Chapter 30: More Than Just Furniture and Meatballs, Part 4

Lavian's unit overall can be best described in the following layman's terms.

It takes advantage of the unit's inherent huge size to let all the warm light and the air in, which both greatly contribute to the cozy feeling.

It uses a combination of several shades of white and gray, plus natural wood and sepia colors, to contribute to the warm and cozy feeling.

The only bold colors used in her unit – pastel colors, for example – are those in the paintings she strategically places in several spots within.

She isn't afraid to use some antiquated things, such as non-minimalist vases and lampshades she most likely found in nearby thrift stores – to create the sense of contrast.

"How'd you like my unit?" she asks.

We three are equivocally unanimous in our thoughts.

"It's awesome!"

"Thank you! I knew from your faces that you're amazed by my dabbling in interior design. Alright then, I'll visit your unit next. Tit for tat and everything."

With no hesitation, we return to our unit with the Canadian girl in tow.

Her initial reaction upon seeing our unit… yes, there is an undeniable smile in her face, which obviously means she's satisfied by our manner of arranging.

But within that smile bears a tinge of disappointment, which means she's about to dish out some criticisms, but not of the scathing kind.

And we're proven right, by the words that come out of her mouth next.

"Your unit does have some harmony, and you seem to employ the same basic tenets of minimalism. But…

"My main gripe with your unit is that you are using dark colors too much. With them… your unit looks more like… Gothic. Or even emo. It doesn't match your music paradigm, which is country."

Yup, you really nailed it right into our hearts.

We can't splurge too much on furniture, so hitting thrift stores and depending on online marketplaces are our best bets for the best deals.

And coincidentally, the furniture we got and are currently using sport dark colors, because they were pretty abundant and were pretty cheap.

But at least there's a silver lining.

"But as they stand, the furniture pieces you use seem to still be in good condition. All they need is to be either repainted or stained in much brighter and warmer colors.

"And wow! You have quite a collection of films over in your entertainment unit! That's one thing I can't criticize, since the DVDs and Blu-rays are neatly arranged.

"And thus ends Lavian Bergman's interior design critique."

Regarding her statement of having our furniture repainted or stained in much brighter colors, I methodically answer…

"To be honest, we didn't think of actually having their colors changed. Plus, doing all that repainting and staining will eat so much of our time."

Lavian weighs in, "That is OK. Maybe with a little bit of research, you will find those who can do furniture refurbishments in our immediate area! I also watch lots of online videos about those refurbishments, you know!"

Oh, look at the time!

It's now 5 pm.

I remind her, "Well, it'll be an hour before we three head off to the country bar for our work. Mind tagging along with us?"

"Why would you have to ask this in the first place? Of course, I'll go with you!"

"Alright then. Better ready yourself. We'll do the same."

"Thank you!"

After an hour of rest and preparations…

We three and Lavian are in our best outfits.

After confirming that our units are locked and secured, we guide the Canadian of Swedish descent to Mushy Baby's Drift Country Bar and Restaurant.

The first employee to greet her is none other than Vic the bouncer.

"Good evening once more, Brave Ad 65 and Miss Aurora! You sure bought a fair lass with you."

Lavian takes the initiative and introduces herself, and Vic introduces himself in return.

"Well then, Miss Lavian, enjoy your stay here in The A! You'll surely love it!"

"Thank you, Sir Vic!"

"The door's open, so make yourselves comfy."

Once the bouncer opens the bar's door, she can't help but be amazed by the authenticity of the entire place in terms of living up to its name.

Country music memorabilia are strategically placed everywhere, and the ocher color that headlines the walls is not too overpowering by Scandinavian interior design standards.

Laurent the bartender is the next to greet her, and the two exchange pleasantries.

He then asks her, "It seems you're both proud of your Canuck and Swedish heritage. Tell me more about it."

Lavian clears her throat before starting.

"My parents actually immigrated to Canada from Sweden before I was even born. They wanted to migrate to a place with a quite warmer climate, but is still reminiscent of the weather there. If you're curious as to where my parents live, they're currently in Coquitlam, which is part of Metro Vancouver."

"Ah, yes. Vancouver and Seattle are basically mirror images of each other. They offer pretty much the same. Nice neighborhoods, sprawling metropolises, nearby places where nature thrives, the works. They could be considered as one city… only separated by a national border."

"I know. I've visited Seattle several times… and I can't believe how similar it is to my second home. I wish I could've spent most of my childhood there…"

"And why is it?"

"My childhood was pretty boring. Despite living in a city near the border, what was offered on Canadian TV and stuff was… a little lacking."

"I understand. Licensing deals can become a pain in the rear sometimes. When you've got a hot new US-produced show, it's an inevitability that Canadians are going to lap it up. But then, the US and Canada have their own media juggernauts, and they play by their own rules.

"Canadian broadcasters, having their own concept of profits, don't want their imported shows to compete with each other when they air, because they would potentially never gain back anything from the money they spent from their licensing deals with American producers."