A Feat of Engineering

Yesterday Jesse and I both decided to tackle one of our biggest new years resolutions. For months now, we've had an ugly brown box sitting in front of our big window in the living room, just taking up space. It has also served as a collection point for odds and ends that do not belong (like our holiday card stamp and a pair of my socks).

It felt good to kick that box to the curb. We unpacked and unwrapped our artwork and photos, set them out in the living room, and started to imagine them on the walls. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but we picked a place to start and got to work. This is the first place we've lived in that has a picture rail throughout most of the apartment. After spending hours patching nail holes from our old place in D.C., I decided to utilize the rail to it's fullest extent and put as few picture hangers directly into the wall as possible.

The first room we tackled was the kitchen. It had a nice big wall that was begging for some color. It also gets quite a bit of sunlight (when it's out), so we needed to put things there that wouldn't be harmed. Hanging things by the picture rail was a lot easier than I thought it would be. However, I did need a long set of arms to reach up there and measure the fishing line. Jesse was the brute strength and I used my precision eyeball level. Throughout this process, we had to stop for numerous snack breaks -- realizing every once in a while that we were getting way too into the placement of a photo here and there.

Next stop, the living room. This wall took the most time (and patience). We had to take a break mid-way through due to creative differences. Apparently, we both have different ideas about the principles of balance and lines. I was ready to whip out my Architecture 101 books and read definitions word for word, but luckily the "discussion" never got to that point. We both conceded and put up an arrangement that was pleasing to us both -- I got balance, Jesse got lines. I'm not sure this configuration is in its final state, but it'll do for now!

After dinner, there was a lot of cleaning up to do. We hung a few more pictures here and there, but decided to focus our efforts on making the apartment more tidy. At that point, I was ready for bed, but given that it was only 7:30pm I got to work. Jesse folded and put away clothes, we took out the pile of paper and boxes that resulted from our art-hanging project, and I sorted through papers on my desk in an attempt to create a work-worthy space for the coming week. In a stroke of brilliance, Jesse put my birthday flowers on the radiator next to a housewarming gift that we received this fall. This is the first time that I've ever had a place for flowers (maybe that's why I never get them very often). This spot is what you first see when you walk into the apartment and I couldn't be happier.

It felt so good to wake up to a clean space, but also one that feels a little more like home. I can't wait to come home from work, eat dinner, and then retire to the living room to read a book and admire our new apartment!