If you don’t like seeing pictures of my living room…avert your eyes. Pictures of my living room is all you’re going to get today. Whenever I finish a lot of work for other people, whether it’s custom stuff (which I really don’t do anymore) or making a lot of things to sell or writing a lot of tutorials, I get an itch to be creative in my own home.
See, when I’m busy preparing for Lucketts or working on “business” projects, I don’t have a lot of creativity or energy to spare and my own home suffers for it. The dust bunnies multiply and the vignettes get pushed out of the way to make room for photo shoots. I can hardly see my office floor and it’s a struggle just to keep my counters in a presentable condition and stay on top of the laundry.
When things settle down, I start to clean and arrange and rearrange and play and paint in my own spaces. I dream about what I want to do and add to my long wish list. I’m still doing the same thing I just burned out on…painting, decorating, moving furniture, staging photos, but for some reason, it’s restful and rejuvenating. I think because it’s just for me. It’s my hobby and not my business, even though they are really the same…if that makes sense.
I was out shopping a few days ago and I found some feather-filled Ralph Lauren pillows at TJ Maxx. They were a muted grass green…kinda mossy. I rarely go for green. I’m a blue girl through and through and green usually doesn’t catch my eye. I kept squishing these pillows…loving the idea of buying something pre-made. Could the green work anywhere in my house? I just felt like this shade would work with my blue and white. I put them in the cart and took them back out and back in again. “Just get them and you can return them if they don’t work.” That’s me talking to myself. “Well, I can’t return them if one of my boys does a face plant in one after eating chocolate pudding. It’s risky…do I chance it?” This is really the kind of thing I was thinking, but I finally decided to roll the dice and go for it.
When I got home I threw one on the living room couch. It was like life had been injected into the room. I was really surprised at it. It not only worked, but it looked great. So much for the “blue and green should never be seen” rule. Design rules can be silly, anyway. There should only be one design rule – you do not talk about design rules. (Anyone get that?)
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ahhh Sigh…. I LOVE your house! Those curtains are AMAZING! I also love your jute rug in your previous post….. I will look at "those" jute rugs differently now lol
Marian,
"Blue and green should never be seen" rule? Obviously HE didn't get that memo. Consider how beautiful the sky, land and water look together.
Your tweaks are lovely. The green adds more life to the room and a reflection of the season!
Your Friend,
Deborah
The soft green is a nice touch. It gives the light blue some life. It picks up the color in the light blue pitcher on your table. I like the top of your piano, it reminds me of a fireplace mantle.
The green is perfect! It really makes the room pop! Keeps it from getting monochromatic. Hey whoever says blue and green can't coexist, shouldn't come to my house! I don't use a lot of blue, my mom was a blue person, kinda burned me out on the color, but I do use it to accent, and I love it! Wow, that was a bad run on sentence! Anyhow, your living room looks great and refreshing!
The amazing thing about green is that it looks good with just about any color– red, pink, yellow, navy blue, ivory, peach, black, you name it. I guess that's why nature is so full of green! Love the character in your house. I will also say I follow your blog closely; you are my favorite blogger
Alana
Green is life! And it looks AMAZING! Love the little table display too. Very, very pretty!
if i'd looked at your lr before the green, i'd said it didn't need a thing. but the addition of the green is amazing! now it sings!
btw, could you bottle a little of that energy of yours…i could really use some.
Love the freshness of the green with the blue! Also like the dark coffee table which corresponds with the piano, and the way your rug pulls out the quilt and grid pillow pattern. It's always so much fun to see your changes.
I am a huge fan of blue and green. My decor is neutral, creams and taupes, with soft hues of apple green(linen slipcovered chair) and blues…robins egg to tq. Love this soothing combo. Fresh and soothing.
WOW! You have great stuff to play with! I love how you take things from each room. When I do that, then I end up redoing a little bit in each room. Love it!
Well, maybe just a little sick!! Ha! Love your living room. That beadboard really makes a difference. Love it!!
Hugs
SueAnn
PS I use blue and green all the time.
This room is so charming; a perfect place for a relaxing cup of tea!
I love green but recently went to a pale blue/ white palette in my living room. I love seeing your pops of green and think they work great together. I was watching an HGTV show the other day where they created a neutral/ blue/ white kitchen and they used a fresh, springy green as the accent.. so rules be gone!! Keep up the mazing inspiration you provide to us would be decorators
Marion beautiful as always. I would love for you to do a house tour on your blog. lol
Personally Im a green girl..lol But Ive been coming over to the bluer side (ive always love turquoise & robins egg blue, but Im trying deeper blues)
Your room looks so cozy and calming..Im waiting for my mother to give me my childhood piano. I think its such a great piece to have in a home. I'd take it over a fireplace
MJ
Lucky 7 Design
Time to go to the Craft Corral, or whatever it's called to find another rug to stencil. It all looks great! Pillows are the most wonderful design accessories to update a room! No rest for the wicked!
Barbara
Transitions Home Design
In my house, the dominant colors are sage green, brown and cream. So relaxing. The green in your room looks great. I love how the green of the pillows picks up on your greenery too. Who knows, the next time we see your living room, it might have more green — I think you'll like it!
Rest, rest, rest!
Ruthie
That was therapeutic to read, and your room looks so gorgeous!! All my current painting projects are in my own home just for me, as well…I can't sit still!
marian,
first, i LOVE those pillows! i bought a long narrow one (lumbar, i guess it's called)on clearance because it had a tiny flaw. the color was calling to me too. in fact, i did the pillow to cart dance as well! i really don't have anything that it goes with but i took it home anyway. for now it sits in my vintage office chair for the comfort factor until i switch things up to fit it in.
second, i know "mom" always said to keep your illness to yourself(you know, cover your mouth when you cough, wash your hands, etc.) but i'm glad you shared yours…becuz it's contagious &
gives us inspiration!
can't wait to see all your projects.
judi
It's a good thing no one told me that "blue and green should never be seen." WHAT? Green is a neutral! Look at nature. Green goes with EVERYTHING. Green and yellow, green and purple, green and pink, green, black and white.
You go with more green, girl!
Let me know if there is a house for sale in your neighborhood…I need to be close to your energy and ambition.
Yep, I get it! I love the green pillows! I love blue and green together! I saw some gorgeous pillows at Tuesday Morning last week in a blue and green pattern. So fresh and so pretty! I ordered your rug! Thank you so much! I can't wait to get moved and put it down! You're a doll. I'll take a pic when I get it in.
Hugs,
SHeila
I love seeing pictures of your living room! I especially love the blues and greens, and I adore the dark floors!
Stacy
when my living room grows up i want it to look a whole lot like yours! beautiful!!! AND i was at lucketts store today…saw your booth. you must have been wiped out at the fair a few weekends ago!! WONDERFUL store…i'll definately will be back!
and by the way…it took everything i had not to leave with that union jack dresser of yours…how is that still there???
Fight Club is about the best movie ever
I am in love with that table.
Actually, I am in love with the entire room. You are such a hard worker, but such a visionary. I'm so very found of you and your blog.
I'll be only an hr from Luckett's in July. I'm trying to convince myself to stay away
Marian,
I love the green and blue…as always, such a great eye for fabulous design. You are amazing.
Karen
What a sweet room, Marian! Blue and green always look great together!
It's so much fun to shop your house, isn't it? lol! And that beadboard over your piano adds a true cozy farmhouse feel to the room. LUV it! Now….go rest…. ♥
xoxo laurie
I've always liked high tables in the middle of semi-formal living rooms like that – so pretty. And that curtain fabric is just beautiful. I suppose you tell where it's from somewhere? Oh, dear, i could while away my whole life at this blog.
two things: 1) my mom always says if the combination is found in nature, it can be found in decor… the grass and the sky. 'nuf said. and 2) i completely understand how painting a room or refinishing furniture can be restful. it actually clears my head because my body is on autopilot. it's very restful indeed!
now go get a massage!
Ok, so the branches are fake…I am on a need-to-know basis on where I can find those! I love having life in my house, but i kill anything alive. Please help a girl out!
I never get tired of hearing about or seeing your living room! I showed it off on my blog yesterday.
Hello Marian,
I have only been blogging for 3 months. I really am enjoying the process. I have been a designer for 14 years, however I do not have any formal education in the area of design. My degree is in elementary education. When I came across the name of your blog, I knew immediately that you were a person of faith because of your reference to a mustard seed. It’s such a powerful message. My father was a minister and so I can relate to you on several levels. I used your living room picture in my blog because I was writing about the beauty of pairing blue with green. I did a search for blue and green rooms and yours popped up. It fit beautifully with my post. I had taken a picture of Mt. Hood and I wanted to show readers how they could use nature as their design inspiration. I will be perusing your site from top to bottom so that I can learn from your experience. Thanks so much!
An idea for your french enamal pitcher, or any other rusted-out-bottom container…simply slip in a glass bottle or mason jar to contain the water…then you can put anything “live” in it!
Smiles,
Kathleen