We have owned our home for a year.
Hard to believe, really.
I’ve been taking my time in getting to know our space. To find out what it wants to be.
Slowly, some things are becoming clear.
But this decorating business? I find it intimidating. I don’t have a huge budget. I know I don’t love the colors that the previous owner painted the interior of the house, but what to do instead? And really? Why in the world does anyone need so many throw pillows?? All the inspirational photos I find have a million throw pillows! Do you know what my kids would do with those?!
We really like bright colours against white. Scandinavian simplicity is what we are calling it. Painted furniture, clean lines, and eclectic accents. But white isn’t so good with a toddler in the house. I am not the kind of mom who goes around washing her kids hands and face every five minutes. I am pretty well done with beige, though. Our walls are beige, our trim is beige, our doors are beige. Our floors are a wonderful blonde wood, which I love, but that’s a shade of brown too. Brown brown brown. Mama needs her some colour.
See all that beige!??
I’m thinking that one thing to do to quickly add some colour contrast would be to either paint and stencil or wallpaper that hallway above the chair rail. There’s already a “gramma” print wallpaper on the walls, and I tested a corner today. It seems as if it will come off really easily.
This is the best photo of the look I am going for that I could find. I want the wallpaper/stencil to come through the door way and set off the area. Separate it from the rest of the space.
I’m thinking these for pattern ideas. Something bold, but not overpowering. The thing is, wallpaper is expensive. There’s only so much moolah to spread around, and I have pictures I want to put on the wall and a back porch that needs a floor. So I’m thinking stencils are the way to go. But the ones on Etsy cost almost as much. See what I mean about this process?
Totally intimidating!
I think it’s going to take longer than I anticipated. I thought that this thing of FINALLY having a space that I love meant that it would be easy to lay out ideas, to add some accents, to pick colours. Boy was I wrong.
I did buy one thing this weekend.
A new duvet cover. I love it. LOVE. I would decorate my whole house in these colours if I wouldn’t look like a crazy person doing it. So I won’t. But for the bedroom? Perfect.
It’s a start, right?
love the duvet cover!! I like the grasslands paper very much. What about creating your own stencil? You could buy the plastic sheet at a quilt store or maybe a quilting template? Just brainstorming I guess.
I love the look of wall paper but I hate to rip it down. Hence my love of paint
The kitchen photo is beautiful btw, good luck with making the house your personality.
Thanks for the encouragement Karen. As much as I love the kitchen, I was more looking at the wallpaper that peeked out through that little doorway! Our kitchen is, you guessed it, shades of brown! UGH! I’m thinking I need to dye my curtains a bright pink or blue to make it less dreary!
That duvet cover is so cheerful! I hate wall paper…it’s expensive and a pain to get rid of. I’ll try to email you some pictures of what we did with paint, painters tape and a bit a patience….ok, a lot of patience.
I would love to see, Melissa! Wallpaper sounds scary… and a bit dumb, but I know I would get the look I want! See… hard work!
I am still doing up my house the way i like it ten years on. Now we may move! Good Luck. Pale yellow covers a multitude of little finger marks!
taking is slow—best plan….(I’ve got crazy colors in our bedroom, too!!!—love the duvet!) Have you seen Kristen Nichols house—-those crazy colors can really work! I think it would be over the top for me….I’m really liking the direction you are headed. White isn’t really awful with toddlers—-I have all white furniture…..zip off the covers and toss in the wash (which I do more now with the dog than I ever did with the kids!)
Cathy, that’s what happened to my mom! She finally loved the home we lived in as young kids, then they moved. Good luck either way!
Steph, I have! It’s not me. As for covering the furniture, that’s something I have thought of, but the base we have is a good one. I love our love seat, in a rusty brick red. The big couch in our living room is old. It was Amante’s grandparents first! We need a new one… haha!
Have you ever seen the stencils I bought many years ago for the bathroom. Very expensive, from England, for the bathroom, but never done. willows, I think, very organic. You’re welcome to look if you’d like. I LOVE (yes, I am yelling) the duvet cover. If we ever move, there are going to be many more bright colors in the space. I hope… Keep dreaming and working on it. You will do it I know. love.
I love the look of the wallpaper popping behind the white kitchen. My sister stencilled pretty much every room in her flat and it looks lovely too.
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Make sure you always have a champagne bottle on your kitchen counter as well