This post is going to seem very ill-timed as we just started a new series at church about “Discovering Contentment in a World of Consumption” (Watch the Series Here!) but I’m going to write it anyway. Freddy and I did put a lot of purchases on hold after the first phase of home renos and we’ve been working to identify our financial areas of strengths and weaknesses ever since. We even paid off a student loan recently! And so I am inclined to tell you about some of our new things for no other reason than they bring me joy and they make my home feel balanced.

Thing 1: The end table

It really isn’t anything special. It was the cheapest end table at World Market but it is oh-so perfect to me! I search for end tables more than is sane. I crave them in a shameful way, especially if you followed the link to the sermon series about this very topic. Yet here I am, romanced by the thought of a lovely end table, home to a carefully perched hot chocolate or tea at the edge of my chair, couch or love seat. Oh how perfectly in reach that mug is! How wonderful not to have to put down a good book and reach forward across the room to the coffee table. Coffee table…what a silly name for a piece of furniture that lends itself more readily to your feet than your beverages. I initially wanted a round table, perhaps with a mirrored top or some metal or stone. But in the end, I opted for a plain-Jane end table. The real piece of importance is the chair anyway. My wonderful Nana Emma’s chair. I needed an end table that could compete in height but not in decor and I think I’ve found that.

Thing 2: The other table

In the same room but on the opposite side of the coffee table (if you can really call it that), we added another table! I’m sure it’s meant to be an entry table of sorts but we already have one of those and what we really needed was an end table (here I go again!) to hold up a perfect little table lamp and (again) a nice beverage of the love seat occupant’s choice. This little gem was discovered at HomeGoods by my husband so you can understand why he’s so eager to be involved:

Haha, I love that crazy man. Behind him is a wonderfully simple lamp with teal lampshade from World Market. I suppose there’s really no need to tell you where it’s from when you can’t even see it but perhaps you’ve been there recently and you’ve now conjured an image in your mind. Beneath the table there is currently nothing but I have visions of Winston’s toys there in a nice slouchy, woven basket. I also have visions of those toys staying in that basket to be used one at a time and put back nicely but that’s neither here nor there.

Thing 3: The 1/2 Bath

Okay, so I’m cheating here because this isn’t really a thing, it’s a room. A small room but a room.

Freddy just painted it and I am in love with the color. People may warn you to stay away from dark colors in small spaces but I think those people are missing out.

We installed the light today (Lowes) and used the bulbs from the previous fixture; they’re much too bright in there but as you can see, we’re not quite finished. Some shelves or art above the toilet. A mirror. It’s true, the sink would be white in a perfect world but in a perfect world, small white sinks would come with existing cabinets or be dirt cheap and neither of those holds true. So a tan sink with a white inside is my new perfect and we’ll bring in some natural-looking straw-colored elements to pull it all together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hooray for Things 1, 2, and 3! May my joy in them be innocent instead of misguided and my desire for such things be based on FUNctionality rather than discontentment with the things I already have.