I have honed one skill in my old house—even though I needed help from my neighbor’s shot-putting brothers one time
Author Saila-Mari Kohtala believes that one of the best parts of owning your own house is the complete freedom. “I can spend years pondering paint shades in peace and rearrange furniture whenever I want, exactly where I want,” she writes.
My house is already quite cozy, but I have a few small surface renovations planned for this summer. I love the planning stage the most, but I’ve been envisioning these projects for so long that I’m starting to annoy myself.
I’ve gone back and forth between wallpapering, rag paper, painting, linseed oil paint, clay paint, and even clay plaster for years. I’ve also considered stripping all the old surfaces, adding lining paper, and then finally wallpapering. Besides the technique, I’ve spent ages pondering colors and potential wallpaper patterns.
I’m stuck. I admit it.
“I love the planning stages the most, but I’ve been envisioning these projects in my head for so long that I’m starting to annoy myself.”
Now, though, I’m thinking I’ll go ahead and paint the bedroom walls right on top of the old wallpaper. In one of the smaller rooms, I’ll paper over the fiberboard I installed two summers ago and then paint that, too.
There’s still time to agonize over colors, but at least I’ve narrowed down the right shades for each space. My bedroom will be the grayish-blue Fog in France, the guest room a delicate green Mint in Mexico, and the small room a faint peachy Nude in Nice. At least the names sound promising!
“My trusty local handyman, Pentti, who’s retired, will step in.”
And if everything goes wrong, I’ll just start over. Fortunately, I can experiment in peace, and there’s no rush.
Help comes from my trusted local handyman, a retired Pentti. He handles tasks I can’t manage myself—from detached windowsills to missing ceiling and floor moldings, and other odds and ends. I could learn to do more, but I like being able to employ local professionals.
“I also get a lot of joy when my guests are astonished that I moved everything on my own.”
But there’s one thing I really have mastered. I’ve learned with fierce determination how to move furniture from one room to another all on my own. It took practice, but now I’m basically an expert. I use old rag rugs, and I’ve reached the point where I can move even the heaviest solid-wood farmhouse pieces anywhere.
And move them I have! I might get the urge for a new layout at any moment. If an idea pops into my head, I act on it right away—unlike my painting projects, which can wait years. I’ve realized that although moving furniture is a bit of a chore, it’s instantly rewarding and completely free fun.
I also love seeing the surprise on my guests’ faces when they realize I’ve moved everything on my own. Plus, it’s a great workout.
“One of the best parts of owning your own house is this complete freedom.”
But one cupboard was the exception. My linen cupboard is so tall that I got completely stuck in the doorway. I finally managed to tip it onto a mattress. Then I called in the sturdy shot-putting brothers from the house next door, Pentti and Niilo, and we managed in the end.
One of the best parts of owning my own house is this complete freedom. I can spend years mulling over paint shades in peace and rearrange furniture whenever I want, wherever I want.
