Rising up within the late ’90s and early aughts, I envied the bedrooms of my favourite movie and tv teenagers. The titular Clarissa Darling of “Clarissa Explains It All” showcased an eclectic amalgamation of patterns and colours — and a pet alligator named Elvis. On “Lizzie McGuire,” Lizzie’s equally shiny, clashing bed room embodied the Y2K aesthetic. And in “Freaky Friday,” Lindsay Lohan’s character Anna (but additionally, by the facility of a fortune cookie, Jamie Lee Curtis’ character?) tacks pop punk posters to the wall in a rebellious try to hide the normal female pink and floral decor.
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In 2001, when my household moved into the house the place my dad and mom nonetheless dwell right this moment, I used to be in an analogous transitional section as Clarissa, Lizzie, and Anna. These characters embodied Britney Spears’ “I’m not a woman, not but a lady” power. And our bedrooms mimicked that life stage, with boy band posters, journal cutouts, CD gamers, groovy temper lighting, and daring colours slowly overtaking the ballet slipper hues and Barbie doll shows of our childhood.
Over time, as younger women are likely to do, I grew up (largely). After faculty, returning dwelling for the vacations felt like being transported again in time. I’d go away behind my one-bedroom residence in Chicago to spend a weekend in my time capsule of sizzling pink partitions, leopard print carpet, and photographs from bygone proms and homecoming dances nonetheless framed on the cabinets.
By my mid-twenties, it was clear that I had totally outgrown this room. Don’t get me flawed — I’m grateful my dad and mom didn’t instantly flip my teen house into an workplace/craft room/dwelling health club/intercourse dungeon (barfs eternally). But it surely was not applicable for me to prance up the steps after a pair too many wines with the dad and mom, solely to be stared down by my highschool boyfriends adorning the partitions, in addition to a weird framed watercolor of Colin Farrell (which, clearly, I saved. Artwork is artwork!)
The dichotomy confused and unsettled me. After each journey dwelling, I’d carry this unease up with my therapist, explaining how overseas my childhood dwelling felt, regardless that I’ve spent extra time amongst these partitions than anyplace else on the earth. Dwelling wasn’t dwelling anymore, and I wasn’t seventeen anymore both. Regardless of being excited to go to dwelling and see household, as soon as I arrived I needed out.
My therapist helped clarify the place this unease originated and reassured me that I wasn’t a Unhealthy Daughter. I’d simply entered a brand new section of maturity, and returning to that sizzling pink bed room put me proper again within the headspace of early aughts Sarah. Whereas I used to be nonetheless technically dwelling below my dad and mom’ roof throughout these visits, I wasn’t essentially below their watchful eye anymore. There was no want for a curfew. I handed the ACT exams. I paid taxes.
As summer season turned to fall, back-to-back vacation visits loomed forward. To arrange, my therapist inspired me to take initiative and make some significant changes to that bed room so it might replicate the present me. A mini-makeover would carry me a newfound sense of consolation again dwelling, letting my bed room actually serve me because it ought to — a peaceable place for relaxation, privateness, and regrouping.
With my dad and mom’ blessing, I made a small funds and gathered provides to carry dwelling for Thanksgiving. Over the course of that lengthy weekend, I painted over the new pink partitions (this took eternally and to be sincere I did a horrible job). Whereas my Behr Celtic Queen accent wall dried, I eliminated the journal cutouts from my closet doorways (bear in mind when “Teen Vogue” was in print!?), and scoured the basement for new-to-me accent items. Gathering an vintage vase, some toned-down artwork, and new image frames (three cheers for breaking apart with these boys once more!), I assembled my new sanctuary.
The outcome? A comfy and complex house match for a 30-something grownup girl. Because the overstimulation of my teen room disappeared, what stays is an easy, streamlined bed room good for visits dwelling with my husband. I actually do really feel a way of belonging on this new house, and the vibe is extra true-to-me than ever earlier than. In contrast to in my teenagers, I do know who I’m now, and I’m not determined to evolve past my previous. I acknowledged it, honored it, and turned the web page to a brand new chapter, one brush stroke at a time.
Supply: House Remedy
