Renewal is an experiment. What will life be like if we choose to live in this house, on this street, in this neighborhood, in this city, and commit to doing what we can to bring it (back) to life? And that impulse drives even the simplest of projects.

This was a piece of an old, broken-down piano. What sort of life can it have if we choose to commit some time, creativity, and effort to it? It lives on as a sideboard in the cottage dining room, still bearing proudly its original piano label, right there, dead center of the top. It's as though it is saying "I may no longer be a piano, but there is life in me yet".

Cottage is renewed. This is cottage.

Cottage quirkiness is an expression of that inner sense that enables patience when a project (or a group of projects) goes unfinished for months, with no reasonable explanation. That inner sense that says, "I know this seems like the most important thing you have ever done, and that you feel that when you finish it all things will be set aright. But take a step back. It's just a _________(fill in the blank with whatever project you are working on). Stop taking yourself so seriously."

The turquoise shelf was a piano. The “R”-wall was some folding doors between someone’s kitchen and dining room. The lamp, well, that’s always been a lamp, but it was once cheapy brass with a terrible accordion shade.

What all these things have in common is that they were trash. And now they are here, in the cottage living room.

Cottage is renewed. This is Cottage

There are certain things that are sacred, untouchable, no doubt about that. But sometimes it’s tempting to elevate things to sacred status that just don’t belong there. Nostalgia is the temptation to elevate things to sacred status because they’re old. A preoccupation with novelty elevates things to sacred status because they’re young. Elevating things to sacred status because you like them is called pretentiousness.

All of that is preface to this: I am pretty sure this armoire (I am pretty sure its an armoire) is older than I am. Probably a lot older than I am. And it had a really beautiful wood grain and nice (though peeling) finish. And cool vintage brass casters. And matching pull-out drawers. A really nice piece, to be sure. But it’s for the kids’ room, and none of that stuff matters to them. Not yet, anyway. So we painted this thing a quirky shade of green they like, and put on bigger, more playful casters, and filled it full of baskets they can easily access. And it’s perfect for them.

And for those who might be shocked or disappointed: it’s not sacred. And the wood grain is still there. Somewhere under that great green paint.

Cottage is quirky. This is Cottage