Not my bedroom :>(I have one wall of my bedroom painted with Ralph Lauren Victorian Lace. I love the creamy white color and the freshness of it. Of course, I have a love affair with fresh paint that goes way back. I even loved the brown that I am covering up when I painted with it. The fact that it is fresh and new is all it takes to make me happy for a time. I hope I will really like the white, it is a little scary looking at the blank wall. Just as I am not a "brown" person I am also not usually into plain white. Color is what really gets my creative juices flowing. I love red and black and greens and yellows and blues. But when you love so many colors how can you choose? It is like choosing a favorite child! So I went with the cream color and will play with all my favorites in this white room. We will see what happens. I must admit though that while I used to paint at the drop of a hat, these (almost) 50 year old bones are a little less inclined to do the work. I may have to recruit help in the future. While I am on the subject of decorating..do any of you find that the more you look at the decorating magazines the more convinced you become that your home needs more? More decoration, more tweaking, a new color, furniture, on and on and on? I love decorating magazines, but I admit that it has become clear to me that they breed discontent. They can make us feel we don't measure up somehow. How many of us relate just a bit too much to how our homes look to others rather than how they work for us as a place to make a life? I love decorating, but..really..I need to realize more often that it can be a distraction from living fully in other areas! I would love to hear what you think about that! Now it's off to work, I'll see you all later:>)
OH yeah I spend way too much time thinking or caring how my house is decorated...and the guys couldn't care less. But that room you are showing hits me in the right spot..I love it!!!
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteFunny you should mention discontent while reading magazines -- just last night I was feeling exactly the same! I'm not into the newest or latest decorating trends, but I always seem to see rooms (like the one in the photo at the top of your post) that I covet!
We are considering some renovations here, so maybe that will give me scope to work out all my deepest desires! ;) At the moment, though, I'll just be happy to get all my Christmas decorations put away!
xoxo,
Mary
Now I know why I don't care to look at those magazines! You are right though, we see a beautiful looking room like you posted and we want it! Real life isn't like the magazines though...so I will be happy with my bedroom just the way it is.(I hate painting anyway...lol)
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted to do a whole room in off-white. I love the look in that picture you posted. But, I lean toward color too. I don't know if I feel discontentment seeing the rooms in magazines. Mostly I use them for inspiration but I suppose that could be interpreted as discontentment. My house is NEVER magazine shoot perfect! We always have a mess and it's usually my creative messes that hang around for weeks at a time. I couldn't live with magazine perfect rooms. Though I'm not opposed to trying if someday I ever get it all cleaned up. =) Blessings.. Polly (I posted about magazines today too. There's a link to make your own magazine cover that was kinda cool._
ReplyDeleteOh yes, sometimes I think the "decorating" part of homemaking is an unhealthy obsession for me. I struggle for balance with that all the time! I have a friend who refuses to watch HGTV or read decorating magazines for the very fact that they make her feel like her home is inferior or that she needs to change things. That works for her. I'm not influenced that way (at least not that I'm aware of :o). I have magazines relaxing and inspiring. It's an interesting thing to think about!
ReplyDeleteManuela
Oh, I can relate to this post! I'm always reading magazines and thinking I need to do more. What I need to do is become content with what I have. I can also relate to the old bones aching from up and down the old ladder. I got my painting done this weekend and I tell you, the old bones are really hurting. But, I do like the end results of the new paint. I think I'll be content for now! Atleast until the old bones stop hurting!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful picture...that is a wonderful color of cream!
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed day...
kari & kijsa
Hi Kathy, you won't regret the neutral paint colour choice, just wait until you get all your cushions, lampshades and bed linen in the accent colurs in there! But therein lies the problem, what colour to choose!! The beautiful home decor magazines are a constant and everchanging source of inspiration for us too, there is nothing better than picking up a new issue and falling into the sofa browsing the new styles and colours! Sometimes admittedly they do make us want to change our decor but then reality sets in !! We restrain from buying too many magazines :) Jenn and Jacqui PS Hope the weather conditions have improved?!
ReplyDeleteMaybe we should stop buying all those magazines. then we won't be seeing anything that will make us want to change our decor yet again.
ReplyDeleteAlison
Hi Kathy...I too love working with paint.... specially love to paint in creamy whites and earth tones. I am a little afraid of experimenting with vivid colors, thought.... reds, blues, etc, are kind of scary colors, at least for me.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely evening
Cielo
girl the magazines are costing me and you are right.. it isn't the magazine its self it is me wanting to run out and redo!
ReplyDeleteI love decorating magazines and enjoy looking at them for ideas. I don't find they breed discontent and here's why:
ReplyDeleteThe pictures in them never look like they belong in a HOME. They only look like they belong in a HOUSE. There are no personal touches evident, anywhere, ever in those magazines.
I would always find a room more welcoming that has the evidence of real people living there--ie a collection of a favorite item or other(no matter how potentially 'cheesy') than a 'false collection' of personal items..ie perfect spread of untouched magazines or trio of perfect...unused!...pillows.
Hope that makes sense! I'm still waking up!
Good Morning Kathy,
ReplyDeleteI am a day late for this discussion :-). I had cream or latte colored walls with white trim for most of my adult life. I loved that I could change accessories - pillows, vases even fresh flowers and the room would look fresh again. Then with this house, our walls are yellow, green and red. Quite a difference. Sometimes I miss the serenity of cream.
I buy tons of decorating magazines, but not so much to decorate my own house but to get ideas for my mosaics. I look at color schemes, styles, etc. I know what decorating style I like. It hasn't changed for years. I just don't think I have it all together yet. I love cottage style. It doesn't matter if it is beach cottage, French cottage etc. Just the well worn, lived in look. The rooms in those magazines are beautiful, but they just seem a little cool. Like there is no life in them.
Hugs,
Penny
Hi Kathleen
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that decorating magazines can lead to discontentedness. When I start to get dissatisfied with my home, I think of how if someone from Africa saw any of our homes,they would think we lived in total luxury and that we must be very wealthy. We all need to appreciate what we have and be thankful for it. Let's face it there will always be someone richer, thinner,smarter, with a nicer home than us. We should compare ourselves to those who have less than us rather than those who have more. Thanks for reminding me of these things. I need to remember them for myself! Rhondi
Hi Kathy!
ReplyDeleteYou are my inspiration this week as I've been trying to paint my hallway for weeks & for some reason keep avoiding it! I WILL get my paint out this week & get it done! I love magazine inspiration but mostly for ideas that don't involve expense. They make me look more forward to my Friday morning garage sales & the cheap & special treasures I can find without much change!
Kathy
I hardly ever read decorating magazines and I watch decorating shows even less. Strangely, they stress me out. I find myself questioning my taste and my financial bracket. I tend to avoid fashion mags for the same reason. But I LOVE when bloggers share photos or ideas, because they make decorating and crafting seem real and do-able. Does this make sense.
ReplyDeleteHi Kathleen Grace.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your compliments on my quilts. Your post got me to thinking and Iused the thought for my post today. Couldn't remember who said it so I am going to go back and edit it and put a link to your blog. Rhondi
Hey, Kathy. I share your love of freshly painted areas, there is something about how it makes all things new again:)
ReplyDeleteFor awhile, I was into a magazine frenzy. I bought everyone someone suggested and I found that instead of helping me define my own style, I was often confused by wanting to incorporate each beautiful lay-out in my home.
Now, I still refer to a few magazines for inpiration, but I no longer feel I have to duplicate the displays in my own spaces. I have found that true Farmhouse style is what works best for me...a few meaningful, functional pieces and I am satisfied.
Rhonda
Hi Cathy! I think the white will be beautiful and so light and bright! I think that is what magazines intend to do! They want you to redo to buy more magazines to help their venders etc.! The new Romantic Country Magazine really makes me want to redecorate, lol! In late spring, I am going to repaint my whole house in a very creamy soft soft yellow. I cant wait!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your last post on my blog. It really means a lot to me!!
Love ya,
Amy
Thanks.. I knew that little frame was to small even though it had the colors in it was noy rihght. Your a real doll.
ReplyDeleteHi Kathy! I have a couple of questions for ya! I LOVE the dresser tray that you have on your Etsy! Does that have a hanger on the back or is their a way I could hang it? I would LOVE that on my bedroom wall! And second, you used to have some pink buttons, did you sell those?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!
Love ya,
Amy
This requires some thought. Will you come and remind me that I want to comment on this, but I must go and watch a football game. This is what happens when a girlie girl has four sons. It is called athleticism by osmosis:>}
ReplyDeleteJanet.
I am back a day late and more than a dollar short. I love decorating magazines and I think I use them for ideas, but now you have got me thinking. Obviously I will never have a room that looks like a magazine because we live in our house, but sometimes I wish it was just a bit more put together. Like you say, I just want more. I always thought that I had a pretty good eye for decor, but since becoming a blogger I have started to question my "talent". Each day I see so many homes that look so much more put together and "meet" many women who just seem to naturally put a gorgeous room together. It's not that they have expensive items, but they just have a knack.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what the answer is or if there is an answer. I guess like someone else said we have to be happy with what we have and stop questioning ourselves.
Now aren't you sorry that you asked???
Janet