It's been a busy week of organizing. Son Philip generously brought tools and put up shelves, helped move furniture and provided critical feedback. Now that the floors are all done (and the dust is vacuumed up) it's OK to bring out the artwork, arrange furniture, and make the place seem like home.  The studio still looks like a tornado hit it, but the stacks of boxes are steadily disappearing and the end is in sight.  There's something quite wonderful about rediscovering my familiar pictures and artifacts as they emerge from packing materials and greet the light of day again.

The bedroom bookcase is full; some old friends and some that I'm planning to read for the first time.  I still had to discard books that I realized I'll never read.

We found the front hall closet door in the garage and put it back in place, but it looked too boring just painted white.  So I added a giant agave in a pot  this morning. 

The nice thing about painted plants is that I can't kill them.  I am not a born gardener.

Smudge appreciates how the sun comes into the living room bay in the morning.  I'll deal with window treatments next week.  It's a lovely, warm room that will welcome visitors.

Doors on right and left lead to the entry hall and the studio.  the refinished oak floors came out beautifully.

We took the doors off the stash closet--there were just too many doors in a small hallway.  This is between the living room and the studio.  I'm hoping that keeping it visible will force me to keep it orderly as well.  In any case, there were 26 trash bags of fabric to unload onto the shelves.  Now that that is finished, I can arrange furniture in the studio and get down to work.  I have a project in mind for my new church--more later on that.

Having the renovations pretty much done comes at a perfect time.  I've had an offer on my old house; if all goes well it will be sold soon.  I knew when I left the last time that it no longer felt like my home.  This will settle many loose ends and I'll be free to enjoy the new Casa Agave.

Is it irreverent to consider a bookcase a holy place?  The paint on this has to cure for a week before I can put books in it, but I'm champing at the bit to have books in the bedroom.  Wayne Woods, the contractor, did a truly magnificent job, installing it with great care.  I think I can stow about five boxes of books in here.  When it's full, I'll move my easy chair to the window area and have a cozy nook for handwork, watching TV and reading.

Smudge the cat is very glad the conractors are gone and now she has the run of the house.  She is exploring cautiously, being a mature and prudent cat.

Let's start here:  the elegant ivory paneled living room full of furniture and rugs, awaiting painting.  It had antique satin ivory draperies and ivory carpeting (now removed).  It's the last room to be painted, as I can live without a parlor while we get things together.  But change is in the wind . . .

Just imagine how this will look with oriental rugs, red velvet armchairs, lots of artwork on the walls!  The floor is oak.  I plan to put in wooden venetian blinds throughout the house; no need for draperies.  The contractor is finishing the details of the painting as I write.  This room has a nice big bay window at the end, flanked by windows on the side walls. Lots of light.  It has louvered doors (which I plan to keep shut to avoid cats batting art work around) and connects to the front hallway and to the studio.

The pink is actually a nice coral. It may look different on your monitor.  Painting is done, and I'll hang artwork next week once the boxes are out of the way.  You can see that the front door is the same red as in the living room (and kitchen).

Ignoring the pink basin full of junk, you can see that some art work makes a big difference in pulling things together.  Same colors as the living room.

Yes, it's pretty bright!  But when the rug, furniture and art work are placed, it will tone down.  There are big corner windows on two corners of this room; good light and nice view of the back yard.  There will be a wrought iron light fixture with red blown-glass shades replacing the very nice crystal chandelier.

One more photo and I'll stop.  The studio is still the place where we park boxes and furniture awaiting placement, so it's not really functional for artwork yet.  I just want to show off my wonderful glass block shower wall in the master bath.  I giggle every time I use the shower--it's so light and joyful.  As for the rest of the house, bedrooms and such--that can wait for another time.