I made it!

I have moved into my new place and besides many broken nails and torn cuticles, I am in one piece.

I believe that the moving days are now behind me and it’s time to get settled. This is apparent for two reasons: 1. I have been in the new house for a week and have not hung a single picture and have very little desire to decorate (I’m just too tired!).

2. This move has seemed much harder and more emotionally draining than any other – probably tying into the reason I don’t want to decorate!

The wonderful news is this new house is perfect in function; even it hasn’t been fashioned yet. Even though it is possible to have both and I promise I will decorate – sometimes function is the chosen finish for a home for a time while you are getting your feet under you.

A major life switch like a move, illness or even divorce or the loss of a pet may throw you into a temporary ‘function only’ mode where you just need the house to be there while you live day to day.

I’ll use my house as an example. I need the day to day functions right now so that I may go about my life with as much ease as possible. I need to know where my clothes are, be able to shower and feed myself and get out the door to work which means the extra dressing and fancy toss cushions will just have to wait a few more days.

I desire function over fashion right now as I have to balance work, life and unpacking all in the same days which means some days something gets left out!

Every home goes through this process, even getting a new pet will change the routine in your home and you may need to switch the function of a room or even furniture and flooring to accommodate the furry fellow.

How many of us have placed blankets on our furniture or beds to protect it from the puppy? It isn’t pretty and we purposely choose ugly old blankets that may be subject to chewing or piddling but it serves a purpose and protects our prettier things from the tiny terrors.

It’s the upcoming bathroom renovation which is making me nervous about the function of my home.

On move in day I noticed a drip in the basement coming from the toilet. A kind hearted plumber pulled the offending toilet and left it to dry for 24 hours before repairing the horror that the previous owners left behind.

Talk about missing a vital function in your home! This is the only bathroom in the house and it gave me a small taste of what the bathroom renovation will feel like on a smaller scale.

I have to carefully plan the function and timing of all the installs to accommodate making my bathroom more fashionable.

So if you have ‘ugly’ corners in your house, take heart! It may be just a short-term function issue while you work on ways to make those spaces as useable as possible. The fashionable will come soon enough when you are no longer needing the function and have time to make it visually pleasing once again.

Kim Meckler is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre.