Last year I had a very significant rite of passage when I visited a specialist for the back pain I have experienced off and on since I have been thirteen (yes, thirteen not thirty). When we looked at pictures of my spine the doctor started off pointing out the areas with problems and then said, “For your age…” and then I really can’t tell you what the heck he said right after that. It is interesting how age creeps up on us. Aside from the physical limitations I’m pretty okay with growing older. However, every time I have a back flare-up I hear that doctor’s voice in my head. The reality of the body breaking down is sometimes a bitter pill. What do you mean I can’t lift heavy furniture anymore?! I’m in the middle of a studio makeover in my house and I just want to get it done!

On Thursday of last week Mike and I and our friend MV went to Ikea to pick up some of the furniture I decided to put in my studio. I barely did any of the lifting but still managed to tweak my back slightly. Then when I got home I decided to straighten out the bedclothes before getting into it and whatever slight movement I made threw things out of whack.

I have a pretty high pain threshold so it didn’t entirely slow me down and on Saturday I still went ahead and began cleaning out my studio, shoving tables and bookcases around, then building the giant wood puzzles (a.k.a. Ikea furniture) to go in the room. I was pretty sore, but was still functioning. Then on Monday I went to work and after sitting in a torture device an office chair for two measly hours I had to go home and was flat on my back with a heating pad for two straight days which was useless and boring and it isn’t any better.  So back to the office chair; it beats being bored.

The studio is coming along a lot more slowly than I want it to. I originally planned to have a day bed in there, but once it was in it dominated the room way too much and so I’m going to put a couch in there instead. I’ve been on the hunt for a couch now since Sunday and I am no closer to making a decision. I found this lovely item from Dania Furniture:

So far this is the front runner, but I am slightly concerned it might be a little big for the space. Mike was great and helped me tape off the floor in the studio to the dimension of the couch to get a sense of the scale, but I am still undecided.

I did take some photos of the room for the “during”  aspect of things. It is so chaotic that I almost want to post them now. But the end result of this makeover will be an organized, streamlined, zen-like room and I think I’ll post all of the photos at the end for more of a a drastic-contrast effect. So stay tuned!