Home Decorating is Much Like Wardrobing

I thought I was in a funk - wasn't coming up with inspiring outfits or accessories particularly well.  Then it hit me:  in the process of moving between homes I've been concentrating on paint chips and staging a new home with my old belongings, etc.  I was reading decorating blogs, trying out new colors on Benjamin Moore and trying to take a "crash course" on decorating.  Well, this is what I learned:

• buy what you love
• if something has meaning to you; use it!
• pay attention to scale and proportion; think about focal points in a room
• trust your gut...you will be drawn to things you love
• surprisingly, it will all come together!
• punctuate solids or neutrals with small doses of vibrant colors!

So, not much different than the clothes you put on your body.  I can DO this!.

In the process of putting together a color scheme for an entire townhome all at once, I came up with the following:

We started by all agreeing that we liked the deep brown currently in the living room.  It would look great with our dark leather furniture.  But, I chose a deeper brown with red in it, because the existing wood blinds on the main level were a reddish brown.  From there, I decided on a popular neutral:  gray.  This is very current and can be accentuated with almost any color:  turquoise, oranges, fuschia's you-name-it!  With the bright open space and cathedral ceilings I wasn't afraid of going too dark.   However, I was intent on having our ceilings painted non-white.  The painter advised me that anything we put on the ceilings will appear darker.  Hence, we're going to have a lot of silver going on up there...like the "silver lining of a cloud".  I like that idea!

I worked with a color expert at my local paint store and she helped me get hues of colors that all worked together.  But here's the amazing thing........when I brought the paint papers home and put them with fabric swatches that I had pulled out for inspiration weeks earlier, it all came together!  Just like wardrobing...you will be attracted to the things you LOVE!

The painting pro advised me not to mix the subtle green (spanish olive) with the dark gray (galveston gray) I was choosing for the bathroom/master bedroom combo.  I vetoed that advice.  Sure enough, when window shopping for linens and towels yesterday, I saw the perfect combo of printed (checked) green and gray towels!  And....some really cool kiwi green bathroom cabinets that will give a "punch" of color to the whole bathroom.  I had only envisioned the bedroom being gray, black and white - with shots of purple or fuschia, but then I saw the perfect duvet cover.......white with a trail of green embroidered leaves running across the foot of the bed.  Perfect!  Like a "yellow brick road" leading the eye right to the green of the master bath!  I didn't hesitate to buy the duvet as I KNEW I wanted an almost entirely-white bed.  (My husband and I think we are minimalists...)  I also know that the nature theme is popular right now and I like pulling the "outside" in.  Like the snowball-type lighting fixture I had in an earlier post.  No, I don't think our new home will be filled with bamboo........but there will be hints of nature, for sure!

Oh.......and I did my homework by studying the interior decorating of the other townhomes (on-line) and noticed that when the woodwork that trims the fireplace is painted white, it actually looks odd.   So, ours will be painted the same color as the walls - with a glossier finish.  The painter said it will look "rich".  YES!  That is the adjective I like to hear.....simple but "rich".

Okay, so I'm driving myself crazy with figuring out how to "re-purpose" almost everything in our current home.  At first thought, this shower curtain makes perfect sense in the light green bathroom.  But then I pulled the color swatch "shaker beige" out of my fan deck and VOILA...looks perfect.  I kept noticing how "gold" the shower curtain looked and how it wouldn't go with the silver accents of the master bath.  That's when I thought of my son's bathroom.

I'm not a beige(y) kind of person, so I had picked a really deep sand color for our son's bedroom.  He took one look at it and decided it was too "poopy" and asked me to lighten it up.  The painter pro picked out the Shaker Beige.  Of course, I'm imagining reds or blues for that pop of color, but for now, we needed a neutral. And take a look at this stunning clay bust.  A dear friend from Michigan gave it to us 18 years ago - she said it reminded her of our two boys (who are eight years apart).  The older boy is cuddling the baby boy.  Is that not too precious to be put away and not displayed!!!????  It's going in the BEIGE room or bathroom, for sure!

Do you have a house or room redecoration going on?  Would love to hear your comments!

Another Great Week

Moving forward toward moving into the new townhouse, one step at a time and recovering from knee surgery - literally one step at a time!  With post-surgery lack of energy, I found myself forced to create a work outfit one day this week, when I wasn't even in the mood to get dressed.  This is what I chose:

 The reason?  Yellow is an instant "pick-me-up!"  For me, and everyone looking at me.  I've been reading other blogs and everyone is talking about the snow and the unusually harsh winter we're having - all across the country.  I'd rather talk about energy.  Or lack thereof.  It's OK for you to be dragging.  That's what lack of sunshine (vitamin D) does!  So, how do you combat it?  You can hibernate and "be woken up in April" or you can take some positive steps:

• give yourself extra time to rest - don't beat yourself up
• do something nice for yourself....bubblebath, swim at a pool, manicure, GNO
• plan a fun dinner for your "significant other" for Valentine's Day
• linger for 5 more minutes in the parking lot during the middle of the day when the sun IS shining!
• play with COLOR.....both in your wardrobe and in your home

Here are some explanation of colors that I found interesting:

Color Psychology

Do different colors affect your mood?

by David Johnson

Like death and taxes, there is no escaping color. It is ubiquitous. Yet what does it all mean? Why are people more relaxed in green rooms? Why do weightlifters do their best in blue gyms?

Colors often have different meanings in various cultures. And even in Western societies, the meanings of various colors have changed over the years. But today in the U.S., researchers have generally found the following to be accurate.

Black

Black is the color of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless. Black also implies submission. Priests wear black to signify submission to God. Some fashion experts say a woman wearing black implies submission to men. Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof or evil. Villains, such as Dracula, often wear black.

White

Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. White reflects light and is considered a summer color. White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. However, white shows dirt and is therefore more difficult to keep clean than other colors. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility.

Red

The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the color of love. Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations. Red cars are popular targets for thieves. In decorating, red is usually used as an accent. Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention.

The most romantic color, pink, is more tranquilizing. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy.

Blue

The color of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colors. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and depressing. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms. Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.

Green

Currently the most popular decorating color, green symbolizes nature. It is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color. People waiting to appear on TV sit in "green rooms" to relax. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients. Brides in the Middle Ages wore green to symbolize fertility. Dark green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth. However, seamstresses often refuse to use green thread on the eve of a fashion show for fear it will bring bad luck.

Yellow

Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. While it is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more. It is the most difficult color for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pads. It also speeds metabolism.

Purple

The color of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic. However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.

Brown

Solid, reliable brown is the color of earth and is abundant in nature. Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather. Brown can also be sad and wistful. Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favorite colors.

From Homeless to Hopeful...

I was feeling a bit wild and decided to throw on this oversized costume jewelry ring for a Christmas party this past December.  Before long, we were taking pictures of it against my friends' new diamond ring.  This picture has come to symbolize a saying for me:  LIVE LARGE!  Don't be afraid.  Just DO it.

So, when my husband sent me pictures of a new townhouse to consider, I decided not to be afraid.  It was in a town that was out of our "geographic comfort zone".  Turns out, the first picture was of a jacuzzi tub with a fireplace next to it and I thought: "the place can only get better from here...!"

We had successfully sold our home, and I had just hung up the phone from calling the local Residence Inn to inquire about temporary housing, as we were going to be homeless at the end of the month.  We now have an offer on the place and am dreaming about paint colors, lighting fixtures and breakfast nooks like the ones pictured below.

This snowball-like lighting fixture is so over-the-top gorgeous to me!  My stomach literally is tickled when I look at it!  The interesting thing is that I went into the store asking for lights with trees or twigs on them, and ended up LOVING this winter-wonderlandish thing.  My point?  Take notice of what tickles YOUR fancy in both home decorations and wardrobing.  Pay attention or notice common themes, colors, textures, lines, etc.

Below is a breakfast nook that may satisfy my husband's love for the German-style family gathering place, as well as my desire for a sleek furnishing look.

What a GREAT segue!  As I was posting the breakfast nook above, I noticed how similar the chairs are to a black Beijo Bag that I carry/love/sell!

So here's where I tie it all together.  This blog is about my paying attention and building a wonderful wardrobe for myself, then living in the moment and paying attention to how that wardrobe actually creates a life of my dreams!  You're inspired by fashion tips and by taking action (for yourself) as a result of reading my posts, and I will represent Beijo Bags as an Independent Sales Consultant to fund my new wardrobe pieces, blog about them and repeat the cycle again.

To kick it off:  I currently have two beautiful Beijo Bags in my inventory.  Both are around $100 and both can be used for everyday use - a great splash of color to add to your wardrobe!  Email me at Donna

if you're interested in purchasing.

Feel free to add a comment on similar patterns and colors that you are drawn to!

Kate Gosselin loves Beijo Bags and am posting this picture to give you an idea of the size.  I LOVE mine....