I had expected the ride to be bumpy for a while; newly single and embarking on a major renovation of a property I own myself is both daunting and exhilarating. I keep touching moments of a youthful grit that used to be more familiar to me in the past. Those are moments of determination and boundless hope. They're great! But, then they sway.
Some obvious anxieties abound: Will I have enough money to complete the renovations? Will they take a year instead of a small handful of months? Will MLR continue to work and come up with brilliant solutions? Will my wacky second-hand furnishings have any of the urban sophistication that I'm hoping for, or will they look like a flea market refuse pile? And most significantly, will I become a social hermit in the lonely comfort of my refurbished bachelor pad?
With the help of a crowded Saturday afternoon at Brentwood Mall, I had a moment of clarity today that let me step off the teeter-totter.
After scouring some used building supply stores for everything from lights to plywood, I stopped by the Sears at Brentwood Mall to check out their appliance outlet. There was nothing in Sears, but I pushed on into the mall wondering if there were any other home supply stores to scour. The mall was teeming with activity and people everywhere were buying lots, and lots, of crap.
After spending the first half of my day sorting through miscellaneous bins of cabinetry and hardware, the velocity of consumerism in the mall struck me as ludicrous. I kept thinking, do they really need this stuff?
I'll stop myself from going on some smug moralistic rant. I drive a truck. I occasionally drink coffee from a styrofoam cup, and so on.
The moment of clarity was important, though. I realized how satisfying it is for me to be conscientious about the products that are going into my new home. I saw a light at the end of the tunnel that radiated achievement and ease. I saw that I will love my new home and that the process of renovating will make me stronger. It even made me want to learn how to measure and use power tools better (er, at all)!
I promised a renovation manifesto, but I don't have a proclamation with bravado. What I can list are the four principles underlying this renovation:
1. Avoid wasteful purchases - source used or reclaimed building materials, and source as much of it as possible locally.
2. Recycle as much as possible of the materials being removed.
3. Work with nice people.
4. Research, envision, and try!
Finally, here are a few shot of work in progress.
Carpet & sub-floor garbage:
Kitchen comes out!
"Loki the helper"
Demolition playtime.
Mortar is not easy to remove.
The valences are gone!
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