Can You See It?

Remodeling a home as a verbal thinker

Our house in Bellevue is going to need some work. Nothing structural, thank goodness. And all things considered (age of the house, having been a rental for twenty years, etc), the work is not really that much. But what we do have to do is more than either of us has ever done. Which is why I keep thinking this is good practice for our Sicily home.

Eventually, I’ll show you before and after photos. For now, I’ll tell you. Because I’m a word person. Which I’ve never really examined until I read Joshua Rothman’s article about different styles of thinking in The New Yorker, 16 Jan 2023 edition.

If I’m honest, I’m unable to grasp the fullness of the article. It’s either above my head or I’m too distracted to give it the focus it deserves, but the basic idea of neurodiversity and different styles of thinking is interesting. As is Temple Grandin, who became well known in the mid ‘90s when she published Thinking in Pictures: My Life with Autism. This memoir recounts her challenges in finding “a way to put her visual and perceptual gifts to use”. In her latest book, Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of Those Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions, she breaks down thought processes into basically three styles. Rothman explains:

“On one end are verbal thinkers, who often solve problems by talking about them in their heads or, more generally, by proceeding in the linear, representational fashion typical of language. … On the other end of the continuum are “object visualizers”: they come to conclusions through the use of concrete, photograph-like mental images. … In between these poles, Grandin writes, is a second group of visual thinkers—“spatial visualizers,” who seem to combine language and image, thinking in terms of visual patterns and abstractions.”

Or put another way: There is thinking in pictures, music and math thinking (spatial visualizers), and verbal logic thinking (most common).

Grandin is a visual thinker. I’m not.

I can’t help wishing I was more visual. Visual thinking sounds light and bright and magical. Like flying instead of walking. Whereas, the way I think can be lumbering, heavy, and downright annoying. Process takes time. Logic is linear. The steps that need to be done are clear to me while the end result is, well, a bit fuzzy, and only gets clearer as I —step by step— get closer to the solution. It’s a long way from instant imaging.

So when it comes to working on our house, I see everything we need to do, but I can’t truly see what it will look like when we’re done. I can only hope it will look the way I want it to feel.

The house is a rectangle with very straight lines. I’ve never lived in a rectangle before. I prefer curves, something more amoebic. Houses rarely have curves but something outside of a box makes a house interesting.

This house was designed by Ed Barnhart, Always by Design. Based in Philadelphia, Ed designs homes for holistic living, focusing on how we interact with the natural world. He is deeply sensitive to the emotional-psychological-physical aspects of living in spaces.

That is not our house. This is our house:

a rectangle

On the south end is the living room and an adjoining wall of cupboards to the east, which are technically the south end of the kitchen except that it’s really the dining area. Another rectangular area, and I have a round oak table. Oblong, if I add two leaves. How will that look? Will it help break up the straight lines or will it feel awkward because the space is really built for a long table with the short end up against the wall and under the window?

I can’t picture it, so I’m relenting and adding photos. Maybe you can help me.

On the east side of the house (outside of the kitchen) is a yard and the backdoor through which, it seems, folks always enter. Personally, I like to enter through a front door. But that only works if you’re parking on the street and historically occupants of this lodging typically park on the side. (No garage and no car port so, yes, snow in the winter is going to be an issue… but I’m leaving that up to Tom.)

In addition to the kitchen and eating area, the east side has a square bedroom at the north end (which will likely become my office and yoga room), a small bathroom, and a laundry area. The west side of the rectangle has the living room and two bedrooms. Can you imagine it? Do you see it in your head or, like me, do you need photos?

The bedrooms, closets, and hallway are just under 800 square feet which, for twenty years, has been covered in carpet. This is our biggest project: pulling up the carpet and installing hardwood laminate. In every room. A huge endeavor, yes, and hey, how hard can it be? According to the countless videos I’ve watched, not too bad. Maybe even easy, once I get the hang of it. Just follow the directions closely, have the right tools, and excellent knee pads. Realistically, I’m starting with our bedroom. I need a comfortable place to retreat to when I’m tired—which could be anytime and not just at the end of the day. Hah! I have never done anything like this. I could be in for a big shock. But without a bit of naivete, nothing would ever get done, right?

Then, of course, there is the painting of every room. Ceilings, walls, and closets. We finally decided on the ceiling color which should work everywhere. Except maybe the kitchen, but the kitchen is the last thing to tackle so I’ll worry about that later. Colors for the rooms will be decided once I’m there. If you’ve painted an interior, you know that the shape of the room, natural and artificial light, and the time of day can dramatically alter what a paint color looks like. Again, because I can’t see it in my head, I need to see it on the walls before I decide.

What we have decided on—and this my friends, is a huge leap of faith—is wallpaper for the north end wall, ten feet wide, of the master bedroom. Yes, wallpaper. Hanging wallpaper used to be a horror but if current reviews and Instagram posts are honest, it should be pretty easy. Bonus: it can even be removed like a breeze, making it a new favorite of renters. We, of course, have no intention of removing it. Instead, the idea is to add some boldness. Not distracting bold, but passionate. Our individual bedrooms have been very neutral for many years. It’s time for a change.

Wallblush, My Darling (I suspect you either love it or hate it)

The most immediate project, however, is the bathroom overhaul. The space is only six and a half feet deep and five feet wide—I can’t imagine there is any other layout than the current that will work: 24” vanity, toilet, and tub. Yes, we’re keeping the tub. A warm bath on a cold winter night is too good to pass up. So, new flooring, new vanity, new light, new toilet, new tiles for the shower above the tub, new paint, new hardware. I think I can see it, except that every time I look at tile and then purchase a sample, it isn’t quite right. And we’re not paying $25 a square foot. Heck, we’re not even spending $10 a square foot. The reality of cost always changes the vision a bit.

Alas…

I’ve been thinking this whole time that visual thinking might be superior. At the very least, a very handy ability to have. And maybe that’s in part due to it not being my gift. The grass is greener on the other side. Women with curly hair dream of long, straight locks and women with straight hair long for natural curls.

Maybe you see what I just did (see meaning realize). I worked out the problem with words. Linearly. One thought at a time leading to the conclusion. Because this is the way my mind operates. Neither way is superior, it just is.

I’m designed to wait for the surprise.

That’s the thing about verbal thinking. I don’t see a picture in my head. I can’t see it in advance. No amount of visualization practice is going to get me there. My vision board collages aren’t the final product, they’re only a step towards it.

So while visual thinking may seem like magic to me, and knowing just one step at a time can feel incredibly uncomfortable when a lot is at stake, and “logical” thinking can sometimes feel tedious, pompous, or self-indulgent, I really do love a wrapped gift. Whether it’s something small and silly, or something expensive and grand, the anticipation and effort of unwrapping always make the gift more, it makes it an event.

Not being able to see how the house will look when we’re done is a lot like receiving a gift wrapped in heavy paper, with lots of tape, and plenty of ribbons.

So I’m waiting for the surprise. Can’t wait to see it.

the old cabin in our backyard. Some day, finances permitting, it would be great to renovate this too. Would make a cool studio!

What about you? Are you a visual thinker, a verbal thinker, a spatial visualizer, or some combination?

oh, and words of encouragement are greatly appreciated!

* If you don’t want to read Grandin’s book, you can watch this great video of her presenting the same ideas at the Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan in 2020.