Simple Pleasures


 
Dan is still installing the kitchen. All of the cabinets are now out of the shed and Andy can reach his workbench again:
 

 
He’s starting to rebuild his supply of tools and in the fullness of time will decide how to organize them all.

Down here my new system of being able to get some exercise at my computer really helped the past couple of weeks as I tackled ordering and renaming those 19,620 photos from the past. I did realize, though, that in the new system my monitor was too low to be ergonomic—and, as it turned out, so was the TV in my study. So I spent a couple of days figuring out what to do. I ended up buying two inexpensive cabinets. They not only put the TV and monitor at the correct height, they gave me extra shelf space. So I’m starting to reorganize my study.
 

 
The above picture shows the cabinet under the TV. I’ll add more shelves when the new black contact paper I ordered arrives. The shelves are gray fiberboard and I like them better black. I definitely have simple tastes and like using inexpensive items because they give me the freedom to play around and try things. It’s one of the great joys of my life.

What about you? Do you prefer more elegance?

Thanks to Nick, Mike, tammy, Cathy, bikehikebabe and Dixie for commenting on last week’s post.
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14 Responses to Simple Pleasures

  1. Mike says:

    Elegance is good, but is trumped by functionality, in my view.

  2. Evan says:

    I think I have a pretty zen aesthetic – stripped to its essentials the functional is elegant

  3. Cathy in NZ says:

    I have so many mismatched things that I now tolerate whatever it is that is needed!

    Plus I live in a rented house where, “let’s see if I have another object that will do the job, nevermind it is wrong colour” or “this will cheaper option” or “we can fix this even if it looks wrong somehow” or even “does it really need a remedy”

    This is man of house remedy but one year when the stove (last year) finally couldn’t be repaired yet again, the “man” was off overseas so the girls (read Mother/daughter) decided to get a new one…but they of course had look for a deal. A few months ago “man here to see new stove” which was then not new!!

    Sometimes, I would like to ditch all of my objects and go out and buy a matching or semi-matching set of everything new 🙂 but then some of my older things I’m attached to – they have history 🙂

  4. Jean says:

    Mike,
    Function usually wins with us, too. We my occasionally replace something because of looks, but not very often.

    Evan,
    That’s a great attitude to have!

    Cathy,
    I get attached to things too. That can be a blessing. 🙂

  5. Dixie says:

    Contact paper and I are old friends! Good for you, Jean!

    Function is foremost and my favorite design is using ‘shabby chic’… with the absence of clutter! I’ve seen elegance in the simplest of designs, and room themes. “…in the eye of the beholder…”

  6. bikehikebabe says:

    Elegance is out of style. Remember the french provincial furniture with the curvy wood & brocaded fabric; the fancy gilded picture frames. The everything fancy. Ugh!

  7. bikehikebabe says:

    Dixie’s definition is great. “elegance in the simplest of designs, and room themes.”

    I was remembering the old definition:
    “tastefully fine or luxurious in dress, style, design, etc.: elegant furnishings.”

  8. bikehikebabe says:

    Ornate is out of style. It took me this many times to think of that word.

  9. tammy says:

    comfort is my sense of style i guess.
    i’m not elegant.
    it’s pretty to look at. but how do they live with it?
    wouldn’t you always be worrying? no thanks.
    i mean . . . i like homes that dogs are comfortable in. lol.

  10. Jean says:

    Dixie,
    I agree with you about the absence of clutter! I love it when my apartment is that way–like right now for the most part. On the other hand, it sometimes gets really messy when I’m absorbed in a project. Then I just tune it out and focus on what I’m trying to do.

    bikehikebabe,
    When I think of elegant I think of Audry Hepburn. Her style was much better than ornate.

    tammy,
    Right now our floors up there are gorgeous. In time they’ll get scratched, especially when the granddogs come to visit this Christmas. Kaitlin does say they’ll trim Sammy’s toenails before they come to minimize the damaage. They remodeled their house a couple of years ago, and it too looked picture perfect, but little Montana loves to throw her muddy body against the walls so they no longer look as pristine. 🙂 I agree, not much of a home if a dog can’t visit or live there.

  11. Nick says:

    Cupboards suspended from the ceiling – that’s a novel idea.

    I like elegance, but to some extent elegance is in the eye of the beholder. Your kitchen might look quite elegant when it’s all finished off.

  12. Rummuser says:

    I prefer simplicity to elegance.

  13. Jean says:

    Nick,
    We too think the beech cabinets look elegant. We’re not as thrilled with the solid pine doors. When we said we wanted wood rather than something painted, we were expecting a finer grain. Unfortunately here in the Southwest they like the rustic look. That didn’t occur to us when we let the contractor pick out the doors.

    The colors in this picture aren’t right, but you can see the doors of the entryway closet and the kitchen cabinets are different colors, and the grain of the doors is much more pronounced. Kaitlin likes them, we’re not so sure yet. If we change them it won’t be until next year.

    Rummuser,
    I think you can have both, but I’m with you. For me simplicity is the important thing. I love my study, even though no one would call it elegant.

  14. CreditDonkey says:

    I love simplicity and functionality best but simple can be elegant too. It’s all in the eyes of the beholder, each to his own taste or opinion. I like your kitchen, we have also our own cupboards attached to the ceiling. Another DIY project of our husband and wife team.

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