Growing up my Mom and I would watch
HGTV together in the evenings. This was usually after everyone had gone to bed, because otherwise the TV was taken over by my Step dad or little sisters.
My mom and I loved watching all the shows on HGTV. Our favorite show had to be House Hunters. It was so fun guessing what house the family would choose and then groaning and telling them they should have picked one of the other houses because of x, y, and z. Other shows we favored were the ones (there were several types) that would renovate a family's house, room, backyard etc. My mom and I would discuss and talk with each other and the TV about the good choices or terribly tacky decisions the home owners and the designers would make. We would even talk about how we would make our backyard look or what we would change about the house if we could.
I loved those evenings with my mom. It put my already creative mind into overdrive. I hoped that one day I would become an interior designer (still kind of a secret wish). I'm sure I annoyed the heck out of my parents by begging to redecorate my room every time my interests or style changed (which was frequently). They were gracious enough to let me change it up several times. My last room redesign was vintage Hawaiian, which I still adore and plan to use it some how when I get an apartment. But that won't be for a bit since I will be out of the country for a year. But recently I have found myself in an exciting situation: I get to design my Germany room. I just about died in a fit of excited giggles when I found out that I was free to design away. I'm still giggling in fact...
My German parents are moving within the next two weeks from
Freiburg to
Karlsruhe and thus have found a new place to live. Their (our!) new apartment is absolutely fabulous. Huge rooms, nice hardwood, and it's on the top floor of this super neat looking building. I fell in love when they showed me pictures of it, and I'm sure it's going to look even more amazing once furniture and such is moved in.
My room is kind of like its own apartment. It's apart of the main apartment but you can't access it from the main apartment unless you walk out the front door and go through my front door. My mini apartment is essentially mother-in-law quarters: I have a nice sized room and then my own bathroom. Its really funky shaped because of being on the top floor of a building with a really interesting roof. But I think it gives the room character and it lends to the feeling that it is my own little place.
My German fam told me that they would by me furniture and then when I got there we could go shopping at Ikea so I could personalize the space. I was on
German Ikea till like four a.m. last night avoiding sleep because I was so absorbed in researching what items I wanted for the room. I am such a goober! There is just something so delightful about taking an empty room and filling it with items that I selected and look fabulous together. And since it's a blank slate I could run anywhere with this design. But I decided not to go with something wild and crazy and not me, just because I could do whatever I wanted. I want this room to be very me, with a German twist. It is going to look lovely and I can't wait to get over there and start decorating.
That's all I have got for now. I could give you a nice philosophical thought on people and decorating, but I am in a planning frenzy and must get back to German Ikea.
