We’re moving!  My husband has just taken a job back in Seattle, so we’ll be moving from sunny Arizona to ….. cloudy Seattle.  But we couldn’t be happier – we have family and friends and connections to that city and are so excited to be returning.  However, a move of that scope means I’ll be out of touch for a bit and Cindy will be fielding more questions and posts on her own.  So if you write with a question we hope you’ll understand if we don’t always meet our 48 hour response time.  And I hope you’ll understand if a few of my upcoming articles are perhaps a little less comprehensive than you’re used to.  I’ll be back full time as soon as I can.

Today I want to update you on a reader’s questions and response to my suggestions.  A few weeks ago Virginia wrote asking for some advice about colors, wall decor and accessories in her home.   This is a delightful before/after story and I want to thank Virginia for sharing her photos. 

Virginia had several design dilemmas – wall color: she didn’t love the bright orange and dark brown; wall decor: she needed ideas on what to put on a couple of sizeable blank wall spaces.

Before and After Room Photos

The dining room had a bright orange wall that Virginia didn’t enjoy.  You can see the color changes below.

Virginia's former orange wall and living room brown wall.

Virginia's new wall colors.

 You can see Virginia opted to tone down the strong color in both rooms and used a fresh green (or is it slightly yellow?) in the dining room and a neutral in the living room.  You’ll also notice that she took my advice and lowered the height of the mirror so it’s more connected to the table.  I suggested she look for art that was not horizontal in shape since all of the other pieces in her home were horizontal.  She found this great star “laying around” – I think it makes a perfect counterpoint to all the rectangular shapes.

The before room overview.

The "after" room with the lighter wall colors.

Kitchen Wall Changes

Virginia was also stumped by what to do with a long empty wall in her kitchen.  I made several suggestions and she opted for the “message center” but with her own twist of using 3 chalkboards instead of one large one.  I like it!

Virginia's long blank wall next to the fridge "before".

The kitchen "after" paint & message board addition.

Benefits of a Little Paint

These before and after photos show once again the benefit of a coat of paint.  The change in the living room, dining room and kitchen are dramatic.  The feeling is more peaceful and cheerful, definitely not boring or overly bold.  If you’ve been afraid to break free from your beige neutrals, you can see that Virginia successfully toned down those bold colors to make a comfortable space.  You can do it too.

Thanks again Virginia for sharing your project.  We’d like to share other successes as well – it’s time for you to take a few before and after pictures as you start your fall project.  We’d love to share the results.

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