design

Revisions & Tiny Places

/ melibelleintokyo / Leave a comment

So we remodeled my in-laws’ house, rather their bedroom,

which is as grand a place as a whole home.

It is the first sight upon opening eyes

& the last before sleeping.

 

It is so grand

(& even though I am FORBID to post any pictures before the big reveal

via IKEA & their publications)

you can trust.

 

And we were so pooped

that

my girl

conched-out

on our bike ride home.

 

I pulled-up, parked, & looked behind.

Her mouth open,

not kidding like sometimes when she

wants to be carried-in,

cutely with a small amount of deception.

She was OUT.

 

 

Redoing takes work,

even if you are just

hanging around, jumping on beds.

wpid-imag5607.jpg

 

Upon coming to, she said,

“I want my room looking more pretty, too”.

wpid-imag5621.jpg

Not jealous, just highly inspired,

“Let’s make it more pretty, yes?”

wpid-imag5616.jpg

wpid-imag5612.jpg

 

So I am looking for the hammer,

still, taking inventory

of every frame,

hanging plates on walls,

& getting ready to switch curtains,

hang out futons,

weed out the too small things

the hanging-up of clothes,

the spaghetti/netflix binging,

the polishing of silver,

“what the heck will i cook for dinner” & when will i return that year-old library book?

 

i’m home

in the thick of it–

doing the little things

the heavy things

with nails.

 

It feels like throwing flames

& scrubbing dishes

with five-day-old nails,

thinking only last night

did we sip some bubbly.

 

come in, glamour, come in clean,

come in swaths of curtains blowing in open-window breeze

come in recipes with potatoes

cream, dill, and shallots

come in brilliance,

inspiration, & the energy to set sparks to flint,

soup to table,

hearth to city,

 

beauty beauty

come in.

Into Your Space, a Gift and a Challenge

/ melibelleintokyo / 2 Comments

Today, this week, last week, and for a little while–

it as if we’ve been visited by the kindest of elves.

the most daring of professionals

who really know how to give.

wpid-imag5580.jpg

What if a professional crawled into your space,

& deeming it worthwhile,

deeming you worthy & likable,

and not a disaster,

they wanted to help

& then they did?

 

what if they represented a larger entity

of design & culture

& they said, “Send us your measurements; we’ll get our team started,”

 

& then they did?

wpid-imag5097.jpg

what if you sat around a round table

(or rectangle)

& over paper-cup lattes,

you met with renowned designers & honey-hearted photographers

all equally excited to get to work,

give you a window, a solid ladder into your dreams,

not even rickety?

wpid-imag5297.jpg

and then you shopped together,

these acclaimed, kind-hearted spirits,

& every item placed in the cart

was an, “I just cannot even believe this”

and you didn’t even have to wait in line

or stay with them until 10:30 pm and then the trains…

but they sent you off to look at the sky

& all that glimmers

& your mom-in-law says, “I can’t believe this is my life”.

wpid-imag5316.jpg

wpid-imag5302.jpg

wpid-imag5307.jpg

and then the day came

when everything was assembled

 

and one sweet wall behind the pillows

was painted,

and all that was lousy, shoved-in, the best we can do for now,

for twenty years,

 

was resorted and made beautiful in new drawers

that match and mesh and fit like a glove.

 

and in come the photographers

in with everyone, love

in with soul

in with reputation that flies him round the world to shoot

chocolates and burgers and perfume and luxury

 

but he is with your family,

shooting you,

terrible hair, big arms, maybe bra showing

and love keeps showing up,

though your son is restless

and keeps needing tissues

and everyone is

growing up

in this place

 

where everyone has converged

saying, “Oh, it is so good”.

wpid-imag5502.jpg

 

and they chat with your babies,

eat your ordered-pizza,

iron little pants,

and go round and round with incredibly funny jokes and

infectious smiles

and champagne, too,

and when you say, “Cheers”,

everyone is saying it with you,

also with tears and a joy-overwhelm.

 

and it is good to be like family

with people who could pull-out your right socks on the first go,

those who know

where to find you again.

 

this is what the remarkable team at IKEA Live did for me

in my parents-in-law’s room.

they deserve startling applause and recognition of the heart.

 

The hardest thing is now—

We must not dare post anything online

before March,

before IKEA Live goes live & shakes the house

with more applause, renewed applause

the sound of wood snapping

under the weight of so much featherlight snow

that will by that time, have accumulated.

 

It is all just so exciting.