Wood Paneled Piano Room

I was messing around with my camera because I need to improve my skills and I happened to shoot a few sort of not blurry photos in the darkest room in our house – the wood paneled piano room.

It’s actually the living room, but when you have a ball and chain baby grand piano, you sometimes have to get creative with your living space.

I didn’t intend to show you these photos because this room isn’t “done” and I really was just messing around with camera settings.

Also, I didn’t dust.

Or wipe my children’s fingerprints off the piano. Or remove the crumpled kleenex. Or tidy my piano books.

Actually, I did move one book off the bench, but really, that’s how my piano looks 99% of the time (minus the kleenex). Also, there’s a hymnal there that I’ve stolen been borrowing for the last 25 years from the church I went to as a kid. That’s how I know I took these photos on a Sunday.

I might not regularly dust, but at least I use my ball and chain piano, right?

I thought maybe you’d like to see these imperfect photos of daily life. Of rooms in progress. Of how we really live in our spaces.

If not, well…this is awkward.

For the rest of you, just pretend I left the lights on and the blinds up and you’re walking past my house at night. As long as you’re not standing in my flowerbeds with your nose pressed against the window, then we’re cool.

If you are wondering where all the ‘stuff’ is, well, this piano room is just a large hallway of sorts. There are no comfy chairs. My kids don’t play in here. It’s not a natural place for shoes, jackets or mail, so minus the dust, it stays pretty uncluttered.

It’s nice to have one room in the house that stays that way!

If I owned this home, I’d paint the wood paneling in a heartbeat.

I’d also remove or shorten one of the interior walls to let more light bounce through the house.

But I’m just here for awhile, so I’m embracing this room’s wood-toned redness. Its moodiness. Its outlets and lighting in weird places-ness.

Because you know what?

I’m so happy to have my piano back after it was in storage while we lived abroad. (I still need to get it tuned though.)

I’m also happy to have a room that challenges me to be creative with how I organize and decorate a space. It is what it is, so I might as well make the most of it.

Can I use items I already own in ways I never have before? That’s what I’m doing with the picture ledges turned music book holders. They are Pottery Barn knock-offs made by Handy Husband years ago.

Can I find plants that grow in the dark? Because this space needs greenery! And we’ve established from this post that I’m a farmer ready to take on any challenge. Except zero natural lighting. Fake plants might be the best choice.

The one thing that is NOT on my list for this space are comfy chairs. Nope. Not at all. If I did get comfy chairs, then my family might start using this space and before you know it I’ll be stepping on Legos, plastic animals, Nerf bullets and who knows what else!

There’s a method to my madness, folks! Aren’t you glad you know what it is now?

P.S. If I remember how to reset the settings on my camera and contort my body in odd ways to get the shot, I might be able to show you the fireplace wall of this room someday soon. Speaking of contorting my body, did you see my Facebook picture of me doing just that on aerial silks? Go check it out and if seeing the picture makes you think “ouch,” “oh no way,” “she’s braver/crazier than me,” or “that looks like fun” then please like the page. Thank you! 

Thanks for being here today! Before you go, a few DIYs can be found in the above pictures. If you want to learn more, here they are…

Distressed Wood Arrows (originally mantel art)

Dusting a Piano with a Glossy Finish (I should listen to my own advice)

Pottery Barn Shelf/Picture Ledge Knock Off

Wood Bench from a Bed Frame

Guitar Hanger (not a DIY, but we really like this wall mounted guitar hanger)

How to Hide Router and Modem in Plain Sight

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