As I’m general contracting the new house, my brain is constantly crunching construction. I’m getting to a place where things are progressing beyond house guts to the pretty.
It’s had me thinking that sharing some thoughts and learnings could be helpful to others. So in honor of the two foot skewer of Peeps I watched my niece Sofia inhale on Easter… today is all about designinig your house and knowing your peeps.
Years ago I read an article about whether you were a Piler or a Filer. This was in relation to paperwork management, which is truly the bane of my existence. I’m totally a Piler who aspires to be a Filer. But, I generally live by the principle that you should work with who you are. Life is hard enough, why fight yourself?
Hooks or Crooks: And by crooks I mean towel bars and their generally ransacked vibe. We are exceptional users of towel hooks. Wet towels are never anywhere they’re not supposed to be. But towel bars? No way, no how. Towel rings do work for us but are not 100% fail safe. The only risk I’m considering is heated towel bars hung vertically, like a big hook. I saw this on my Australian renovation series and it’s kind of brilliant.
Closed or Posed: Mudrooms are my favorite. Or as they call them in England, boot rooms. But most of the photographers in the world take the backpacks and cleats and high-tops and sweatshirts and chuck them in a pile out of the camera shot. They then place a beautiful woven basket on one hook, farmers market flowers casually spilling from the top, and trick you into some imaginary life. I will not fall for this drop zone nonsense. No open storage. None. Not for sweatshirts. Not for shoes. Not for us. Examples of a yes, a no, and a hell no. For the record, I wrote that line about flowers and then found the hell no.
Drawers or Hangar Wars: I had this moment, late last year, where I realized I’d tried to have matching closet hangars my entire adult life… and had utterly failed. My closet was evidence of my attempt in college, my attempt as a newlywed, and my attempt when I visited my first Container Store. Needless to say, we’re drawer people. All of the boys’ clothes each fit in two drawers under their window seats. For the record, someday I will have matching hangars. If I can just find the ones from the shop in the shipping container….
Keyless or Clueless: There is basically nothing I miss about our old orange house except being footloose and key free. Last week we took the Audi to school because I couldn’t find my keys and Geoff put the Audi key on a life-sized-Cal Poly-t-shirt-wearing-lion key chain. I felt super chic when I handed it over to the RH valet in West Hollywood while visiting my future cloud couch. Most mornings I find myself standing impatiently… waiting for Nate to put his shoes on so I can lock the door. I long for my old keyless entry life. The keypad was perfect for kids, the cleaning crew, guests. For the two doors we use regularly, the boys want them like they want their clocks: digital.
Footboards or Floorboards: Every single person in this home needs a bed with a footboard. Otherwise our duvets are found on the floor… with the wet towels that have fallen off the towel bars.
