chief nourisher in life's feast

The guest room in our new house will be the "peedie*" room, no larger than the room of the same distinction in Sylvia Brown's Hostel in Orkney, Scotland. In fact, as soon as I pictured the twin beds in this room, my mind's eye overlaid that scene with one of the room my sister and I shared there in Stromness last summer.

photo mine: Stromness, Orkney, Scotland 

The guest room here is, so far, just two twin beds with bare mattresses. Bed-making and picture-hanging are about all there is left to do - the room's too small for much else, but big enough for sleeping, which is enough, after all.

mouse over images for source

Sleep that knits up the ravelled sleave of care
The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath
Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course,
Chief nourisher in life's feast.
~William Shakespeare, Macbeth

*Peedie(adjective): an Orcadian (Orkney, Scotland) English word, meaning ‘little’






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organization of the non-obvious

It's not often I see a room that I want to have as my own, complete, as is. This home office/guest room, from Country Living Magazine, is a rare exception. The room is a diminutive 12' x 13'. The gorgeous wallpaper was the starting point for the color scheme. These are colors I could live with every day:

A lateral file cabinet in limed oak provides storage, organization, and style:

The color scheme continues inside the desk drawer. Little details like these* make me smile:

This cupboard stores guest bedding and toiletries out of sight:

Here's the guest bed - it's an inflatable mattress, stored away in this chest until needed:

A vertical magazine rack stows reading material out of the way:

A luggage rack and hangers are tucked away in this small but well-organized closet, along with the printer, wireless Internet hub, and other electronics:

Custom-made shelves run along the top of the room, above the millwork, providing storage and display space:

Isn't it lovely? It is now, but it didn't always look - or function - this way. Here are a few before shots to illustrate the point. The desk area (same desk):

And the closet, before:

all photos: countryliving.com

If we get the log house we're wanting, this is what I'll have to work with - an 11' x 11' room with log walls, two windows, and a closet (photo mine):

I'm inspired! Are you?

*"The secret of all victory lies in the organization of the non-obvious." -Marcus Aurelius

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