I bought an expensive bookshelf. It is probably the most I have ever paid for something that serves no functional purpose, considering that I already have a bookshelf downstairs that’s half empty. No, this bookshelf serves an aesthetic purpose.
I’ve never been so excited over a piece of furniture. Maybe my couch when I bought it because it’s amazing and I knew that the first time I sat down in it on the showroom floor. But this bookshelf is something else. It was hand-painted in India. The key color is a flush of sea green that grows lighter and darker in places, overlaid with turmeric-yellow edges and intermixed with swirls. The cabinet at the bottom is covered in orange and overlaid with a very detailed flower design. The sides are covered in patterns as well, and the wood has grain and grit to it. My room has seriously needed color, and at last, I finally have it!
This is something I’ve had to grow into over the past few years. I’ve previously described how, when I lived in my apartment, I tried to give each segment of the apartment its own internationally-inspired theme. On the one hand, decor can be expensive and typically has the least resale value of just about anything you can buy. On the other hand, decor is often a huge part of what makes a place home.
Last month, I scored a new, very modern TV stand for $30. At the same garage sale, I also snagged a light blue cabinet for $20, and it fits my front room decorations perfectly. Cheap decor is where it’s at. I have an end table I picked up for $30 at Goodwill, a printer stand I got for $20, and a little tray stand for my friend’s “70s chair” for $20, as well. I frickin’ love cheap decor when it works.
Not all decor is cheap, but it can be worth it. A year or two ago, I bought a large green and gold perforated wall disk, which could roughly be described as Middle-Eastern in style, for about $70. It scared me because it was an impulse purchase, but I know when I’ve found something that truly fits, and it was totally worth the price. Best impulse $70 ever.
When I first went to the store to pick this bookshelf up today, it was laughable that I imagined it would fit in my car. It’s not a huge bookshelf, but apparently my car is not good for furniture of really any size. Fortunately, it fit perfectly into my friend’s car, so I’m very grateful for his help getting this thing home.
It’s just, gosh, I don’t even know how to describe it. I feel like I could step outside and be in India right now. The fishing lure dividers I use for my more-specific Legos fit perfectly in the lower cabinet, and I have some of my more-recent Lego acquisitions sitting on the shelves. Selectron is on there, too (I converted Selectron to a pure blue/black color scheme earlier this year, giving him a much more aggressive demeanor). So despite the bookshelf not technically being functional, I actually save a decent amount of floor space by reorganizing some things vertically in it.
Which brings me to something else I guess I’ve never said before. It’s not a crime to throw money out sometimes. What I mean to say is, it’s okay to be frivolous every now and then. You don’t want that to get out of control or you will really pay the price for “nice” things you never use. But you’ve got to look at the bigger picture of money. If you aren’t deriving any happiness from it, what’s even the point of, say, saving large portions of your income? I tend not to say things like this because, taken too far, it’s probably the #1 reason so many people are bad with money, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t still true at its core. I paid a little under $400 for this bookshelf, and I’m perfectly fine with that. It’s incredible! I’ve never owned anything like this before!