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1365 Ottawa St. 1
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b r e a k i n g n e w s a t L EA D ER P O ST . C O M S ec t i o n F
S at u r day, Ja n ua ry 25, 2014
Meshing the past and the present Hold on to those memories Samantha Pynn Postmedia News Q: I hope you can help me (and by extension my extended family) with a sensitive issue. I have my late father’s rocking chair, and because I live in a small rental, it sits in the middle of my living room. It’s a traditional style, in a lacquered natural toned wood. It’s not very wide but is a unique style with very long rockers so it takes up a fair bit of space. I have it in the space between my open-concept living room and dining room, just beside our fireplace and facing the TV on the other side of the fireplace. In theory it’s a lovely object to have there, given how much he loved it, but I wouldn’t have it there if I had a larger place. I have a contemporary feel to my living-dining room, and I don’t mind the mix of styles as much as I do the feeling that my dad’s memory is always there in the room. I miss my dad but I don’t want to think of him 24/7, which I am forced to do by the centre stage presence of the rocker. I’ve thought
This cottage was dark and crammed with accumulated objects, but new paint, new upholstery and a clever (and edited) gallery of treasured mementoes made it a more modern, comfortable and happier place. of having it painted to better match my decor and allow to me think of it as new, but my mother and siblings would be apoplectic. Any ideas how can I make it less obtrusive, physically and psychically? Thanks. A: Many of us get stuck when it comes to things
from departed loved ones, fearing that if we give away or change what was theirs, we will lose their memory. Your family may be upset at the thought of you changing your dad’s rocking chair, but it’s now yours to love and change. That said, if you think you may really
Virginia Macdonald photos
Painting older furniture the same colour as the walls can make them less obtrusive and more compatible with your modern decor. hurt a family member, then you should probably give the chair to your mom or siblings. If no one wants it, then your family needs to respect that your home is not a shrine. The chair needs to work in your home and become part of your story. Your rocking chair will
look better and last longer if it’s refurbished by skilled tradespeople. For a long-lasting finish, have the chair professionally spray-painted. In HGTV Canada’s Summer Home, Evelyn had inherited her husband’s family cottage. Her in-laws had been pack rats and Ev-
elyn and her children were nervous about changing the cottage because they didn’t want to strip away the grandparents’ memory. Evelyn’s family expressed to me that they didn’t want the cottage to be styled with all new furniture and accessories, but at the same time, they couldn’t live in a space jam-packed with their grandparents’ stuff. We updated the cottage with big changes, such as painting the dark walls and re-upholstering the furniture. The sofa in the photo was where Evelyn used to sleep when visiting her in-laws. We didn’t touch the sofa’s teak frame, but changed the original 1960s brown upholstery to a vibrant leafy green and added new down-filled pillows. Above the sofa we hung a carefully edited collection of her in-law’s musical instruments and art. In the second photo, we painted their old chest of drawers the same colour as the walls, leaving the original wood top. Painting your father’s rocking chair the same colour as your walls will definitely make it feel less prominent. Make your father’s rocking chair at home in your home. All the best.
Send your small-space question to asksampynn@ gmail.com.
Find your dream home today! 4925 Wright Road, Harbour Landing
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124 Emerald Ridge, White City
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258 N Shillington, Edgewater
5262 Aviator Cres Harbour Landing
5305 Mitchinson Way, Harbour Landing
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5760
1316 square feet
3
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Pearsall Crescent
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