My eyes wandered as I sat in my living room; my mind trailing with them. I watched how the wall color refracted light. I studied the inconsistencies in the baseboard and window moulding. I pictured a vibrant hardwood floor better complimenting my furniture. How did this house look eighty years ago? Twenty years ago? When were these changes made, and why–oh goodness, why!–did they do that?
My taste in home styling has matured over the past several months alongside an accretion of skills and confidence to tackle my growing list of house projects. I thought to myself: What would this house look like if I did everything I want to do to it? What if I was able to make this house look right?
Truth be told, my budget won’t allow it. This is an old house. Perfection is impractical. Moreover, my vision of perfection isn’t universal. I am proud of my style and strive to be intentional in all the details of this Craftsman house that I modify. But the next owner could just as readily proclaim my style to be bland, install a purple shag carpet, fill the house with an amalgam of faux-rustic farmhouse and French châteauesque furnishings, and install overly ornamental and eclectic Victorian moulding.
I might quiver at the thought of such lugubrious and vexing stylings, but I can’t uphold my style as a common standard. Not everyone shares my interest in architecture and values in design.
As I continue to go through my project list, I remind myself that the next owners might one day be sitting in the living room, disgusted by my wall colors. That my hard work might vindictively be covered up.
But that’s okay. That’s part of homeownership. The changes I am currently making may not be what the next owners want, but for the next couple of years, those changes are mine to make. And for now, these changes are right to me.