Making it livable

The Art of Living in the Middle of the Masterpiece. 

R. R. Shakti

I admit it. I’m new.
I had imagined this renovation as a grand reveal—like something on HGTV—where, in the span of a single episode, the house transforms from potential to perfection. 

But it’s not like that at Cloudfall Pines. 
It is tape on the windows and half-painted walls. There are piles of tile, waiting for me to learn how to install them. We still have un-opened boxes stacked in the garage and a to-do list four pages long. 

It’s happening in stages, one necessary step at a time.
So I am here. 
Learning to find contentment in the unfinished.
Learning that “liveable” has its own kind of beauty.
Continuing to listen for the soul of this place to honor what’s needed next.
With imagination…and patience. No urgency. 

Because the work of becoming is never all at once, not for my home and not for my own soul. 
It’s layer by layer.
It’s commitment and surrender. 
And it’s never truly finished. 

This is the art of living in the middle of the masterpiece.

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BEDROOM ONE

B E F O R E :

We have big ideas for this house—one day, for instance, a light-filled master suite above the garage. But that’s still a couple of years away. For now, this little room is our nest. Just enough space for our king bed, a dresser and us—dreaming into a new chapter.

We’ve uncovered hidden corners, with both treasures and dust. Behind the mirror in my small walk-in closet, for example, an opening revealed extra storage space. There were funky things back there, like an old ski boot turned mouse-house. Snowball (our cat) made sure that they are permanently evicted.

The wallpaper border was quaint but not quite “us.” We scraped it off to discover another wall-paper border beneath. A layer of soft pink roses, painted over (a terrible idea, by the way). Each strip came off like the shedding of an old story. It wasn’t easy. With vinegar, water, patience and persistence, we eventually got down to the bare wall. Plaster peeled where a touch of mildew had loosened it. We learned that bleach is NOT the answer. Vinegar works better to kill mold…and without the toxicity. ​

After sanding and sealing the floors, we were giddy over the natural color of the wood. 

For the walls, we chose “Oatmeal” from Glidden. Marley and I almost vetoed the color just because of the name, which was decidedly less poetic than the other paint choices we’ve made. But we couldn’t deny the warmth of the soft white, perfect for the light coming in from our south-facing windows. The last photo in the series, above, was the inspo. we found on Pinterest for the trim color–a chalk paint from the Behr collection: “Silver Celadon” (much better name). We like it so much, in fact, “Silver Celadon” might feature in another room or two. 

My old dresser was much too big, so I was elated to find this lovely vintage piece on Facebook Marketplace. And the rug!—the “Delia” from West Elm’s “open box deals.” It kinda makes the room. 

My favorite feature, though, is the built-in cubbies framing our bed. Inside them, we each created small altars of memory and inspiration. On my side, my mama’s trinket boxes live among crystals and wisdom cards. Marty assembled, on his side, a still life with tiny mūrtis—Buddha, Hanuman, Tara and Ganesha.
​
By necessity, this room has made us pare down what we own. We’ve kept only what we cherish and let the rest go. It’s become a ritual of clearing—a ceremony of enoughness. And through it all, we’re reminded how much we truly value one another.

It is still a work in progress, but we’ve made this room livable. And in that word, I hear “love-able.”

What part of your life is asking to be made more livable—less “perfect,” more meaningful?
Begin there. One story-layer at a time.

A F T E R :

Tips

I get it now—why so many people opt not to install wallpaper. It is tough to remove. 
But here is how we are doing it, through trial and error.

Supplies you need: 

• Scoring tool
• Vinegar and water*
• Sponge
• Scrub brush
• Spray bottle 
• Paint scraper
• Steamer

STEP ONE: Remove hardware like switch plates and outlet covers.
STEP TWO: Score the paper using the scoring tool. This is to allow the liquid to penetrate through the surface.
STEP THREE: Use your paint scraper to remove as much as you can, peeling from the corners. 
STEP FOUR: Soak the remaining wallpaper and wallpaper backing by sponging on the vinegar/water mixture. Let it sit for a few minutes, then sponge over the surface another time. Alternatively, you can use a steamer at this step. 
STEP FIVE: Use a scrub brush or scraper to work the remaining sticky spots. 

*We did try using a chemical compound from the hardware store. Despite wearing a mask, the chemicals were overwhelming. We discovered that the vinegar/water mixture worked just as well, if not better, so I recommend sticking to what’s natural for best health and efficiency.