One of the most fantastic things about my job is matching someone up with a home, somtimes that means a new home. New Homes, like new cars, come with an especially nice scent. Even nicer are the daydreams of large walk-in closets, extra pantry storage and floor to ceiling cabinets. . .and how everything in your old place looks to have a special and completely organized new location once you move in and unpack. I fantasize about organization because up until fairly recently I held on to everything. Everything? Yes, until recently, I had four sets of dishes (for men that just groaned, one is the “good china” which I actually use quite often on friends and family, the second fiestaware that was my grandparents-and yes, real men can eat off petal pink vintage plates and like it…and two “every day” sets, one of which was just gifted to a pal) and mid marathon training and weight loss, way too many sizes of clothes (I just parted with a Jcrew sweater from 1997. . .I’m “leaning into the discomfort” of the project and massively “editing”).
What I am hanging on to are fun gems like these, magazine clippings and photos of things I love. I was organizing the pile of articles, pictures and biographies and came across this, which makes me laugh and goes to show even early on we know what we’re going to be when we “grow up.” This home is located not far off the Pali highway on Oahu, just on the edge of Manoa where my school Mid Pacific Institute was located. I was lucky enough to pass this home as well as several amazing structures with killer views of the leeward side of the island. I imagined nothing cooler than waking up and looking out the left side of the house, sipping coffee and literally staring at Diamond Head. Years later (but several years ago) I came across this ad in Town and Country magazine and had to clip it out and it’s been in my overstuffed notes journal almost since then. “Your story book dream house awaits you high above it all in Hawaii. Located ten minutes from white sand beaches, Diamond Head, restaurants, rain forests and shopping, this historic five bedroom, four bath, 5,700 square foot home was fully refurbished in 2003 and offers incredible 180 degree views. Offered at 1,900,000.” I made a color copy, it’s on the vision board now.
Maybe it was the lack of cable, but we happened to be a pretty PBS friendly house as a kid growning up. Instead of tons of cartoons, I was raised on Bob Underhill’s “Woodwright Shop” and “This Old House” and “MYSTERY” with the fantastic intro drawn by Edward Gorey (not so topical, but still fascinating). I was in love with my Fisher Price yellow, two story colonial with a working (!) kitchen pendant lamp. The house was freqently moving around my room (location, location, location) and it’s furnishings being arranged (I’m still not a fan of plastic bath tubs, if only Waterworks existed then).
I hope you find fun reminders of why you are where you are. Clippings like this do that for me as well as where I want to be. . .I debate about going back to school to study architecture but in these days of books of plans at the local Barnes and Noble for ten bucks and autocad, it seems like less of a craft. Besides, I think I’m more of a house groupie or match maker. The older, or more unusual. . .even better. I dream of tiles and vistas and kitchen islands. . .I know, not very exciting but it’s nice to have a one track mind when you love what you do.
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