Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Lightening Up


Is there something in the air?  Well there sure is around here; the pollen is so thick that floats by like some fantastically weird desert or snow storm.  Yellow, yellow, everywhere - I could brush off the deck furniture four times a day and have no impact...

But more than that, I feel myself attracted more and more to only those things and those people who fill me up with their good energy. They literally and figuratively lighten my load and I love it!


This is being reflected in my house, funny enough.  For years, I was attracted to only deep, rich hues.  I think I have gone through nearly every colour of gold in Benjamin Moore's colour palette - now I find myself hopelessly in love with pale greens, pale blues, whites and creams.

You would be forgiven for blaming this on the coral abomination, but that would not be accurate.



In fact, it began a few months ago in this bathtub:




Because as I lay soaking in the tub, I realized that it has been ten years since we had reno-ed the bathroom and I still LOVED it.

Just like I still love my kitchen:







And the newly-lightened-up family room




and laundry room:





and Parisian loo:



I felt calm with this colour palette offsetting all of our antiques and things I have collected over the years.  And I didn't grow tired of the colours.

So I am lightening up, and more pictures soon, as our painter is coming to paint our dining room and hallway, because I am a rotten painter and Barry has been flat out installing a new front door:


definitely a BEFORE picture!

While I wait, I am lightening the bed for the season....




And these cushions are waiting for the pale walls so they can really pop!





Hmm, now if I could only lighten Wendy...

Ah well, we do what we can...

Have a great day and stay safe out there!

xoxo wendy





30 comments:

  1. There is nothing like a fresh coat of paint to refresh a room..like wearing basics so the accessories can pop.

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  2. My whole house is neutral grey, green blue and creams. I, too, find it soothing and a nice foil for art and furnishings. I love those pillows, Wendy. They are really a find!

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    1. They are from a handpainted print, which I really love!

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  3. So funny you talk about lighening up,as i just got the neon citrus lace shift dress from the crew:)
    Love the color palette you have for your house!!!!

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    1. I would say that is really lightening up! Love neon citrus in the summer!

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  4. Very pretty! I have one of those bluebell gray pillows too. Love the summery shift.

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    1. Thanks jen! They are quite lovely! Hope the pre-book-release is going well!

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  5. I love that coral! Are you not going to keep that? You are someone who does it once and does it right! (its a Kiwi slogan). Your house is so charming, am loving the very blue-white European look of the bathroom and the kitchen is modern and yet so nostalgic with those sages and red accesories.

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    1. Oh Jody - the coral looked okay in the picture, but it was HIDEOUS in real life! Changed it to the colour here:

      http://onecantgetoverthehabit.blogspot.ca/2014/06/sunday-glorious-sunday-and-coral-is-gone.html

      The green in the kitchen was based on my parents' 1960s cannisters and a toy tin kitchen. Will do a post on this - i.e. what inspires you to do what you do?

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    2. you will find this frightening, but I am just searching the net for a salmon colored throw for the living room! Never in my life would i have thought I would be doing that but the stylist who came to our house threw one over the white sofas - and incredibly it tied everything in together!

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    3. Wendy, I am all over the show in inspiration, I love color and a bit o kitsch and anything that looks beachy.

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    4. Jody - I saw a beautiful one yesterday at the local shop! And cheapr! Email me offline if you want me to pop over and send you a pic! (sydforry@hotmail.com)

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  6. Wendy, I love your home. So charming, cozy and elegant.

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  7. Love it. There's nothing like a change of color to change the whole mood of a room! Excited to see how everything turns out.

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    1. Me too! Our painter can't come for a couple of weeks but there are rumblings of painterly interest on Barry's part....

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  8. Wendy, I love your home! It looks so cozy and inviting and I love how you use things that you obviously love. I don't know you (obviously!) but I feel as though your home accurately reflects your personality.

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    1. Thanks Anon! I actually think that my home is exactly me!

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  9. I love so much your bathroom Wendy.... And your other rooms too looks really nice. Your loo are fantastic... Funny how many people don't pay attention to their loo...
    This is my nature, so I am very curious to see the result of covering your coral wall :-)

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    1. Hi Steph! The pics of the "after" can be seen here:

      http://onecantgetoverthehabit.blogspot.ca/2014/06/sunday-glorious-sunday-and-coral-is-gone.html

      since then we've added the trim at the ceiling, etc, but this will let you see the change!

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  10. Everything looks restful but interesting. I wonder what color the hall will be or that sitting room? We await the unveiling.

    The pollen is choking thick here, too. I can't have windows wide open for the green haze. But the strawberries are ripening!

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    1. I am hopeful for fresh strawberries next week Lane! There were some from Nova Scotia at the local shop last Saturday!

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  11. Your home looks so comfortable and inviting! I love lighter shades of paint. They make the room look bigger and airy! Can't wait to see your front door. It's the face of a house. I find that it sets the tone!
    Have a beautiful day!

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    1. Hi A! It is funny - for the last ten years I was in a serious intense colour stage. But that's life and we have to listen to the muse in our ear!

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  12. Love those beautiful cushions Wendy - so pretty, I love a watercolour. Interesting that your colour choices are changing with your mood/ time in life. I love white living rooms as they are timeless, but can still be warm depending on the tone and what else you put in the room. I once had a yellow living room, and after 3 years was so over the yellow (incidentally, adults apparently fight more in a yellow room). xx

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    1. Now that is interesting.... At one point, had a gold dining room (well I still do for at least another week), yellow hallway, a yellow family room, yellow kitchen. Maybe I should call them the dark years of my marriage????? They were all different shades, but still...

      I am a sucker for all fabrics painterly!

      My parents had all rooms in their house white and to be truthful, I would take white over beige any day of the week. I do love cream though. I just have never cottoned on to those coffee shades...

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  13. I went through similar phases too. My walls were deep green, then went to a khaki, then a caramel, and now I am at off-white. The ceiling is 14ft high and too much colour on the wall would make the space more narrow, I feel.

    Love your pretty floral cushions!

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Kindness is a virtue...