I’ve been doing quite a bit of painting lately…for my Giggle creations, in my home, and as I posted on Monday…just about anything I can get my hands on! My color of choice these days–white! Each spring I love to purge my home of unnecessary clutter, a popular time of year to clean & organize. But this year I also wanted to lighten and refresh my indoor spaces and there’s no better color than white to make things seem clean and bright! I’ve learned over the years that for me, neutral colors work best for my walls and upholstery pieces…even though I am a sucker for color and pattern! It takes great restraint on occasion when shopping for furniture or choosing paint colors since I usually gravitate toward choices far from neutral! But I can keep my passion for patterns and ever changing color loves alive in my home when I purchase pillows, artwork, rugs, and accessories. These things can often be inexpensive so I can swap them out when I feel the need for change! So the latest room in need of something fresh happened to be our bedroom. I sometimes feel like the bedroom is one of the last rooms I spend time on. I suppose that’s because nobody really sees it but us! And like many families, our bedroom is an accumulation of hand-me-down furniture and mismatched pieces that we love…but don’t really go together! I had already painted some of our bedroom furniture to help remedy that situation but I wasn’t completely satisfied with the room as a whole. I was ready for an update and the easiest way to do it was to paint the walls…and sticking to my personal lessons learned, I chose white! See the simple ways I updated our space just by painting, a little organizing, and keeping things I love near!
bright mornings = good mornings!
we’re lucky that our home is naturally very bright even on a gloomy day! but now that the walls are white…it’s SO much livelier than i could have even imagined! it just makes me happy when i wake up! it helps make the room look so clean…even though the reality is that it’s most likely not!
i leave a basket at the end of the bed to keep extra linens handy! the dog usually has any blankets or extra pillows on the floor as soon as i make the bed so this way i can TRY keeping it neat!
i love mixing different shades of white…from the bright walls to the various hues of cream on the furniture and rugs. it creates a comfortable, lived-in look…and let’s face it, homes are meant to be lived in!
and the wonderful thing about neutrals…you can blend any colors or wood tones with ease! i’m particularly fond of the French headboard given to us by some family friends when we were married! and i found a way to incorporate pattern in this cute comforter on clearance at Target! a really easy way to blend in something graphic…and effortless to change later!
old slip covered chairs somehow don’t look as old and tattered anymore now that the walls have a facelift! cable knit throws help create a soft, comfortable place to curl up with a book or magazine and keep the covers protected from the pets…or humans!
i thought it would be a cute idea to fill the tiny urn with sea shells instead of moss for a summer touch…
i love the way all the black & white photos look against the white! i’ve always loved to decorate with black and white…it’s so classic and can still conform to many styles!
and it’s always great to display mementos and special items…it reflects personality but more importantly is a a reminder of wonderful memories! the tiny figurines are treasures our son picked up on his travels to China last summer…one for each of us! i will always have them out somewhere in my home!
i like to create texture in my rooms by using lots of contrasting finishes like the weathered box & sleek ebony figures above, or by layering textiles on the furniture, using fuzzy rugs & cushions on the floor, and adding natural elements and wood tones.
the old TV cabinet is now storage for bed linens and seasonal throws…a nice way to repurpose a piece that we were about to get rid of!
and speaking of storage…one of my favorite organizational items is the antlers for all my jewelry! i love finding unique items to stand in for traditional ones…and if you keep your mind open you can usually save some money too! i found this in the clearance section of Home Good for less than $15! i can always use it as a decorative item later…but i think it will stay put on my dresser for a while!
a little hanging terrarium (from Meijer stores) adds some life and color…
and trays are wonderful for collecting items together and making them look good!
so my dresser can look pretty organized…and even my utilitarian things seem to stand out on the white! it’s such a little thing but it makes me happy…and a happy mom and wife is a VERY good thing!
another thing that makes me happy…my closet. not because what’s on the inside…
but because of what’s hanging outside…my memory board! when the door is closed it not only hides our cramped storage quarters, and the fact that my husband truthfully has more clothes than me, but showcases wonderful memories!
a bright place to start each day, a comfy place to relax, and a space filled with memories to fall asleep on…
a perfectly imperfect place to create…