Mimi’s Sofa

A couple of years ago, my grandmother, Mimi, passed away. She struggled with Alzheimer’s and her passing was ultimately a blessing from the ugliness of that disease. When she passed, the family divvied up her belongings and I inherited a lot of her furniture.
As the family moved from room to room, claiming the pieces we wanted, we arrived at the formal living room. It was the type of room no one ever used. As children, we weren’t allowed to play in that room, but who would want to with the stiff furniture, creepy old pictures with the eyes that follow you, and the feeling of formality in the room?
In that room, one piece remained untouched — a camelback sofa .The sofa was covered with a rich Victorian print in a muted gold color that was so popular in the ’70s. The day we went through the house was the first time I really looked at that room. Of course, my adult eyes appreciated things I never notices as a child — the handcrafted bench, the gold mirror that hung above the fireplace, and the needlepoint pillows my grandmother made.
While other pieces of furniture had been scooped up immediately, the sofa was forgotten. The dated fabric was hiding the unusual lines of the classic piece. What the heck, I thought. I’ll take it and get it recovered one day.
The sofa came home with me and sat in my bedroom for a year. The ugly fabric was mostly masked by the constant barrage of clothes, bags, shoes, laundry, and anything else we dumped on it. Finally, I went to look for fabric. I was overwhelmed by the task of picking out a fabric that would transform this piece. Luckily, I took a friend with me who has an eye for design. I knew I wanted to juxtapose a modern fabric with the clean lines of the classic sofa. We chose a rich solid, textured berry colored print called “Passion.”
The sofa just came back from the upholsterer. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw it! The bright, solid fabric made the design of the sofa pop. It was stunning. It’s now situated at the foot of my bed. It is the first thing I see when I walk into my bedroom. Every time I see it, I think of Mimi. I am reminded of her in little ways everyday. My wedding ring is her wedding ring, as well.
Even though it’s just stuff — a sofa and a wedding ring. The things that were hers, are a daily reminder of her to me. I think she would like the new sofa. But mostly, I hope she likes the woman I have become. By surrounding myself with her things and making them my own, I remember that I carry on her spirit everyday.
 
Katie Wells is a local writer and customer service trainer. She can be contacted at kewsolutionsinc@gmail.com