Tuesday Toots!

The Altered book tutorials are about finished and before I begin my on-line colour class I need to work on the whole house plan for our renewal project here at home.  It has been some time since the house has been painted and the temporary fix in the kitchen has exceeded it expiry date.  The Rooster and I intend to stay here so while he is working we need to get ready for the inevitable retirement and the beginning of our golden years which will be all about pursuing our various hobbies rather than fixing the nest.

I have serious procrastination issues which I think stem from too many choices that paralyze me and then I am seduced by a different idea for a different project so I start all over again and again.  The Rooster has known this and I have come to admit that he is right. Hark!  Do I hear crowing???  lol

So he has agreed to oversee the project and figure the time line.  First I need to define what it is I want to do.  I think I know.  I just need to isolate it and articulate it.

Creativity is about creating.  And home decor is at the heart of my creativity.  I would like what I create to be evidenced in my home.

First lesson:

I follow a couple of decorating blogs and The Decorologist had a post a few weeks ago that really spoke to me. First I liked the colour palette and then I agreed that if you buy what you like then you will have the where with all to create a desirable environment. She had 3 Secrets for Styling Your Space With What You Already Have.  I have already spent the last year editing all my stuff.  I want to include where I am right now and what I like now.  All my folk art stuff is gone to the thrift store except for one or two things that I still luv.

Maria Killam is a great resource for getting things right.  I learned a lot about undertones.

I am stuck right now narrowing down paint selections.  I keep changing my mind. That old habit is still with me but I think my colours are right here in the house and I just have to identify them and pick the best rooms to showcase them.

So according to my fabric stash, my accessories for decorating vignettes, my favourite colours are yellow and aqua.  I just hadn't really seen them as 'grown up' decorating colours.  And to be fair as my decorating sense has evolved,  the past revolved mostly around hand me downs and sales!  lol

 First I bought a fan deck.  It has been worth the $30 just because it has saved many trips to study wee paint ships and therefore my sanity.  I find an option or two or three and then I go get several of each and cut and paste them onto white paper which I put up on the wall where I can see them over a few days.  Amazing how helpful that is.

This is how it works.  I 'always' wanted a red  room.  I have figured out it is the blue reds that I like.  I picked the best and put it up on the wall.  I had warm fuzzies for a week and then I began to really think about it.  ???  I tend to gravitate to low contrast.  Hmmm!  My collection of decorator pages usually show red as an accent and often with yellow.  ???   I have now learned that I need to have red as a secondary colour and not as wall paint.

Many decorators recommend a theme fabric or some special object.  Then you pick the 3 main colours and carry them throughout the house.  Most of my favourites have too many colours.  They do include yellow, cream, rose, aqua and a fresh green plus white.  :(

With a certain amount of angst, I have arrived at this for downstairs.

And this for upstairs.  It hasn't the real aqua but it does have a lovely chartreuse.

The public areas are more traditional and the private bedrooms are more funky. I figure blue/green changing to a yellower green up the hallways will make the transition smooth.  And besides, dragging this rug all around downstairs gets tiring quickly although I do think I need to do it at least once!  lol

Limiting my palette to 3 colours, yellow, blue/green, rose plus the neutral creams and white,  and then remembering that I favour low contrast except for seasonal pops of colour should simplify my choices.

Now to find the right white for all the woodwork!  :(  Older houses don't do so well with IKEA white but the new vinyl windows aren't exactly antique ivory!  sheesh