This old house
My eyes used to always glaze over when my friends or coworkers would start talking about their home renovation projects: “I got a great deal at Home Depot!” “I finally bought that super-duper saw!” “I had to shimmy the deck because the cheap sealant rotted the two-by-four ” Blah blah blah. How boring, I thought.
Not anymore.
Knox and I found a lovely rental apartment with plenty of space and charm. Composed of the two upper-floor apartments of a house, it has been described as “wonky” (Knox) and “malleable” (me). We’re actually quite enthusiastic about the potential, but…it does need a bit of work.
Now, people say that we shouldn’t be putting too much of our own money into a rental, and that is certainly true. The landlords aren’t investing a lot in repairs themselves, preferring to just bide their time until they’re ready to make a killing by selling out to the condo builders. But the layout and the age of the house allow us to make it uniquely our own, and we have a lot of leeway (except we’re not allowed to remove the entry wallpaper, but that’s another story).
Which brings us Home Depot. And thrift stores. And craigslist. We’ve got paint chips up on the walls, second-hand clothes for painting, and a growing list of repurposed unique furniture. I never thought I’d do a home remodeling project, even one as minor as this; I’m missing that chromosome on my gay gene. Knox, however, is full of creative ideas, and between the two of us we are slowly forging an image of a cozy, stylish house that will be haven of comfort for us and our friends.
Stay tuned!