You Can Go Home Again
It has been a while since I posted a life update here, so I will begin with a quick recap of recent events. Three weeks ago we packed our bags and downsized from our mountain home to a small condo located just minutes from where I grew up in Atlanta. As much as we loved our two years in the mountains, I admit a large part of my heart stayed in the city where I was born and raised. It was honestly a difficult decision for us to make, one which we spent a lot of time discussing, but when we found our condo we knew it was meant for us.
During our time as home owners we learned a lot about what we we truly love. For us, it meant living in a space without excess, just enough room for the two of us (well, three, including Gatsby) and enjoying the simplicity of design that feels uncluttered.
I have been through several iterations of design style before coming back to my roots. Ever since I was a teen, I have always been drawn to minimalism. My mind is the type that never sits still, and surrounding myself with clean spaces creates an atmosphere of calm. I am looking forward to getting settled and once again returning to reading and writing, but I am also looking forward to taking you along on our journey as we transform our new space in this fresh chapter of our lives.
In choosing how to decorate our home, I knew instantly I wanted to turn to an organic modern design. Those of you who remember our condo in Midtown may recall I went with a decidedly contemporary look. I wanted to revisit some of those elements, while adding some warmth and texture, with a focus on natural materials, sustainability, and fair trade. Rather than filling our space with on trend furniture and decor that will lead to a cycle of annual redecorating, I wanted to build a design that is truly “us” and will be for years to come, because at this point we have no plans of moving anytime soon. We are quite content to be settled, and so far we love it here.
Most of the key pieces are in place. Now all we need is to put our finishing touches on the rooms to add a cozy, personalized feel. I haven’t had a chance to photograph much yet, but I did capture some images of our little dining space (shown above) one day after my husband brought back a bundle of peonies from Trader Joe’s which is within walking distance from us!
I can’t even begin to describe the sense of relief we feel just from having a reasonably priced grocery store nearby. A trip to our nearest grocer in the mountains was a two hour round trip, including shopping time, and the cost of food was sky high. We have been enjoying delicious home cooked meals – I have learned over the years that my husband is an undercover Michelin Star Chef. And I’m only just now finding out?
While we do miss being close to my parents, the wildlife, the conversation of late night owls, the deer passing through our yard, and just the quietness of the woods, there is definitely something to be said for simple conveniences. And with time the noise of traffic and city life outside will fade into the distant cascade of a waterfall. It’s all about perspective.
Thomas Wolfe famously wrote, “You can’t…go back home to your childhood, back home to romantic love…back home to lyricism, to singing just for singing’s sake, back home to aestheticism, to one’s youthful idea of ‘the artist’ and the all-sufficiency of ‘art’ and ‘beauty’ and ‘love,’ back home to the ivory tower… away from all the strife and conflict of the world.”
With all due respect, Mr. Wolfe, we are here to tell you that you can indeed go back home again. In just three weeks, we have rediscovered passions and laughter we shared in the first days of meeting one another, we have fallen into an old familiar rhythm, we have felt lifted of burdens we did not even realize we were carrying, and we have felt more genuinely happy than we have felt in a long time. In just three weeks, we feel we are finally home.
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