Apparently the bare walls in this house are driving DH crazy. I had no idea he had such an aversion to blank space, but there you have it.... He brought me down to the clinic yesterday to see the newly painted Winnie the Pooh mural in the children's exam room -- which is completely adorable -- and then immediately began the hard sell (with the muralist still right there) on how we should get our family room walls done, and we should decide RIGHT NOW and get it painted ASAP. Ack!
I haven't let him hang any pictures downstairs yet because I feel like I need some space and time to breathe and figure things out. Now that we're settled in a house for the long haul, I want to make well thought out decorating decisions. I want this to be a space I'll love, rather than one that's been quickly cobbled together just for the sake of having it sort of together. I feel like everything has happened so quickly already and without much input from me -- the purchase of the house, the selection of living room furniture, the organization of certain storage rooms and closets that I would have done much differently -- that I just want to pull the reins back and regain some small amount of control. I want to have my say.
Isn't it supposed to be my job to provide "the woman's touch" to our home? Who knew I had such an opinionated husband when it came to decorating?
Pleh.
Anyway. So now I'm thinking about murals and interior design and about my vision for this house. I don't really have one. I do think a mural would work better for the girls' room or the play room than the family room -- but maybe that's just because I lack imagination, and the only mural I've seen so far is the kids' room at the clinic. Who knows.
I Googled "playroom design" just now and haven't come across anything that really strikes me (though I did learn this helpful tidbit from About.com: "Murals are a great way to bring life into the playroom. The mural should be fun and not depict war or death"). One dim, undeveloped thought I've had is that it would be fun to paint one wall with chalkboard paint so the girls would have a nice big space to express themselves. (But would that simply invite messy disaster, with chalk forever on their clothes and hands and all over the place?) I've thought of maybe removing the closet doors and using it as a little cozy nook instead of a closet.... Though then I'm stuck without storage space. I don't really know what I want. I can't picture the fabulous end result yet.
I don't mind taking the time to figure it out, but apparently DH does. (Insert eye roll here, lol.)
Anybody want to help me brainstorm?
~RCH~
6 years ago
4 comments:
Hmmm...I'm already brainstorming away for you, but I need to do some studying. Becca should definitely get in on this action! ;)
Do you have a library you can go to nearby? I find checking out lots of books is always a good way to get ideas. Just make sure they aren't from 1982...blah to the 80's! Or magazines! Those are good too. I'm always in love with Better Homes and Gardens. (And while I love the internet, you can't just carry around your computer to wherever and peruse at will like you can with a book.)
Have you told DH that you need a little "Spess" and breathing room until things get more settled? Maybe you could give him an "assignment" that doesn't involve him actually hiring anyone to paint/redo anything. Like finding some books or magazines with ideas he likes and you can decide together?
I like the idea of a mural, but not in a shared space. That seems kind of wierd to me.
I will get back to you on this one. Oh yes. *Think, think, think*
BTW, I LAHV YOU! *MWAH!*
Oh man! I'm hurt! I so wanted to help you pull together a really cool design plan! -sniff-sniff- I even had ideas already! -sniff-sniff- WAAAAHHHH!
I think a mural in the kids room would be fun and then he can still have his mural somewhere.
Does he have something particular in mind already for the space he wants it in? Tell him you want the muralist to draw up a mock rendering on paper before you commit to it.
Who knows, maybe it could be cool. But then you can have a chance to submit your own opinions to it--you know, can we change this, can we change that? And oh! Dear sweet dh, if we do this mural then we HAVE to have this, this and this to really complete the room to make it so amazingly fabulous!
Heck, if he is so into spending money right now, lets take his ideas and run with them but then make them work for you too!
I forgot to mention on the mock rendering that you need to see the overall plan on a piece of paper (so a colored to scale rendering of the entire mural/project) and also if there are any special finishes or techniques that will be used, you want to see it on a seperate paper (or whatever) in the colors and technique/finish style that will be used in the room.
Make them give you a design board. Oh! And ask to see their portfolio (or will that scare the wee Idaho painter?) or any pictures of any other previous projects.
Yeah. Do that.
Don't be hurt! I wanted your input, too, and was excited to talk with you about it when your life calmed down some (congrats on DS coming home, by the way!). What ideas do you have so far?
I don't think DH really has any vision for the house, to be perfectly honest -- he just doesn't like it so bare and his anal retentive, somewhat OCD personality makes him want to fix it NOW NOW NOW. I actually do like the couches he picked for the living room (you'll have to come see them) -- though not so much the garage sale end tables / coffee table combo (they just don't go).
I would LOVE for you (both of you!) to come up and see the place now that we're in it so you can help me formulate a plan that is both workable and FABULOUS. :-D
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