Tuesday, December 7, 2010

"I See a Red Door and I Want It Painted Black."

 ...well not really.  "I saw a white door leading to the basement and I wanted it painted black" would be a more accurate (and less poetic) title.  However,  this is probably the only chance I get to quote the Rolling Stones in my blog  so I went for it!

For a couple of months I was really busy at work.  I felt like all that I did was work, hang out with Kiran after his preschool and then work some more during the night (you may have noticed the lack of posts).  Sometimes even when I went to bed I kept thinking of things that I needed to get done at work.  Well during those days and nights I really needed an outlet for my anxiety.  Some people eat and some people exercise to blow off some steam...but I like to do house projects.  One day I called Scott and told him that he had to pick up some Benjamin Moore Studio Finishes Chalkboard paint on his way home from work.  Well that night instead of spending another sleepless night laying in bed thinking about all the things that I had to get done I spent a couple of hours cleaning the basement door downstairs and then painting it black.  I loved it so much that I decided to also paint the door to the downstairs bathroom black, before going to bed.  Scott and Kiran woke up the next morning to the black doors and they both loved it.

 Door leading to the basement.
A close up of the basement door.
A close up of the bathroom door downstairs.


A close up of my favoite door knob .
The next night I painted Kiran's bedroom door and the second floor bathroom door black.  The next night it was our room door and the door downstairs that leads to the backyard.  Well now all the doors except for those on the third floor and the front door are black.  I love the way the doors look.  They are very dramatic and unexpected.  What do you think?

The door to Kiran's room to the left and the bathroom door on the second floor to the right. 

A close up of the Kiran's door (it is actually black and not at all bluish like in this picture).

The second floor bathroom door.
I had originally planned on using chalkboard paint so that Kiran could draw on the basement door but I may never let Kiran draw on any of these doors...I haven't decided yet.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

I need some color!

While I love the juxtaposition of lots of colors, textures and prints (more is always more) I sometimes love the serenity of all white rooms.

I recently came across these two beautiful images on Decor8 and I can't help but drool over the this beautiful home. I love the crochet covers on the bed.  I especially like the contrast of the white cover with the beautiful cream cover.  I obsessively searched eBay for a while for vintage crochet bedspreads. I wanted one that I could dye black but they all ended up being too granny-ish that I didn't end up buying anything.  Seeing this picture  has re-sparked my eBay search for crochet blankets!  The bright clothes pop nicely against the all white decor.  I think the light fixture is a Tord Boontje garland that I have been lusting after for ages. I have no where to put it so I have resisted the urge to buy it.

Speaking of lamps I have also been lusting after a Bourgie lamp like the one below.  I prefer the completely clear one and once a lot of the major renovations are done I may buy one.  It is sort of way out of the league, in terms of cost, compared to all my other thrift store lamps.  I am not sure  if there were ever a time that I didn't have any major renovations to do that I would actually spend that kind of money on a lamp.  For now I am quite content thinking that I may buy it.  I  love the mix of high and low in the picture below,  the amazing lamp is sitting on an inexpensive Ikea cabinet and looks stunning.  


There is no chance that I am going to paint my walls white (any time soon) but I love adding lots of white furniture and accessories to the room.  White makes it easier to live with lots of color.  

I shall go to bed tonight dreaming of the Bourgie lamp.