Oh ye of little faith... this is what happens when too much time creeps into the cracks and crevices that lay between a decision I've made and the actual carrying out of said decision. I start waffling ... thinking maybe something else might look better ... and in what seems a mere instant, my my silver bullet train of certainty which is barreling down the creative track comes to a grinding halt and when the steam and dust clear ... there stands doubting Thomas.
Now, of my actual style - I have no doubt. I know what I like. Organic and antique - rustic wood, metal (with a patina) , stone, glass - antique rugs - ethereal element(s) in the drapes and/or bedding - throw in some down-stuffed sun-washed velvet, aged leather, some raw silk and/or linen, perhaps a hide upholstered piece and some sort of tapestry pillows and now we're cooking!
casual elegance -- not fussy nor precious. A little masculine.
If the styles of Santa Barbara and a gorgeous archaic french villagegot
swirled
around together
The end result would be the perfect image of what I love.
If I had to sum it up with a designer's name, I would definitely say
John Saladino.
Hands
down.
So, lately, I've been a little frustrated - and so, so busy with things outside of the putting together of Museville. It's just going to take some time to get Museville to it's final stage, and while I'm not a very patient person by nature, I've had to resign myself to the fact that it is just not going to happen overnight ... or just go insane. With the furniture hunting, I'm not finding key pieces as fast as I'd like - so things are at a little bit of a stand-still. I'll just have to piece things together like a jigsaw puzzle. ...Moving from a wide expanse into a small cottage with tiny rooms takes some creative doing and most of my favorite furniture from the old house is either in storage or has been sold because it just doesn't fit - literally - in the new and "cozy" space. It's just too big. Funny, it really didn't seem THAT big before...
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While I know exactly what I'm looking for furniture and accessory-wise - What I've really been wrestling with... is paint color! Seriously, crazy.
*
I love the muted and calming putty colors of the creams and light warm greys... and I love colorwashing -- from an Artist's point of view -- because it bounces the light and your eye around the room and walls always look different as the time of day or light changes. It's so wonderfully moody and not stagnant.
My favorite time of day is the soft morning sun - it washes everything in the most beautiful pale gold.. so I thought, why not going more with the yellows -- I have such a love for them anyway, so why not just put that on the walls!
And besides .. yellows look so delicious with sun-washed reds... Mmmm.
So the palette isn't a problem -- the style isn't a problem - so why am I having so much bloody trouble making a decision on the wall color?!
Ok, so it's the greys and creams.... with some yellow... all together! ...but that wall above looks a little too busy, and I like calm...
I loved the creamy putty walls in this article featured in the latest Veranda issue (above) As my eye bounced around the room - I spied with my little eye the room through the doorway - yellow. Great. Even my magazines are keeping me on the fence regarding color!
What's funny is the yellow room has all the elements of Museville's interior right now -- My sofa is the same sunwashed sage velvet, the grey on the fireplace is very close to what I am finishing my bookshelves and armoire with, and the walls... well right now they are yellow. Three different shades, to be precise - but much looser than the walls in the room above.Want to see?
These are the actual walls of Museville's interior shot at different times of the day. I actually really love this shot - it's early morning and everything looks soft and ...ancient.
It was a lot of work, and I love how the texture came out on the walls -- the varying hues of paint really show it off nicely in this light.
As the day wears on, the walls begin moving from soft buttery and creamy yellows to a more burnt umber ...
And in artificial light (above in the hallway) it looks different still --
But in the brightest midday light - it looks a little like butterscotch exploded all over my walls - and the varying shades are less apparent... I wasn't sure I loved this ....and then I saw this gorgeous photo
It is of an antique store that Joni had on her blog, Cote de Texas...
Beautiful, isn't it?! So what do you think... is the yellow of museville too much - or do you think it's gorgeous?...Or does your heart beat to the soft whites and greys?
The rugs that I just purchased and showed you in the previous post are out being cleaned, and think once they are back and I lay them on the floors, I'll have a better idea of what I need to do with the paint, but as of now, I see three choices.
To mess around with the saturation of what is already on the walls --
Repaint them entirely to the greys and creams --
or leave it as it is?
*
What do you think?
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Photo credits:
photos 1, 3, 6. John Saladino photos from various sources on the internet,
photo 2 Appartement Chanvre of La Madone in Provence found through Corey over at Tongue in Cheek, photo 4 from Shawn's blog Country French Antiques photo 5 & 7: unknown source from my files, photos 8 & 9 Veranda May/June Issue, photos 10 - 14 Me, Photos 15 & 16 from Joni's blog Cote de Texas
16 comments:
Believe me - this is a completely humble opinion. I am partial to the yellows you already have and love the way your walls look at different times of the day. BUT - I am a tad partial as my townhome living room, loft, dining room and kitchen are all a soft buttercream color. Your 'dreams' are so vividly shared with us regarding your design style. I love it!
It seems as though you are gravitating towards the yellow, you speak of the yellow hue of the morning light. I have faux finished walls for clients that are very similar to Joni's post picture. They have all turned out very soft and muted, almost ethereal looking. Color evokes an emotion, go with what makes you feel good. Hope this helps you.
Kathleen
I love the yellow, too, Helen! The colors look great until mid-afternoon, and it really does look like butterscotch. I've spent so much time on it that my brain is melting. ha.
Hi Kathleen! I love that picture from Joni's too. i've already painted my walls in the MH (pics 10-14) - I just don't know if I should revise it or go in a different direction or leave it alone - or why I'm having such a hard time deciding LOL. :/ le grrrr.
I think paint color choices are very hard indeed. Maybe it's because you will have to live with it for a long time (that is my case because my walls are 16 ft. tall and I had to pay a crew to paint the house). If you don't have much wall space, just paint what you like now because you'll probably change your mind in a year or so. I painted a bedroom a dark red and like a bull, everytime I passed that room my eyes bulged and the hair stood up. It is now a pale pale pale robin's egg blue. The rooms I had painted, were painted in a 'croissant' color. I wanted that amber late afternoon sunkissed look. I love yellows from butter to raffia.
You know that I love it! I even love it all butterscotch - as you said. It's amazingly gorgeous, and so artfully executed - so you! I'm gonna get you something special at brimfield - don't know what yet, LOL, but something.
Hey girl! Love the walls, look like they were waxed even. Can you mute them even more...just one more layer, so that in the morning light they are even more sunfaded....but come that afternoon golden light they are the color you showed us in the morning?
Make sense?
Oh boy... you are as bad as me. I am forever debating on color schemes. I love the earthy richness of the muted golds and butterscotches but I find myself drawn more and more to the swedish greys and creams. I think your walls look wonderful though. Very good job. I think you will be able to successfully integrate the styles you like. I would leave the walls the color they are {gorgeous!} and use grey and cream accessories or furniture. I don't see why the two can't be integrated, especially after seeing some of the pics you posted...
hope that helps a little,
-Kari
I like the lighter color with this style. LOVE, love the curtain panels in the first photo. So soft and billowy. Super pretty photos. I have the goldy yellows in my home, and wish I went lighter.. just my two cents..:)
First things first....I love this post!!! Now,about colour, I must say I agree with Kari, love everything about the Swedish style and colour choice!!All the best, Chrissy
i am terrible at picking wall colors but i just love the bedroom shots you have shared with us!
very inspiring.
have a great day.
chasity
Your walls are a gorgeous colour and will look wonderful with your new carpets. Love all your inspiration pics too, xv.
We are on the same page with color choices. I don't think you will be able to determine if the color is subtle enough until you put the rugs in place. No doubt, the room will look gorgeous when you are finished. Can't wait to see it! (No pressure)
Sorry for the long post,,,,
I love your style-- If you come even a tad close to pulling it off with that beautiful photo you posted with the yellow walls and the sage couch you will have a winner. Personally I live in the North West with dish water gray sky's so I love to wake up with any light coming in the windows casting a warm glow on butter-cream and soft washed yellows it has to be the right shade of creams and yellows otherwise yellows can look dirty in the shadows and a bit brown. experiment with a store bought 4 X 8 section of sheet rock and divide it up with tape and paint your favorites textures & colors next place it like a painting in different rooms at different times of the day for the light- a former client & friend did this to get the right shade of yellow for her open concept living space it took more then thirty times before we found the perfect yellow combo for day and night... she was very picky most people only take about 7 color changes.
Good Luck! Beautiful post,
Joanny
Dowsers Daughter
Thank you so much -- I always appreciate input and you are so kind to give it.
I originally had more red based rugs in mind when I chose the yellow colorwash currently on the walls of Museville - and now that I've taken a spin in a different direction with the gold rugs, I just am worried it's going to be too much yellow ... we shall see when they get back from being cleaned. ...Poor tired husband said they looked clean enough when we got them - but being the clean freak that I am ... and seeing that they are ancient -- who knows where they have been and what has been on them! LOL.
xo Isa - the neurotic.
You already know how I feel about John Saladino. Great inspiration. Your walls look beautiful. That's a tough choice, but re-doing your walls can often cause a domino effect throughout your home. Not sure you want to go there, especially when they look so pretty as is. I struggle with these decisions every day as well. Can't wait to hear what you decide.
xo
Brooke
We are defenately kindred spirits!
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