Zen and the Art of Room Remodeling

The past couple of weeks have been filled with the joys of remodeling two rooms. September came to a close, and I terminated the lease on my beloved apartment to return home. In the last 10 days I’ve all but finished one room (still need curtains, a rug, and some flooring bits that are out of stock at Lowes), my office. I love the room. It’s warm and relaxing. The new wood floors are wonderful. My artwork brought from the apartment looks great on the warm golden brown color (officially American Tradition “Antelope Hide”) of the walls. I’ve discovered that I’m amazingly relaxed most by the actual process of painting the walls. I seem to go into a “zone” and I feel so serene. I don’t feel so rushed, I enjoy taking the time to make it look as good as possible — a bit of a challenge, since the walls are less than perfect, but that’s another story. Today I painted the room that will become my bedroom. It’s a serene blue called “Tropical Bay.” More of my artwork will be going in there, and the pieces I’ve tested look fantastic. A piece I purchased from a local artist is just made for those walls. Tomorrow I finish painting the window trim, put up the crown moulding I took down to paint. (It is easier for me to take it down and paint the moulding with a roller than try not to get paint on the ceiling — you can’t tape it, since it’s a popcorn ceiling.) By this weekend, I should have more snap-down wood flooring replacing carpet that has been in that room since 1976. Well, that old carpet does have some sentimental value, since it was what Mom and Dad put in the room for us kids. So, I cut out a big 4-foot by 4-foot section so my brothers and I could have souvenirs. The next couple of days should offer more relaxing room remodeling meditation. I then get to move the last of my things into that room and set up Dad’s old cast iron bed that I refinished about six years ago for the apartment. I’ll hang my pictures, order some curtains from JCPenney or someplace, and I’ll be set. That won’t be the end of my remodeling meditation practice, though. The holidays are coming, and though I consider myself a Buddhist, the holiday season is a time I always look forward too. I love getting the house ready for visiting family. Every single year for as long as I remember, I’ve been responsible for the decorations and the tree (except that one year I couldn’t get home before Christmas to put up the tree, and my non-creative twin brother surprised everyone by doing a fantastic job with the decorations). I’ve got windows to clean, rooms to re-arrange, and decorations to hang. Then, after the holidays, more rooms! Mom and I have decided to redo a bathroom, and maybe we’ll tile the dining room floor, too. The kitchen is in desperate need of new cabinets, and have some ideas for the family room. Outdoors, Mom has turned over to me the front foundation plantings, so in spring I’ll be starting that — but I’ll be planning long before then. My brother and I want to run power out to one of the out-buildings, and maybe I can make some headway on ideas for a back deck. Lots of ideas, and plenty of time for remodeling meditation.