The Rural Voice, 2005-11, Page 40Home Decorating
Helping seniors redecorate their homes
Patti
Robertson
operates
Classic
Interiors in
Wingham.
By Patti Robertson
It was bound to happen...my
clientele is definitely aging!
As of late I have been getting
requests to assist with family homes
and cottages with the request to give
the "old gal" a spruce up for the final
time. Conversely I've had directions
to "go to town on her — we've
decided to make this our retirement
home and we want it done right!"
Many clients have moved to a
cottage at the lake and more than a
few are now having me assist with
their condo. As it was aptly put by a
longtime client who I have assisted
with three homes, and of late her new
condo: "Well Patti, this will be the
last big home I have. The next call
you get will be for the design scheme
of my room at the nursing home"!
Gee, I love my job and do so hate
to think that time is running out!
Yipes! How can I think of my
clientele and I as getting old? We've
always been so young!
Inevitably my attention turns to
two wonderful ladies of youthful
minds and graceful ages who so
beautifully light up my life. Myrtle is
86 years young, she has just finished
revamping her home. The sweet little
wartime cottage has been updated
with all new wood laminate floors,
the cupboards in both the kitchen and
the bath have been updated, walls
have been painted, papered and
borders have been added. The living
room sports all new furnishings in a
variety of taupe tones while the
windows have been draped with a
nubby -textured fabric that co-
ordinate with style. As Myrt puts it,
"It gives both the old girl and I new
life"!
Myrt sold her car at age 82; she
felt walking would keep her more
physically active and fit...Wow! She
is an avid gardener and birder. She
walks over two miles twice a week to
get her groceries, going up and down
a large hill that takes the wind out of
my sails! And most afternoons she's
at the local nursing home assisting
with those less fortunate and unable
to get around. Amazing!
The other beacon to graceful
aging is Margaret. At 87 years, she's
continually puttering on her cottage
home. And like all her homes past,
this one too is a shrine to all things
pretty and beautiful. Its entire space
is warm, cozy and romantic.
Her colour -pitch is perfect. Her
preference for home decor coloura-
tions ranges through the red family,
from the brightest vermilion fo the
subtlety of dusty roses. Green, in all
its natural splendor, is always
incorporated and her passion for
purple is evident while the
cleanliness of white is more often
PATTI ROBERTSON'S
Unique Residential and
Commercial Interiors
135 Victoria St., WINGHAM
357-2872
• Custom-made Window
Fashions, Bedspreads
& Accessories
• Fine Domestic &
Imported Fabrics
• Select Wallcoverings
• Furnishings, Lighting
& Artwork to suit
any interior...
36 THE RURAL VOICE
than not incorporated with a pretty
blue or yellow hue.
I've had Marg as a part of my life
for over 30 years now so I know
every year her home gets a thorough
spring house cleaning. Lace -draped
windows often end up sporting new,
up-to-date valances and I've watched
Marg patiently cut out roses, lilies,
hydrangeas and countless leaves to
decoupage pieces of furniture or
cupboard doors into one -of -a -kind
treasures. At present the aprons of
her windows sport a marvelous
innovation of decoupaged florals in
a V'd motif adding a nice
architectural detail to the living
room. Marg loves coloured glass, so
there are many interesting pieces
lovingly displayed on windowsills
and tabletops.
She's an artist, working in mixed
media and so far this year has com-
pleted five pieces. A few cherished
pieces adorn her walls while through
the years many have been sold and
donated. I fortunately have four,
each of which already has the next
recipient's name on the reverse side.
To visit Marg is to be with a very
busy gal, there is always a warm cup
of tea and a sweet treat awaiting...a
most proper host. I've never yet
visited without the scent of
"tonight's dinner" in the background
and stories about who she's fondly
donated food, clothing or money to.
Time and again she's told me how
her God has truly blessed her with
beauty, brains and wit and the favour
must be returned through
contributing what one can. Wow!
So, the natural order of all things
is the process of aging and it's all up
to us how we travel down that path.
I'm thankful to be working with all
who call for assistance on their
homes. I'm anticipating on being
able to do this for many, many more
years and like Myrt and Marg I
anticipate seeing the vitality and
variety in keeping up to date, on top
of what's going on in the world and
being thankful to have had so many
glorious opportunities to share my
talents with others.0