Color Play

When we bought this little house on the busy street (still looking for a name for it..we always try to name our homes) , first thing I did was buy a little note book so I could keep notes for decor, projects, business cards for places I see things so I know to go back and whatever happens to inspire me that is house oriented. I also started tearing through magazines and clipping photos again, as I had started doing for other reasons a few years ago, gearing it back towards roses I want in my garden, clippings of rooms and items that I perhaps want to copy / re-create for less, or even because it has a color in it that inspires future color schemes. I also never leave home without my camera. Like the photo above says, you never know when inspiration will strike..... Possibly too much. 

I have become known to be addicted to paint chips, if we go to a store that sells paint, I grab paint chips, I even own a color deck. I love color, this is no secret, well to those that really know me. I may dress in mainly black, white and gray, but I love nearly every color in the rainbow for one reason or another. Color can inspire, change moods, or reflect a current one. For a time I went through color therapy as part of my fibromyalgia treatment , I even owned a set of color glasses for it . My then doctor told me that what color we gravitate towards reflects something we desire in our life, or are going through or even have just gone through. As he explained what different colors meant and how they can effect us in so many ways and on so many levels, I could see how and why through years this proved true for me.... could be why over the last two years my wardrobe went from colorful to what it is now, seriously lacking in any color. This is not about my wardrobe however, this is about color that I want surrounding me within my home. 

When we were about to loose our home, and life seemed to be draining of color, I painted my walls a neutral pale latte color, we moved to an apartment and we had beige and brown all around us, and at first I fought back with color, and guess my mood just would not jive with color and slowly I found myself going to all black and white and though there was some pink infused, for the most part I started voiding color from my life. The very last apartment before buying this house, I really slipped into the beige apartment world and embraced it, I bought all neutral items , everything was in beige, brown and tans, I truly thought that would be my colors for a long time to come. I still appreciate that, my daughter decorates in these colors and it is warm and cozy, and I shall always have a draw towards deep chocolate brown...my favorite blanket is that color. As we got closer to buying this home, a bit of color started to seep in , but not a lot. Once we got in and I started putting the decor together, suddenly, surrounded by the same pale creme colored walls that was in our last apartment, I started really craving bright, cheerful colors. 

I want colors that make me feel like dancing ,
but still want to be able to add rich calming, cozy
colors in at will.

Colors I became drawn to, became colors that reflect both the age of the house (1940's) and colors that would make me feel as if I was surrounded by Spring and Summer and well, happy colors.  It became a craving, perhaps because of the cold weather ( inside and out as our house has poor insulation) , or maybe because though I like the house, it is not my dream home and it is very far away from my dream location... so perhaps to not slip into a bit of depression over the latter, especially as repairs kept popping up, toilets busted and fridges broke down all  in the first two weeks robbing us from a bit of new home owner joy.  So with that in mind, I started collecting color chips and taking photos of items that I own as well as things I see in stores that will eventually ( when we can afford to do it ) land on my walls.   The biggest problem for me is going to be settling on a single color, just the right shade, and one that is neutral enough that I can still have room to bring in seasonal decor during the Fall and Winter months when I do like to bring in richer shades to my surroundings.  As much as I love Spring and Summer colors, I do still love the cozy reds, oranges, deep  browns and forest greens that come with the other two seasons. 

What is inspiring me now color wise....

A painting at World Market, filled with soft blues, pinks,
lavenders and even just a touch of yellow and brown
inspire my colors for my bedroom.

No secret I adore birds and butterflies, and the blue
is such a perfect cross between warm and cool tones.

A scarf at Target , the blue with the natural linen color
is so pretty together. 

Pale blue, antiqued silver and cheery yellow, green , and
orange... what a great color story. 

Cornflower blue ....

More cool colors paired with warm ones. 

Cheery bright colored birds....

Natural Neutrals and that pop of blue.....

THIS came home with me... the perfect shade of soft,
vintage green!

Robbin egg blue and sunshine yellow are my happy colors.
I am really thinking that my walls will be blue and I already have
pops of bright yellow in the house.

There is that green again, perfect for the kitchen when we
remodel it, paired with white cabinets, warm woods,
and then adding in pops of the other colors in the home,
thinking that will be a cheery room for sure!

A natural combo... but look at the colors behind the
two items. 

Anything can inspire, even bottles. I now, thanks to a friend who
inspired me during a recent lunch date, chill my water in the
fridge in the clear bottles.. nicer than plastic. The blue,
well, I seem to be drawn to blue don't I?? 

There is that blue again... and...

again. 

Blue and green lids.... future spice jars in my kitchen??

paler inspiration ....

with just a bit of warmth.

Florals always inspire... I so want these one day in my
little blue milk can , but for now...

blue is truly an earth tone , and a neutral as much
as darker colors like browns and tans.

My daughters painting has always inspired me and
made me happy to look at. Cool blues paired off
with warm shades of yellow, bright to dark greens,
even deep dark brown. 

Again, inspired by birds and nature. 

Even where I keep my sweeteners inspire me!

I played with a cheerful blue on a photo of the
living room I had via a program on a paint store web site. 

Tv shows can inspire.... I went back to white furniture
because of this one. 

Same show ( Revenge), there is that green I so love, paired with
both natural and white painted wood, see the yellow, and the blues?

One of the original inspirations ! 

What inspires you when choosing paint colors?