My living room has been in a sulk lately. It's had to sit through one too many NBA playoff games (don't ask) and yesterday I looked at it and I swear it was in a total state of depression. The furniture had lost its sparkle, the artwork looked apathetic and even the books were in a slump.
I sensed it desperately needed to feel like the center of attention again. Playing second fiddle to a bunch of tall men in shorts had really worked a number on its self-esteem. It had so much love to give, but it had fallen prey to a mean case of the blues.
I needed to go Oprah on it.
I had some friends coming over the next day for tea and had originally planned to hang out in the kitchen with them, but that was before I realized I had a room in crisis.
This morning, I baked a batch of pumpkin bread and while its spicy scent was filling the house, I began my good-karma assault on the living room. I turned on some music, plumped cushions, opened curtains and windows, lit a scented candle, did some rearranging and brought in a vase of fresh flowers. I could almost feel the room stirring back to life.
I put together a tea tray with all the accoutrements, and when I set it down in the living room...
...I swear the red leather wing chair suddenly sat up straighter and the low-slung tufted duo craned their necks forward to get a closer look. The room felt sassy and rife with confidence, just the way I remembered it.
I had scarcely set the tray down when the doorbell rang and within moments, the room was filled with boisterous chatter about life, kids, husbands and school fundraising (which, FYI, is the Energizer Bunny of topics: it just keeps on going and going and going). It took three hours of drinking, eating and laughing, but by golly, that room was fully back to life when we finally finished the last drop of Earl Grey.
Moral of the story: Most living rooms have a feminine soul. This means they are usually high-maintenance and like to be lavished with attention. Never take them for granted. Live in them, laugh in them, entertain in them and above all, be happy in them and they will repay you tenfold. And if you must watch TV in them, turn on Fox Sports and ESPN at your peril.