Embracing Granny Chic: A Cozy Home Makeover Journey

First and foremost, I am getting too old to live out of boxed and canned foods! And who knew that eating out all the time wasn’t fun!

I have also been dealing with the “cold”, you know the one that won’t go away. I took the last week off of work in order to power through some knitting. That didn’t happen.

I was too busy power napping – trying to get rid of the cold. It is slowly going. Have you had the “cold”? Or a cold for that matter. What is your favourite remedy? Mine is hot honey and lemon or tea or both. LOL!

We are now entering week 4 or is it, 4.5 of the renovation and great progress has been made. I cannot say enough good things about MJ Chaley Construction and their crew.

Progress to date:

• my woolroom has a door (no change here) – but is now storage for the crews “stuff”.
  • this room is now looking like it is going to be finished last, it is too useful right now
• the main bathroom/laundry, has been gutted, and in the bathroom
  • the electrical has been upgraded,
  • the plumbing has been upgraded
    • including adding a whole house shutoff valve for the water
  • and the ceiling and walls have been drywalled and painted!
    • the shower stall has been installed
    • and the new cabinet is here, but not installed
• the kitchen area is so exciting
  • the skylight has been replaced and the beams and surrounding area have been upgraded with new venting and insulation
  • as have the outside walls
  • the entire kitchen has been rewired to accommodate the undercounter lighting and new appliance placements
    • including wiring being run to power the kitchen island
  • the plumbing has upgraded for the sink, we did not change the location of the sink
  • the kicks are in for the new cupboards
• the main living area is ready for paint, both walls and ceiling
  • and ready for new trim around windows, doors and floors

Tomorrow the new flooring is going in.

On Aesthetics

There is a movement in design, especially in our homes, towards the homey and cozy. “Granny Chic” I think it is called. I have embraced this style my whole life. The combination of modern and old, of walls busy with art and family photographs. I carry my life in my home. So did my Mum!

We lived with floral wall paper, usually very Victorian in nature. Lots of floral inspired wallpapers and pictures, antique pictures and my mothers needle pointed floral pictures. I simply followed her lead and kept my own home just like hers.

It is odd to find that now those are the homes that we are moving too naturally. I am going to be in style for the first time in my life!

I try to surround myself with Happy. That is really my aesthetic.

I am choosing be a little naive – but I think that we quite often make our happiness.  It is how we view the world – half empty or half full. It is how we view the people in our world and how the world views us. I don’t put much stock into the stuff the world says that we need to have to be happy.

I put stock into the people that are in my life.  Those are the people in my home and at my job. They are also the people I meet as I go about my day.

Knitting is one of the activities that gives me my greatest joy and happiness.  Planning the next project or playing with the new yarn – I am always creating and dreaming.  When we find out what we love, happiness is usually close by. It shows us what we want to do with our time.

More Granny Chic – the Granny Blanket

Well, the swatch is complete. But I have no washing machine to full it in. So it will have to wait another week or so.

It is approx 38 inches across. I want it to shrink at least 25% in the fulling process. That would make it approx 29 inches across. I am practicing patience. And using it to cozy up in as I watch tv in the evenings. The crew left us the tv console an couch to live with.

I am ready for next Sunday, March 1. Well, almost. The Square and pattern are ready. However, I am still working on the “fancy.” I am having too much fun.

Happy Knitting

Lynette