Paint, Part II

Two gallons. That’s all it will take. And then I’ll be happy.

Okay. Not happy. I’ll never be happy until I live in one of those grand Spanish Colonials up in Rossmoyne, with all the arches and a little courtyard and a flat patio with sufficient space for outdoor entertaining.

Okay, that’s totally not true. I am happy. Right now. I realize that I am very fortunate and I have a lot of wonderful things in my life and I know that material possessions mean nothing, in the grand scheme, and if we constantly look outward for satisfaction we will constantly be disappointed and empty. I know that a beautiful Spanish Colonial with an authentic Batchelder fireplace or perhaps Catalina tile will NOT make me a better person. A beautiful house is just a “thing.” (A fantastic, wonderful thing that I covet.) But true happiness comes from within, and only when we are content with where we are and what we have, will we truly be able to yada yada yada.

I’m painting the bedroom.

After seeing how nice the living room/dining room look with the new ivory paint, I’ve decided to do the bedroom too. I think I’ll use the same color, because choosing paint colors? Seventh circle of hell! I did a test board in the bedroom and I think it’ll work. I think it ties in very nicely with the ivory in the rug and is a nice neutral background for the other colors in the room, especially the pecan drapes which should look great against ivory walls, and there seems to be some yellowish-ivory in the duvet, so I THINK it will work. Of course, this is me, the Queen of not knowing colors, so we’ll have to see.

I keep feeling I have to do all these projects now, while I’m not working, because I know once I get a fabulous new job I’ll be too busy to do much around the house for a while. You know – la di dah, I’m just going about my life, doing this and that, tearing the house apart, knee deep in paint cans and oh? What’s this? You’d like me to come work at your ad agency and think up clever banners for web campaigns? Well, I suppose I can finish faux-marbling the fireplace later. (Pssst – not really! I would NEVER faux-marble anything. That’s just me trying to fake out the universe with my very busy and involved life, because when you sit around waiting for things to happen, they never do, and then as soon as you start to tear down the wall between the kitchen and the dining room you have to fly to Singapore. Or something. I have a very active imagination.)

So – new paint in the bedroom. We’ll take it from there.

Your Windows Are The … Uh … Windows To The Soul Of Your House

Being that I was raised by hippies, which, in the world of home decor, is akin to being raised by wolves, I know nothing about window treatments. Window treatments is the fancy way to say drapery, except that every time I say “drapery” I think of Monty Python’s “shrubbery” and the quest to find the perfect shrubbery, which would allow the King’s party to pass through the woods. But after the King et al. had found a very lovely shrubbery, the Knights Who Say Ni demanded another one, to be placed alongside the first one. It was a fool’s quest. The King would never find the perfect shrubbery. Because there was no such thing.

My own quest for the perfect shrubbery-drapery has been somewhat Pythonesque, because really, how hard can it be to buy curtains, but as it turns out, it’s very hard. For me. Like almost every home decor decision I try to make, there are ISSUES here, people. Color. Style. Cost. Not to mention the whole philosophical aspect of do we even really need new drapes, when the ones we have are fine. Except that they don’t keep out the sun. Which, okay, that’s a desire, not so much a need. And seeing as I am presently, shall we say, between jobs – are drapes something I should even be thinking about when there are other things like gas and food to consider? But what are we doing here, on this planet, if it’s just about the necessities? Is life just about what we can scrounge up? What we can get by with? Shouldn’t we aspire to more? Shouldn’t we want to surround ourselves with beauty and luxury? Isn’t that part of the eternal dance of the soul? Do we not have an innate desire within us to experience joy and pleasure, and if that means nice drapes, isn’t it an affront to the universe to reject such adornment?

Does anyone else struggle with these BIG QUESTIONS? Or do you just go out and buy drapes?

I’ve read that drapes are like the jewelry to your room’s outfit. I guess the rug is like the pants, and maybe the couch is the cute top, and then the drapes are like the earrings. But not like that cheap costume jewelry that you change depending on the color outfit you’re wearing. They’re more like the classic pair of diamond studs that you can wear with anything. Mmmmm. Diamond studs. Add those to the list of things I want. Cause I’m a classy kind of gal. And no cubic zirconias, thank you very much. Because they are NOT just like the real thing. And that is why I want the nice Thai silk drapes from Restoration Hardware, not the polyester ones from Sears. Not that there’s anything wrong with Sears. But there is a difference. The Thai silk from Restoration looks nicer, I’m sorry. It’s true. The drapes have substance. I like the way they hang.

Of course, there’s still the issue of color. Which means it’ll be like, another two years before I buy drapes. Maybe I’ll just go buy a shrubbery instead.

Happy Dance at Home

My friend Scott sent me this video recently. It shows a guy named Matt doing a little happy dance at various locations around the world:

Happy Dance

Matt’s story started a few years ago when he quit his job to travel around Asia. He decided that wherever he went, he would make a little video of himself doing his little dance. In every tiny village, in every remote spot, Matt danced. And he put it on video. And, as happens, the videos ended up on YouTube and Matt became known as “that guy who dances in those videos.” Then, the makers of Stride gum contacted him and offered to send him around the world, to even more exotic locations, this time on their dime. Good publicity for Stride, more travel/dancing opportunities for Matt. Eventually Matt expanded the videos to include other people dancing with him. All over the world, people doing a silly little happy dance.

I don’t know why these videos move me so much. They seem to capture a kind of joy we all have in just being alive. People are pretty much the same everywhere. We all want to feel joy. We all want to feel that we’re connected somehow, to other people and other places. It’s just a little happy dance, and pretty much everyone, everywhere looks silly doing it. But the point is – just dance. Feel joy.

What does this have to do with home decor?

I think that for many people, our homes are a place where we express our joy at being alive, being part of the planet. Our homes are where we feel safe, where we feel relaxed, where we gather with friends and family to celebrate special occasions, and everyday life. Whether your home is a place that’s vibrant and full of color, a minimalistic contemporary space, or a funky mix of whatever, our homes are an opportunity to say to the world “This is my space. This is my happy place.”

It doesn’t have anything to do with how much your house costs, or how expensive your furniture is. It’s your own little safety zone in a big, big world.

I recently painted my living room and dining room. There was nothing wrong with the previous color, per se – it just didn’t make me happy. It was an odd, off color. It always felt heavy and slightly oppressive to me, and just wrong. The new color is light and serene and classic. It makes me happy now to be in those rooms.

I’m in between jobs right now (thanks, economy!) so I’m spending a lot more time at home, and it seems more important than ever that I feel good while I’m there. As I search for work, and try to figure out what I want to do with my future, what my possibilities are, I want to be in a space where I feel joy.

All it took was a little paint and a couple of days. I have now transformed those rooms into a place where I feel happy. In fact, I think I’ll go in there right now and do my own silly little happy dance. (As soon as the Advil kicks in. Painting ceilings is mad hard work!)

I hope your home is a place where YOU feel like dancing!

When In Doubt – Paint

The 4th of July means different things to different people. Freedom. Barbecue. A day off work.

Or, if you’re decor-obsessed, it might mean a home decor project.

Me? I painted.

I’ve been having a hell of a time trying to figure out what color drapes to put in the living room and dining room.

So I changed the wall color.

I have never liked the wall color in those two rooms. It was a sort of light fleshy tan with odd red undertones. We had originally seen the color in our neighbor’s house, where it was a pretty yellow. But paint color is so dependent on the particular light of a particular room, and can be affected by floor color, furnishings, even colors outside the room. It just never looked right in our house.

And now it’s gone.

I painted both rooms a pale ivory (MILKWEED, from Dunn Edwards.) The ivory seems to fit the style of our Spanish bungalow, and works well with the red and greens in the room. It’s a neutral backdrop, with just a little kick of color.

I think the drape decision will be a lot easier now. (She says, hopefully.)

Back to Barcelona …

An odd and touching moment on HGTV’s Design Star last night, when Michael was sent home. He broke down and cried for his mommy.

Many creative people feel things very deeply, and perhaps that is part of what helps the creativity. I think he has a lot of promise as a designer, but as a TV personality – he just seemed too fragile. Being in the public eye is incredibly difficult. Even when you have talent and a “name” there’s always someone in a power position telling you to change something. Add to that the public, and the thousands of articles and blogs all talking smack about you. I don’t think poor sensitive Michael was ready for that. I hope he enjoyed his experience on Design Star and will continue to pursue his career.

The Drapes of Wrath

Damn drapes. Nothing is working. I have tried espresso, thyme, celery and pecan. Then I got hungry for some reason and went and had a snack.

I sorta kinda liked the gold drapes, but my husband did not. He felt they were “shiny.” And gold. Which, apparently, does not fly with him. So I went back to the store and found a very pretty ivory, but they were apparently from the special “Bewitched” line of drapery and by the time I got home they had magically transformed themselves into a light gold.

I have now made six trips to the store. The salespeople great me by name. They inquire as to my cat’s health. They look at me kindly, and speak slowly, as you might speak to someone who’s been through a recent trauma. Their kindness touches me. They do not mock my lack of decor knowledge. They assure me this happens to a lot of people. They encourage me to keep going. “Don’t give up,” they say. “Don’t let the drapes win.”

I won’t.

More Random Acts on the Web

My first article for The Savvy Gal website is up! More to come!

Stay Golden (Except Maybe Not The Drapes)

I thought I was being so smart with my fancy-schmancy Photoshopping. But things IRL (in real life) are never quite the same as Photoshop, are they?

I went out and bought some panels today. The store was totally out of the green color. (I know! How can such a thing happen in this day and age in America!) I did manage to get some of the gold color and … interesting. I really thought that I’d love the gold in the living room. And … I don’t. Here’s where being decor-challenged comes in. I know that something is not quite working, but I can’t pinpoint why. I think maybe there’s just not enough of that gold/yellow color in the rug to “tie it all in.” That’s very important in decorating – the ability to “tie it all in.” I have not achieved that. I wonder if it would work if the walls were more of a soft gold? Or if the fireplace was more of a gold? Perhaps if I had a pot of gold? Then I could hire an actual decorator. This is what drives me mad about decorating. Too. Many. Choices.

Not loving it:

However, surprisingly, in the dining room, I actually like the gold color. It seems to really pop with the red rug. I think the border of the rug has a sort of pale golden/yellowish tone, so perhaps that’s why it works there and not so much in the living room?

Kind of liking it:

Sometimes things look great when they don’t match, and sometimes they just look … like they don’t go together. I’m still trying to break the code on that one.

The store was expecting a shipment of more of the green later today, so I’ll pick some up tomorrow and see how the green looks. This is the downside of ready made. I’m a bit limited as to color selection. But I’m sure I can find something that will work, and still be within my budget.

What are your thoughts on matching/not matching? Have you been able to combine colors in an interesting or unexpected way? Do you prefer when everything “goes” or do you like contrast?

11 Million Degrees

It was hot this weekend. Like end of the world, the sky is falling, Al Gore was soooo right kind of hot.

I was sitting in my living room, unable to move, melting into the couch, when my eyes were inexplicably drawn to my windows. I felt like I was trying to say something, but my brain was on fire and I couldn’t think and I believe there was actual steam coming off my head. And then I passed out from heat prostration.

When I awoke, several moments later, it was as if I’d had a vision. Through parched lips I, managed to utter the word “drapes.”

I don’t know why I never thought of drapes before. Oh, yes, I do. Because we were going to get air conditioning. Rick and I live in a typical 1925 Spanish style bungalow, which has tons of character and charm and sense of history, and I love it, but one thing it does not have is air conditioning. Every year we say “Next year – air conditioning for sure!” But it’s very expensive. Since it only gets mind-meltingly hot a few times a year, and we both had jobs at air conditioned offices, it never climbed to the top of the “must have” list. But now I’m not working at an office anymore. I’m sitting at home sweltering during the day, fixated on how I can make this house cooler. Lined drapes will certainly help block some of the intense heat we get from our west-facing windows, and when we eventually do get AC, they will help keep the cool air in.

Although the miraculous Vision of the Drapes may have simply been a product of heat stroke, I believe the home decor Gods themselves sent me this vision. Because like most decorating choices, this is not an easy one for the decor-challenged. And the decor Gods love to see me struggle. I imagine them looking down at me from on-high as they sip their nectar, shaking their heads and clucking, “Seriously, she doesn’t really think those colors go, does she?”

I have several things to consider in the Great Drape Decision of 2008. Custom made drapes are not in my budget, but there are lots of great ready made panels out there. First, I need to decide what color the drapes should be. The two rooms that are affected – the living room and the dining room – both have rugs that contain reds and greens with accents of gold and amber. Although red would be a very traditional Spanish Colonial look, I don’t think my house is big enough to successfully carry that off. I’d also like to keep the color on the light side in those rooms. Another thing to consider is the two rooms are connected by a large arch, making it essentially one space. I’ve got to decide if both rooms should have the same color drapes or if I can have a different color in each room.

Because I have a hard time seeing things in my mind, I spent some time playing around with Photoshop and came up with some options.

I’ve pretty much narrowed down the choices to green or gold. I think. Maybe. (Decor Gods – a little help here?)

Dining room:


Living room:

It’s Just Stuff

I’ve been thinking about all the people who have lost their homes recently due to the floods, tornadoes, and other natural disasters we’ve had lately. I can’t really imagine the feeling of having everything destroyed that way – not only your stuff, but the actual house that contains it all. How do you move on from that?

My apartment was robbed once, years ago, when I lived alone.

I remember when I came home that day, I had one of those surreal moments you have when something has gone very very wrong. The door was not locked, which should have been my first clue. When I stepped inside, the apartment looked like a movie version of a robbery. There were things strewn about everywhere, as if someone had taken out all the drawers and run around dumping the contents all over the floor. It was like a hurricane had blown through the room. I stood there for a moment thinking, “Did I forget to put that stuff away?” It was a ridiculous question. But your mind can’t really register something like that, can’t really absorb the reality your eyes are seeing, so you try to put in back into some kind of normal context.

They took everything. Every. Thing. They took the TV of course, and the VCR, and the clock radio, and my camera. They took my kitchen phone. They took the answering machine. Yes, the answering machine. They took the iron. YES. THE IRON!!! They took a brand new pair of jeans, with the price tag still on them. They took the entire contents of my jewelry box, which was mostly costume, but also some pieces my mother gave me before she died. There was a cameo broach she loved, and a Tiffany watch we had both agreed to believe was real. Those were the only material things I had from her, and some stranger took them.

I tried to come up with theories as to who could have done it. A junkie probably wouldn’t have taken an iron. It had to be someone who knew my routine, and the routines of the four other units in the building. My upstairs neighbor, who was the unofficial manager of the building was always home during the day. Always. Except for that one day. The one day I was robbed. I came to believe it might have been my other neighbor, the one next door. He was moving out of state that week. He had a huge truck out front. He knew the guy upstairs wouldn’t be there. He was a shady character. He was the first one to knock on my door, to point out the window in the back had been jimmied. When I went to the cops with my theory, they laughed at me and told me I watched too many cop shows on TV. They took a statement so I could report it to my insurance company, but were otherwise completely uninterested in this Crime! Of! The! Century! I spent many weeks feeling violated, feeling unsafe, feeling unlucky.

Eventually I replaced my things. (I waited a while on the iron. I never liked ironing anyway.) The jewelry from my mother became a memory, as she had become. Eventually I moved on. Emotionally and physically. I moved to a different part of town. I got a roommate. I never saw my stuff again.

Yes, it’s only stuff, and yes, you do move on. But it’s not easy. My heart and prayers go out to all the people who have lost their stuff recently.