that were supposed to be the outline of my feature wall. I nixed the idea and I'm ok with that! LOL!
I purchased two sets of curtains and was still undecided on which color to select but terracotta is my fave! The oatmeal is nice and calming but didn't provide the ummmph, I'm used to. I will be doing a slight edit to the tops of the curtains to give them more visual interest. It's the little things!
Also the bedding arrived on time, so yaaaaay! See below for a sneak peek of random textures.
WHAT'S NEXT?
Add detail to curtains
Decided I'll be making a bedskirt to match the fabric of the headboard
Maybe paint my dresser. It's old and raggedy and I'm not trying to buy any new furniture for this space.
Go hunting for some pieces to style the space, thankfully stores have started to reopen
I'll check you guys out next week. Be well.
-Cachet