Glimpse In A Mirror

Decorating Update

Yesterday, I picked up red tab topped curtains for the windows beside the front door, and got the wood to make the cornice frames. With tension rods, I have the curtains up temporarily, mostly so I can see if the color is right for the room. I love it. Today, I picked up a piece of fabric that I think I'm going to use to accent the room. I got enough for the cornices, but now I'm thinking that I will also add it as a ruffle along the insides of the red curtains, along the green curtains, and even recover the barstools with it. I need to figure out how many more yards to get, and pick them up this week. I also have some basic cornice shape ideas that I want to test. I've decided to use posterboard to mount it to the wall to see if the shape really works in the room.

I also found a napkin with a scrolling pattern that I think I'm going to paint/stencil on the kitchen backsplash and the front of the breakfast bar area. It's a classic looking scrolling vine type of pattern. It will be great in the room. I'm thinking about using shades of gold, maybe some slight accents in red, and maybe some sage green. I need to play with this a bit to figure it out.

As I sat in the living room tonight, surrounded by these colors, I felt very happy. I'm really getting the room (and my life) to a place where things feel good, where I'm really happy just sitting around. I remember that I used to feel like that, three years ago, while I lived in North Scottsdale. My life was serene back then. Since moving to central Phoenix, my life has been more chaotic. I've been surrounded by too much stuff, shoehorned into a smaller size place, and not really able to take care of the appearances as I might like. But now, after all of the things I've been working on for so long, I'm getting there. And its a different feeling than before, a deeper sense of order than before.

I stopped today and looked at furniture. I've promised myself new furniture at the end of the year. I have been thinking that I would get a nice neutral chenille or textural fabric in maybe a sage green, and dress it up with the accessory colors in the room, the red, green, gold and purples. I discovered a wonderful set in red chenille, curled arms, and window shopped a loveseat and a chair and a half for the room. They would be lovely. The price is too high, and I'm not ready to purchase, but it was a fortuitus find. Just makes me even more sure that I will find something perfect when I'm really ready to purchase.

I did spot a beautiful curved metal bakers rack that I seriously considered purchasing. But tonight, I went through the Smith and Hawken catalog, and found one bigger and more beautiful for about 1/3 less, really letting me know that the prices in that store are way too high. I had considered going back for the rack, weatherproofing the wood, and using it outside. There will be a wonderful piece for out there, but not that one at that price.

I purchased plants for the garden yesterday. They are on the patio waiting to be planted. I'm going to take a work break yet this week and work on the patio one afternoon, doing the spring cleaning, getting organized out there, getting the herbs and flowers planted. I'm also thinking about a lattice panel for privacy from the neighbors. Their yard is unsightly, not to mention that they can see into my house as things are now. Maybe I'll build the lattice panel, put in the bathroom shelves, and make the cornices this weekend. It sounds like a fun Saturday already.

Things are really good in my life. There is enough work, a good balance of time off, and I've been getting up early, even though I've been up way too late every night, including tonight. My life is really good right now. Sigh.