Okay, so I am finally putting something up on this blog thing! For those of you who know me, I love, love, love, decorating my home. Change is probably my biggest defect in life! I seem to tire of material things and want to change them up from time to time. Fortunately, I do not have this little problem with regard to my friends…those few close friends in my life, well, I like to keep them forever.
My latest whim was my bedroom. I had a blue and brown comforter on my bed for about a year and painted the wall behind it blue, which turned out more of a greenish/blue, which erked me the entire year, but I was too lazy to move everything out to repaint! I have had a coverlet/bedspread on my mind for over a year, but never found one that I really liked that I could afford. I mean, gosh, I can find lots that I liked, but not in my price range. I have noticed that my mood is really a precursor to what my bedroom will look like. When I am confident and feeling emotionally strong, I seem to go with subdued colors; however, when I am emotionally weak, insecure or anxious (dealing with fear, for those who know me), I seem to be attracted to the opposite in my décor choices….bold and strong colors. Very strange, but something I have noted about myself. I saw a bedspread/coverlet (not sure what it really is) at Wal-mart that I just loved and was super affordable (of course). Very simple solid colors (red, choc. brown, cream, sage green), but the material had a little sheen to it, and it was simple and quite lovely to my eye. Lately (well, for the past months), I have been a little emotionally challenged J. So, thence my attraction and choice for the bold red! I bought the red one, but know myself, so got a brown, too, for when I need a little depth and calm in my room.
Those who know me know that my taste in décor is very classical/modern (transitional). I like dark woods, straight lines over swirly things, simple over ornate, nothing too embellished. All that said, I was visiting a dear friend (Ann), for which the inception of our friendship was spawned from those innocent (well, mostly) and fun days of middle school, it continued through high school and we have sustained it into our mid-30s (gosh is that even possible that I am that old!). Anyway, her home was absolutely lovely! I observed from her home our tastes to be somewhat similar, but at the same time very different. Our similarities, well, I love spaces that are “less full” with balance and colors that promote general sense of calm. Ann’s color choices throughout her home were just lovely and feelings of serenity abounded in her home. Her choice of décor was gorgeous and the home was very well-balanced. The use of the space was awesome and was not overdone (as “more is more” appeals to some, it does not appeal to me). Where I noticed we varied some was in our general style. Her décor was more embellished than mine, she had swirly where mine would have been straight, some things were very ornate and the woods were more heavily engraved. It was ALL extremely tastefully done and looked gorgeous!
So, after seeing and being in her home for 4 days, I was inspired to make my room a little more embellished, girly, ornate, where I could and where budget would afford! First, I knew I needed new lamps, as all I had were some cute small little mini lamps which were way too small for the space! What I got was not “too” fancy; however it was NOTHING that I would have chosen for my room before my visit to Ann! They are a little ornate (swirlys and all!) with hints of gold underneath the brown. I got lampshades at yet another store (Target). The shades are simple tan, but on the inside they have a funky black design that when the light is on, the design shows through the shade (like a choc. brown color), ultra cool!!! Then, to embellish it even more, I bought some strands of amber colored crystals (of course not real) at Hobby Lobby and added them to the shade. I love it!!! I have a lamp on each side of the bed. I guess I could add that I got a new lamp for my guest room, too, but didn't take a picture for the blog...
I painted the wall behind the bed dark-chocolate brown! I love it too. My sheers hanging/draping were just tan $1 material that I have had for a few years. To give the bedspread a little zah zah zoom (and to bring in some depth of another darker color, brown!), I made pillows and a small duvet (throw size) for the bottom of the bed. You’d never know it but I HATE HATE HATE sewing! I only do it b/c I can’t afford to hire someone else to do it!
I chose two different materials at Hobby Lobby. One more heavily brown with funky circles (kinda Coppenhagen) and the other more ornate (with colors of golds, red, brown, tan, and hints of olive green. The pillows and the small duvet all have one material on one side and the other material on the other side. Therefore, when I switch to the brown comforter (when I need a change!), I will literally flip each pillow over, so that it will accent the brown appropriately too (red sides against brown and brown sides in front of red). The only pillow that did not have two sides is the round one at the foot of the bed. It is what it will be on both bedpreads. I bought some little red shimmery beaded strands at Hobby Lobby for $1.99 a yard that I hot glued onto the round pillow at the bottom of the bed, and the front rectangle pillow to give a little pizzaz (which you really cant see in the pictures)! All-in-all, I love it and would have paid a fortune to get something like it in the stores. So, I guess, when you want a change and want to stretch a dollar, you become VERY creative!
