INSPIRATION FOR THE DAY : BEAUTIFUL ROOMS
(INSPIRATION FOR THE DAY : BEAUTIFUL ROOMS ) When I peeked out the landing window on my way downstairs in the morning, the giant chestnut tree, which had been nothing but a tangle of bare branches for months, was suddenly completely decked out in her green outfit and bursting with life. Every year, it seems to happen out of nowhere. Spring sneaks in overnight, unpacks her luggage, and flings her green gowns over all the naked trees that are merely hanging there like so many empty hangers in a wardrobe, while we’re all wondering when it’ll warm up.
I can only imagine that it’s not that I’m entirely blind, but that it’s just far enough away that I can’t see the buds growing and beginning to unroll, so the Ta Da moment doesn’t come until the leaves are fully open. As the earth awakens from her winter rest, flower appears everywhere I look. So, in honor of that, here’s some soft color to set the tone.
- BEAUTIFUL ROOMS
On a morning, this will wake you up. I’m not sure I’d have the bravery to paint my windows this colour, but I kind of wish I could. Don’t you think the deeper green cabinet and flowery wallpaper that wraps the walls and extends up to the ceiling would make this a great place to work?
Obviously, the view from here is lovely as well, but it’s worth remembering that if your view is less than ideal, you can decorate to divert attention away from what’s outside and keep it firmly rooted inside – either with a nature-inspired scheme that you wish you had in real life, or simply with colours and patterns that you enjoy and will always make you smile.
- INSPIRATION FOR THE DAY
This is why choosing a color other than white for your windows can be such an important part of your home decor. Finally, if your view isn’t excellent but you have a window sill, a window box will always add some actual greenery while also hiding a little of the urban jungle. I have rosemary and thyme in my window box, and the idea is that when it becomes warm enough to open the window, their mild smell will float in. That hasn’t happened yet.
This is a more calming and useable colour scheme for me. Pink and green tones with natural flooring and a scallop motif. In a real house, I’m not sure you’d paint a wavy stripe over your paneling, but this was a style photo for a magazine, and it helps to attract attention to the lamp and the corresponding forms on the floor.
Painting a ric rac stripe on the wall in a bathroom or bedroom with a steady hand and sans the paneling would look great, and reminds me of Samantha Todhunter’s Bert & May tile collection. If you’re looking for a new trend, this scallop one appears to be on its way to taking over the world in the next years.
It’s another classic that’s having a moment – at least, I say classic because I had a number of dresses like this growing up in the 1970s, so it’s not that the idea is new, it’s just that it’s being used in a different manner, which is essentially what a trend is.As a result, if you like one, you shouldn’t hesitate to use it. You’ll instantly know which ones aren’t for you or which ones you liked the first time but don’t want to wear again, such as denim hot pants and pineapple designs.
From pinks and greens through yellows and plums, we arrive at this kitchen, painted with Farrow & Ball cable. Regular readers of The Mad House will know that I’ve been flirting with yellow, but that I’ll never really paint my kitchen in the color. Honey, on the other hand, may be a different story. Just enough yellow to count, but not so much that it overwhelms my senses before my first of two strong morning coffees.
The mild honey-colored floorboards complement the honey-colored walls, while the darker antique table and dramatic marble backsplash add oomph to the motif. Don’t forget about the old brass flower lights, either. You would think they belong in a living room, where they would look fantastic, but how much more fun would it be to incorporate them into a kitchen’s generally more austere and utilitarian lines? Cushions, upholstery, and curtains are provided for sitting rooms. Allow the cooks to partake in some of the pleasure.
Staying with honey in this lovely bedroom by Sophie Ashby, who has paired these gentle tones with a plum bedside table, which complements the dark wood in the kitchen above. This is a bit more unusual combination, but it’s all the more lovely for it, and the flowery cushion nicely blends the two colours together, with the green acting as the ideal foil.
If you’re lost for ideas, walk around Liberty’s fabric section, or your local fabric store – or even online wallpaper merchants like Wallpaper Direct – if you have the time. Check the flower box to see what appears. It makes no difference if you don’t like the pattern; the point is to look at the colours and see how they work together, as well as how you may utilise them in your own house. I have a lot of plums in my house, and I’m starting to believe I might need honey.
Finally, the only honey color is in the bath sponge, but the olive green and dark wood blend nicely to create this magnificent bathroom in this Cotswolds vacation property. If you don’t want your bathroom to be too chilly, tongue and groove paneling is a great alternative. I did it in my last house (about 11 years ago) and think the timing is right to do it again. It’s comfortable, and for those of you who get bored fast, it’s much easier to modify by painting over rather than ripping out and replacing tiles.
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