As I tenuously dip my toes into the idea of decorating a new house, I find I'm challenging myself to be open to what colors really make me happy. Ya'll know I already have an obsession with blue and brown.
Duh.
my current fabric stash...only half-way organized because the house was on the market.
But I also love pinks and reds with yellows, bright aqua and spring green.
I'd even throw a little purple love in there too....
I'd even throw a little purple love in there too....
Maybe it's just because we're on the tippy edge of February's demise, listing heavily into March, which means spring is coiling itself up like some sort of seasonal slinky, ready to burst thru the surface in an array of tulipy, hyacinthy, crocusy goodness. Not that I planted any, or would be in this house to see the show if I did.
But, the gray drearies are destined to melt away leaving wide open patches of lovely.
Believe you me.
But, the gray drearies are destined to melt away leaving wide open patches of lovely.
Believe you me.
As I consider what I already own, what the style of house will be, and our budget.....basically my ::cottage instincts::, I'm listing heavily myself into some rooms full of infused color.
Fun, happy, bright-ish, pastel-ly goodness.
Fun, happy, bright-ish, pastel-ly goodness.
I do love a frenchy farmhouse look, all grain-sacky and greige and rusty market baskets. I follow lots of gals who carry that look off to the moon and back. But I've always craved more color than that, and I will always love the splashy English flowered Ralph Lauren fabrics....which don't really jive with grey. Call me way off-trend, but I don't like gray/grey/greige. Love it in other's homes, but wouldn't work for me. Same for chevron. Over it. Actually, skirted around it.
With my mom's passing last fall, I'm itching to use a set of colorful dishes she gave me, and grey DEFINITELY won't work with these babies:
And this shelf from her decor stash, and the rose dishes that were her grandmother's:
With my mom's passing last fall, I'm itching to use a set of colorful dishes she gave me, and grey DEFINITELY won't work with these babies:
And this shelf from her decor stash, and the rose dishes that were her grandmother's:
Anyway, along those lines, I wanted to highlight a couple bloggesses who are severely inspiring to me with their fearless use of color.
First, Jen of {the cottage nest}, (a fellow Hoosier I might add) pins some really inspiring, colorful cottage stuff (for instance the first shot of the dishes above). Really adorable. She lives in a wee suburban village in an old farmhouse and blogs THE most beautiful shots of her interiors. Not that I stalk her or anything.
That wall color is eerily similar to the color of my cra(p)ft room (which happens to be Spring Melt by Martha Stewart, go figure):
She's all about girly flowers and brights frolicking with pastels and pinks and aquas and vintage yummy-ness. Here are some of my repins from Jen's Pinterest Boards (and I also highly recommend her blog for a plethora of eye candy).
Seriously fun. And girly....and living with 4 males (including my male dog)....I need me some girly.
Another Hoosier blogger (yeah we got some style up in here) is Shannan of Flower Patch Farmgirl fame.
She just built herself a new farmhouse cottage and filled it with swoony swatches of flea marketed swag.
And aqua.
Shut the front door.
Shut the front door.
'Ole Farmgirl also just happens to be one of the best blog writers out there, so hecks yeah, there's way more than corn in Indiana. Here's a few more shots of Shannan's decor skillz.
She does color fearlessly (which also happens to be the way she lives her life).
Both Shannan and Jen are also crafty mavens of the highest order. As I visited their respective corners on the web, I suddenly realized the other reason I'm inspired by them. They're the gals I wish I could be, and I'm awed by their ability to live their dreams in the face of real skepticism and fear.
See, it just so happens that they both strapped themselves and their families into an unpredictable rollercoaster ride to make their house dreams a reality, often going against the standard advice, facing stubborn fears, dealing with regrets, backpeddling into their hearts to really connect to their cottage instincts and make their current homes a reflection of their families values.
I dig that.
And in light of our current home trajectory, I soooo need to know others have walked this road too.
Something about company in misery or some such?
Maybe they'll share their 'braves' over the cyber net to be my house birthing doulas?
Ok, that was weird.
I may just begin a series featuring bloggers who I feel follow their cottage instincts in the face of trends and conventional rules of decorating (or house finding).
They won't absolutely HAVE to be from Indiana, but bonus points if they are.
Kidding.
Have a suggestion? Do you have your own story of bravely following your guts to make your home a reality even if it goes against common sense sometimes? Or common decorating rules?
Do you use color fearlessly in the face of a Pottery Barn Nation?
I'd love to hear from you.
And I like pretty pictures.
9 comments:
Hi Cindy, Congrats on the new home! It all sounds so exciting and it will be fun to live vicariously through you while you decorate with abandon.
I have gone through many decorating phases, and will probably always have a paint brush in hand; however, there are some colours that have always, and will always, be favourites. And as it turns out, they are type one tints. {I'm a fellow DYT Type one}. I've only got a few posts up on my little blog so far, but it's pretty obvious that am generous with colour in my most of my space.
It will be really fun to see what direction you end up going in.
Sue xo
I know just what you are feeling. I'm all over the board when it comes to this. Good luck my friend~
Congratulations on the new house! Very exciting! Do you know Stacy from A Sort Of Fairytale? She has a beautiful, colorful, cottage style home! I think you will love it!http://asortoffairytalegirl.blogspot.com/p/my-home.html
New house - so exciting. I love the way your inspiration images are going. The dishes from your mother are beautiful too, and so special.
Jenny
Www.simcoestreet.blogspot.com
Hi Cindy,
I follow you by email, I am going through the exact same thing, same likes, same dislikes. My friends are all doing the Grey thing too. I think I am going to look at your suggested links. I am pretty stumped though as to how am I am going to throw in those pretty cheery colors in with a French Farmhouse look. Our New home is in WA. and with all the rainy mist I have a Boatload of Big Windows too.
Thanks for sharing!!
Huggs, Nancy
Oh, Girl! This was so fun to read. That Jen K is such a dear - I'm in good company here with the two of you Hoosier gals!! Thanks so much for your sweet words and I adored your comment. Your story you told is among my favorite kinds.
It's not too late for that boy, you know... (Where is he?? Wouldn't it be crazy if....) :)
Hi Cindy, Well you sure are having an adventure! I love the colors in these pictures. I am venturing into new territory myself, getting ready to move into Mom's house. I'll be nesting into a couple of rooms in her lower level, so having to get rid of much of my stuff, I'm excited to have a fresh start and color is my thing! I am a veteran of purple sofas and Tinkerbell green walls, after all! But I'm seriously thinking of sea glass colors on white walls with turquoise and red highlights. We'll be living in fabulous homes soon! Excited...!
Hugs,
Sherry
Hi, Cindy. I've commented a few times on various posts of yours. I'm also a Hoosier (I actually live quite close to your part of the state). We recently moved from a newer house in an addition to a small cottage that's needed some work, on a lake. We are also currently in the process of helping our 20-yr. old son find his own place to live. All this moving can be a challenge, but very rewarding, too! I'm like you, I'm a dreamer and am constantly thinking about all the things I would like to do to make our little cottage shine with our own personal touches. Hang on, lady! You are in for an amazing ride of a lifetime!
❤Ann @ Cairn Cottage
I'm so honored Cindy. Seriously! Follow your heart and you can't go wrong! I'm not sure I could live without the color now. Plus it makes my house really happy.
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