2009-08-16

keep calm and carry on


i got my summer project done. i’ve kept calm and carry on painting for the past week. i have nobody else here for whining, anyway. in the teeth of the summer holiday weekend, even thought hardworking japanese people are enjoying their summer break (only four or five days for the average salaryman? so they should be on their way home now) at home or their parents’ home or somewhere else, i’ve had a busy week doing a swelter. i finished it before lunch time, though. i know i am a full-brown kook. but, it was worth the heat rash (itchy!) since i am much happier and comfortable about my flat than before.


when i moved in, the unattractive wallpaper, which was made of synthetic material with a pattern of blotches and freckles on the white base, was nothing but an eyesore to me. it looked almost white in a distance, so i had to get used to it because my willpower was not strong enough to take lots of work. now that i am smug in my accomplishment, surrounded by the walls i’ve given a fresh coat of white paint – my dinning room, living room, bedroom and the hall. still, this is not a sterile gallery white. in the 100% personal surroundings, white makes me feel calm and even mellow at the same time.



a “keep calm and carry on” poster at last looks fit there. i made a toast the completion of my “home sweet home project 2009” with a glass of campari and soda. 乾杯 kanpai!

2 comments:

vosgesparis said...

how beautiful your white world ;) Your slogan fits me as well the past week .. I did excactelly the same as you! Painted the hall and the doors and the doorposts... and made a biggggg white box of one of the rooms where one of my kids used to sleep... Still working on that room now... but after all the greys I went for a whithe canvas... this week the white! floor has to go in and then I can start decorating the room ;)
Arent we the best ;)
xxx from you know where ;)

vallerfish said...

Indeed, it's a beautiful pure world! And the colour red makes the room more interesting :) I think painting walls is quite unusual thing to do in Japan, as most of those are already done with wallpaper or plaster for tatami rooms. I have not completed our flat refurbishment yet although it's been 3 years since we moved in... :o