The owners really shouldn't want to give up this modest shelf. This picture probably shows a moment of obstinate attachment in the middle of a makeover, showing a little shelf that has withstood what looks to be a significant remodel of its surrounds. The picture most likely shows a scene whereby everything else in the room or on the wall has been removed, replaced, or changed, however this one small shelf stays firmly in place. Maybe it's a lone shelf on a freshly painted wall or a little wooden ledge mismatched to a just placed modern lamp. The photographer has deftly caught this contrast of old and modern, stressing the occasionally emotional aspect of house renovations. The shelf that the homeowners treasure for some particular meaning—a family heirloom, a beloved gift, or perhaps the first thing they ever put themselves—may have created this scenario. On the other hand, it may be a funny portrayal of remodelling tiredness whereby the homeowners felt that eliminating one last shelf would only be a bridge too far. The picture reminds us that our houses are archives of memories and personal history, not only places to live. It asks viewers to consider their own emotional ties to apparently little items in their homes.
