kismet art: Gather

Three years ago, when Dave added on this family room, I don't think we realized how much time our family would spend out here. Originally we were going to put the television, stereo, a couch, and a couple of chairs out there- there is a sliding glass door separating it from the rest of the house and this makes it fairly soundproof. Then we threw a holiday party for Dave's family, the numbers of which kept growing, until we had to move our dining room table out there just so we would all have a place to sit that night. And we realized how much we liked being out there. And because it is a room with 2 large windows, a sliding glass door, and skylights that make it cheery all year round, and because it looks out over the garden we left the table there and it has become our everything room. Besides our table this room now houses craft materials, 3 large book shelves, a stereo, a desk, a couch. It is the only room that when we repainted during the remodel that I felt sick after the first coat went on (in the winter light it looked as unappetizing as a jar of baby food). Instead, after 3 coats of paint, the color glows in all sorts of light. Our Christmas tree, covered in red, and blue, and a rainbow of other colors doesn't clash with the earthy tones. And the walls look especially pretty when the room is filled with fall decor like pumpkins, trees, and acorns. The table in the middle of the room is where we eat, play games, do homework, create, read, talk. This room is where we escape in the evenings, after the kids are in bed, to talk or hang out, or just slow down. This room is our most used room in our home. This room houses a little bit of something for each member of the family. This room is where we gather.