A wall of a different color

Much thought has been put into the dilemma of what color to repaint the fireplace wall in the living (well, currently dining) room. As you may recall, it began back in July (yes, it's really taken me this long to address the issue) with the patching of a softball-size hole created after I removed the largest wall anchor I've ever seen. Once the patching was complete, I realized there was no leftover green paint in the carport closet.

I do like the existing green and I could just match it as closely as possible and keep it the same color. But when the opportunity, nay necessity, to repaint it presented itself it opened up a whole spectrum of new possibilities. We're currently auditioning five samples of blues and greens and I'm sad to report that my gut tells me none of these are the one.


I think I've decided my color inspiration is coming from the pattern on a favorite teacup and saucer, which was a gift from my dear friend Amy of Artichokes & Lemonade.

And so the search continues...


BTW, I realize that in professional design circles the debate rages on as to whether or not the painted "focal wall" is a faux pas. There was even a couple pages devoted to the topic in a recent issue of House Beautiful featuring designers weighing in on both sides of the issue, and they both had some good points.

I'm going to add my voice to the choir and say I'm just fine with a focal wall. Why does it have to be all or nothing? In my house, the living and dining room are one big space, so from the paint purist's perspective if I want some color on my walls I'd either have to commit to it for the entire ginormous room or do without. Poo poo to that, I say.

While I acknowledge that painting all four walls (and sometimes even the ceiling too) in the same color can make a gutsy and powerful style statement, it isn't always a practical choice depending on the shape and size of your room and how you've designated your space. As someone who is just as willing to change paint colors as I was to change hair colors as a teenager, I'm fairly sure that if I put a strong color on every wall in the living/dining room I'd tire of it rather quickly. Besides, most design rules are made to be broken, yo. Or at the very least challenged.

A new take on the dining table toast

Saw this and thought it was pretty neat-o indeed. It's a chandelier and glass rack in one! Designed by some very clever Swedish chaps (Björn Stillefors, Jörgen Pudeck and Gunnar Cedervall, to be precise), this single-bulb fixture capitalizes on the form of your wine glasses and/or champagne flutes.

Glass Cluster Chandelier from Generate Design, $359 (holds 16 glasses) - $419 (holds 40 glasses)

While this fixture would certainly spark some good dinner party conversation, it would also be fantastic hanging over a kitchen island. That is, if you're one of those folks lucky enough to have the space for one...sigh. Picture it: drop-dead modern chic with simple clear stemware, and equally gorgeous decked out in your grandma's cut-glass ruby goblets come holiday time. Or why not mix and match?

All in all they're not terribly expensive. I believe the genius justifies the price here, so in my opinion it's worth saving your pennies for.

Despite the arguably dramatic effect of the larger chandelier, I can't imagine an instance where one would have need of a storage solution for 40 pieces of stemware in this day and age. Unless you're (a) Martha Stewart, (b) a catering company or (c) widely known for hosting the social event of the season in your neighborhood I'd opt for the more diminutive 16-glass version.

New Perspective

Happy Friday all!

I've been contemplating the disheveled sensation in my inner and outer environment lately — I'm pretty sure they're at least somewhat related — since we're still trying to put the house together from the floor install. I keep coming back to the subject of perspective.

Perspective can be a wonderful thing. It can also be rather off-putting occasionally. All depends on how you see it. And that's just it. When we become able to see something differently a whole new set of possibilities can open up to us. Sometimes that's stressful at first, particularly if you're prone to wondering who "moved your cheese" or in this case your nesting tables. But I submit to you that it's important to just go with it. Really.

The stress of moving every item out of our living/dining room and hallway has turned into an opportunity to see these spaces in an entirely new light. Suddenly we're shifting furniture around and I'm thinking of introducing a new contrasting color into my current blue/green/tan color scheme. Suddenly the palette seems less restrictive. That led me to rescue a painting, done by yours truly incidentally, that had been languishing in an unremarkable location and give it a new place of honor in the main living area — something I never would've contemplated before!


Sorry for the ramble. I'm not trying to get all philosophical on you or anything, so here's a practical tidbit: There was a piece of decorator advice I read recently in one of my shelter mags that struck me as clever. She suggested rounding up all your accessories from various rooms in one place, like the dining room table. Take a look at them and try to imagine them in a new location in your home. Then give it a shot. The upside is it's free and it makes you feel like you've got new stuff in almost every room.

Hey, why not? You can always change it back.

Neighborly decor

Since I seem to be in a bit of a slump for blog-worthy material lately (meh), I thought I'd share a little side project I took on. My neighbor is doing a whole lotta renovations to her house and one day we started talking about art and decor and things to do with her living/dining room. Just for fun, I came up with a sort of fantasy collection of items for her amusement, taking into account some of the furniture she already has. Here it is:


Lighting:
ALÄNG Floor lamp - IKEA, $39.99
Capiz Hanging Pendant - World Market, $69.99

Furniture:
Ikat Slipper Chair in Natural - Urban Outfitters, $325
Chrome Chinese Porcelain Stool - Overstock.com, $89.99
Smooth Suede Shorty Dining Chair Covers - Overstock.com, $19.99/2
Asian Black Wine Cabinet - Pier One, $299.98 on sale

Pillows (left to right):
'Sparks of Light' Pair of Cotton Cushion Covers - Novica.com, $20.66
Ikat Pillow in Green - Pier One, $17.21 on sale
Estrella Embroidered Pillow - Pier On, $34.95
Embroidered Paisley Pillow in Rust - Pier On, $34.95
Patchwork Cotton Ikat Pillow Cover - Fabricadabra.com, $35

Rug:
Hand-woven Dhurry Arrah (5'6 x 8') - Overstock.com, $139.99

Window Coverings:
Suzani Print Panel - World Market, $26.99 ea.
1/2 in. Slate Tortoise Bamboo Blind (72" long) - Pearl River Mart, $52.50

Accessories:
Novica.com - 'Windblown Leaf' Wood Statuette, $42.95
Decorative Glass Vase - Pier One, $35
Pair of Nickel Glass Wall Sconce Candleholders - Overstock.com, $69.99
Set of three Wrapped Mirrors - Overstock.com, $50.99
Decorative Glass Vase (left) - Pier One, $35

Paint:
Living and Dining Room main wall color - Shoji Screen, Sherwin-Williams
Fireplace color - Fenland, Sherwin-Williams
Living Room focal wall color - Lemongrass, Sherwin-Williams
Dining Room focal wall color - Sierra Redwood, Sherwin-Williams

Incidentally my own spectacular living/dining room transformations lag behind. FYI, I know I haven't posted proper floor photos yet (or even house paint photos) but I will. Really.

C'mon get happy

Here's a little dose of "happy chic" designer Jonathan Adler for the long Labor Day weekend.


Is this a dining room? A library? Both? It's the stuff of dreams, that's what it is. Whatever, I heart pretty much everything about this space, from the rich dark shelving to the citron chippendale chairs (swoon) to the fantabulous chandelier. Incidentally, my mom has a pair of those chairs (not in citron, mind) that I admire — and covet a little — every time I visit.


Hey, who wouldn't feel a twinge of manic joy or at least childlike wonder in a room containing a lifesize statue of a dog on a white grand piano, a metal ship and a bronze palm tree? :)

Thanks Jonathan, for doin' what you do.