For the longest time I had two easy chairs sitting side-by-side facing the TV. It was how we organized the living room when we moved into our new home. It was how I kept it even after my wife passed away and TV watching became less important in my life. The layout meant one of the two couches had to sit in front of the windows that looked out over the pasture. There were two problems with this layout. First, the couch blocked the view of the outside. Secondly, anyone sitting on the couch had the sun at their back and it was hard to make out their face when sitting opposite them.

So, changes were made. I moved the large couch from in front of the window. Put the smaller couch at a right angle to it and moved my easy chair beside it, just to the left of the windows. And the second easy chair went into the bedroom. Voila. It opened up the entire room. The TV is no longer the focus of the space. Everyone sitting on the couches has a view of the outside and one another. And, now I just need to have company over the prove the concept.

I’d like to claim ownership of the idea to move everything, but it actually goes to a friend who looked at the space and wondered why? It has happened before in other homes with other friends, most recently at our former place in Alvin. A fresh pair of eyes has a fresh view and the comfort to make a suggestion and we had the courage to listen. I guess it’s simply understanding your strengths and weaknesses and knowing that getting help along the way is a good idea.