The Random Landing We’ve just moved. Into a house I wouldn’t have chosen. But as we only had two days before we had to be out of our previous rental, I am grateful for it. But I had to find a way to be able to live with all its drawbacks and quirks. It was our son who gave me the answer. He came down to help us move and after going upstairs for the first time, he said, “Mum, what’s with that room-size kind of landing upstairs? What does it do? It’s a bit random isn’t it?” It is. A huge square landing off a landing, off yet another smaller landing, with steps up to it. No windows. Too dark to be of any use. Sort of just there doing nothing. As the day wore on we kept referring to it as The Random Landing, laughing as we did so, and it stuck. Next, it was the dated, rather musty smelling ‘guest’ room, off The Random Landing, down two steps and then up two steps. Not much going for it at all. Except the view. Of Dartmoor in the distance. Marvellous. Whenever I need a break, I stand in the huge bay window, and drink it in. The Room with a View. Probably the biggest challenge was the so-called dining room. It was once used an office, so saw a lot of traffic and it shows! It was a very depressing room, the faded sand-coloured carpet and curtains draining it of life. Solution? Turn it into a beach room! The sand was already there (carpet), so I installed all my jazzy, bright-coloured things from the sun room in our previous house, including two wonderfully cheerful deckchairs, one striped, one with strawberries all over it. Also my fuschia rocker, and pop art pictures of pineapples and hey presto, the room was transformed and The Beach Room was born! There is also an attic, as yet unfurnished. Via a set of spiral stairs that give me vertigo. I have ventured up there only twice. Inevitably that has become The Room at the Top. There are other rooms, yet to be christened. Not one of them has a straight wall, floor or ceiling, they literally make me feel dizzy, so there’s plenty of ‘room’ for imaginative labels there! The photo was taken a few mornings ago from The Room with a View. I loved how the blue was pushing through the clouds, with a hint of light emerging from the greyness. It feels that way with this house - a bit of imagination and a lot of humour have made this unlikely place feel more like home... and given us lots of chuckles along the way.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 09:24:21 +0000
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