I feel like I need a soundtrack to each blog post. I keep hearing Flo Rida’s “My House” every time I work on this dining room. It’s fun and happy. So imagine that playing as you read:) I’ve been working non-stop on this, and have loved every minute of it, and yet I haven’t even actually started! Ha! By working on “it” I mean the planning of it all. I love to see how a room unfolds. Let’s talk about how all of this came about. For starters, here’s a look at my dining room in its current state…
I know. It’s not in shambles. It’s not particularly ugly. My husband loves it. So here’s where I’m calling him out. He actually said to me, “You know what’s charming? When someone decorates a room and then never changes it.” If there was ever a time to use LOL, this would be it. I know he was teasing, because that’s just nonsense. (To me anyway- anyone out there that’s had the same room for 20 years, please don’t take offense- I just can’t do it!) And let me be clear. I take great joy in walking into an antique store or thrift shop and absolutely love things with history and soul. This isn’t about wanting “new or expensive.” It’s about wanting new to ME. It’s a lovely room, but here’s the thing. I’m an artist. My style changes like the wind. And as lovely as this room is, I designed it 5 years ago. It’s just not “me” anymore. And can I tell a secret that will make me sound coocoo? I’ve become someone that actually thinks about and strongly considers holiday decor when designing rooms. I know I’m not a neutral girl, but it drives me crazy that this dining room only seems to “fit” the Autumn season. It’s VERY earthy.
See? Beautiful at Thanksgiving. Come Christmas, bright reds and greens look silly in here. And I didn’t design the new room based on Christmas decor clearly, because there are all sorts of colors in that floral wallpaper, but I will say this. I’m changing the walls to a light, airy grey. The wallpaper is only going in the niche where the mirror is. It won’t overpower the entire room. The main pieces I’ve chosen are grey and black- so they fit with any season. Everything else is easy to swap out should it get “old” to me.
I’m so excited generic valium dosage about this. I’m excited about lightening things up. I’m excited about the pops of color in that paper and green velvet drapes and indigo rug. I’m excited about wanting the wainscoting painted black in high gloss. I’m excited about keeping my existing dining table that we love, and picking out fun fabrics for pillows to go on the settee. I’m excited to go antiquing and find items that bring an element of quirk or whimsy to this space. I’m crazy excited for the beaded chandelier. Wanna know what I’m not excited about? Let’s have a moment of silence for the settee and the rug that sold out on Joss & Main before I could pull the trigger and check out…
That’s right, folks. Let this be a lesson! Do NOT linger when you find something on Joss & Main! It’s like Home Goods! See something you like? GET IT. I’d rather not admit to the toddler tantrum I had when I hopped online to see those two items were gone. I may have pounded my fists on my office desk and yelled, “Noooooooooo!” in slow motion. And I may have sent a text to my poor husband with red anger face emojis. Forget I told you that. I handled it ever-so-maturely, and happily sang, “No biggie!” Sigh.
Why did I linger? Because hubby thinks we should put that money towards landscaping. Insert eye roll. Lol. Do I sound bratty? I swear I’m not. He’s right. Our curb appeal is lacking, especially because a tree fell during a storm this summer so it’s bare out front. But we can’t do anything about that right now! It’ll be months before we take care of landscaping. I’d love to take care of something that we can enjoy through these dreary winter months. So, this’ll start as soon as those items return to Joss & Main. I’m saying that as if they definitely will and keeping my fingers crossed.
What’s on your to-do list for 2016? Do you wait for green lights from your significant others or just go for it? My husband usually trusts me. He likes my style and knows our home is my “thing.” But of course I”m not going to change an entire room without showing him first;) We’ll see where this goes!
Cheers,
Haneen