What Happens When...

Your grandmother's precious vase breaks
The cabinets that took four years of saving get scratched
Ink splatters on the discontinued wallpaper in your hall
You find a slight tear on the arm of your week-old leather sofa
A water stain appears on your stunning white marble countertops

Do you cry? Get mad? Don't care? Have a back-up plan?

The first sofa I could call "mine' was a cute, beige and white sofa. I was so afraid it would stain I kept it covered with a sheet - and never saw it. My fear kept me from enjoying it. After two years of living like that, I realized it was ridiculous.

Accidents happen, and if you're lucky, add character to your room. In fact, we pay to have it look as if lots of accidents happened every time we choose a distressed finish. Having imperfections is charming.

Sure, not every imperfection is a good one. But those can be fixed, covered up, patched over or turned to face the wall. And the rest - the ones that are cute - can be left to tell the story of your room, your life. Their the ones that prove your house isn't a magazine photo, but a well-lived in, enjoyed home.

So go ahead, live a little and take those sheets off your sofas. It's okay if one of the horrible things happen. You'll get through it, and maybe this time you'll laugh instead of crying.

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Posted by Meghan Carter on Monday, Apr 14, 2008 in Musings.

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