Funny you mention the “temporary” shelves that stick around—my garage is basically a museum of those. I totally get the urge to try things out before committing, especially when it comes to drilling into walls you might regret later. I’m with you on mapping out sun and airflow, too. I did a full spreadsheet for where the afternoon glare hits, and still managed to put my desk right in the hot zone... guess spreadsheets don’t block sunlight. Trial and error, for sure.
guess spreadsheets don’t block sunlight. Trial and error, for sure.
That line cracked me up—been there. I once spent a weekend plotting out the “perfect” spot for my reading nook, factoring in every possible angle of sunlight... only to realize the glare off my neighbor’s windows turned it into a sauna by 3pm. Ended up moving the whole setup twice before just giving in and buying blackout curtains.
And those temporary shelves? I swear, the more expensive the house, the more likely you are to have some random “for now” solution that just becomes part of the landscape. I’ve got a set of wire racks in my pantry that were supposed to be placeholders until I found “the right” built-ins. Three years later, they’re still there, holding everything from champagne flutes to dog food.
Sometimes you just have to live in a space for a while before you really know what works. No spreadsheet or fancy app can predict how you’ll actually use a room once real life kicks in.
Honestly, I relate way too hard to the “temporary” shelves becoming permanent fixtures. I had a folding table as my kitchen island for months, thinking I’d replace it quickly... but it just kind of works? Sometimes the “for now” solution sticks around because it’s actually practical.
