As the year comes to a close, people (myself included!) begin to look back on the year that just passed. For me, this is a healthy habit, most especially when we do it to count our blessings.
All of my Neat Projects have been blessings to me this year. After more than a year in Neat, I still get excited whenever project is booked, more so when we’re about to enter our client’s home on the actual day!
I’m writing about a special #NeatProject because it’s from my hometown, Batangas City. It’s actually a two-part project. We did the storage and kitchen on the first part; now, let me take you through our experience in the second part of the project.
Before (storage project)
After (storage project)
My client’s room sits modestly on the second floor of their lovely new home. There’s really no assuming anything because its door looks exactly like the rest of the doors in their house. From the staircase, it looks like we’re only just about to enter an ordinary room, until we set our feet in.
The door leads to a reception area with pink, green, and gold accents which are chic and sophistication in visual form. It’s put together exquisitely it could pass as a set for a photo shoot! Beside this area is a little preparation area furnished with a sink, so a little party or gathering may be in order! The room has its own stairs leading to the bedroom and the walk-in closet. On the way to the room, you can’t miss the reading nook – even if it’s smaller compared with the reception area, it has its own function, personality, and class. The room is definitely a home on its own.
This home within a home speaks so much of its owner. When we got to her room in preparation for our walk-in closet project, her bags were already lined up on her bed. The rest of her things were brought in an orderly manner. The instructions she gave us were very clear. She knows what she wants, but she never let us feel she was superior. On the contrary, she was very hands-on and cooperative, she was gentle and trusting; she sorted her things with us and even wiped the surfaces of her shelves. She asks us what we need and she doesn’t mind if she gets them herself. She is independent, but she is very open to ask questions and to ask for help.
She even trusted us to fill her walk-in closet.
The empty walk-in closet was a sight to behold. The feeling of looking at it is like that of a child looking at a fresh page in a coloring book: the child studies the outline of the photo, imagines the combination of colors, gathers the right materials, then colors away!
What’s really nice about this particular walk-in closet is that it is a product of a well thought-out plan. There were closet spaces made specifically for dresses or long pieces of clothing. The shelves were roomy enough to accommodate bags and shoes without having to squeeze or force them in. The drawers were wide and perfect for shirts to be file folded; the smaller drawers were just right for the small pieces of clothing such as swimwear and undergarments.
If this were a child’s coloring book activity, the crayons are the right fit to the thickness of the lines and the width of the spaces that no color will ever be out of the lines!
In truth, when we were at the sorting phase, our client was hesitant whether all her clothes would fit in her closet. She thought she had too much that the space cannot accommodate anymore.
It’s really amazing what thoughtful planning can do!
Because our client was sorting with us, she encountered pieces of clothing and footwear she rarely uses. She pulled them out of the pile and placed them inside a box. Her huge help made our work such a breeze (and bought her even more closet space!)
On the right side of her closet was her showcase area for bags and shoes. Because we had the luxury of space, we had the liberty to display her bags and shoes without having to cram them – walking on this side after made it feel like we’re walking in a department store!
After hours of working on this project, this walk-in closet became home to items which were temporarily stored in boxes and luggages when we started. From empty shelves and drawers, it also transformed into a home within our client’s home.
“Home” is such a beautiful word, as it connotes a feeling of warmth, comfort, and permanence. Many houses may look the same because of its parts, but the feeling of home is what makes them completely different. Home is where you step your foot in and feel calm and loved, where breakfast is served in the most inspiring way, where even the most common objects mean something, and where your kids, your pets, or your plants – in this case, your reception area, reading nook, and walk-in closet – greets you with a “welcome back” smile or embrace that no other place could offer.
May you feel at home wherever you are this Christmas season.
May you be the home for people you love.
Happy weekend, Neatropolis! Stay Neat!
NEAT OBSESSIONS 