Faint White Lace

I'm fickle with color. I have a crush now and again, but I always come back to neutrals. Right now I'm admiring the subtlety of white lines on a pale background.

Jaipur Rugs via One Kings Lane, White Lace Tattoo via Here

Bedroom in Progress

There is a closed door in the WarLock house that hides a shameful secret. Adam's insane pyromaniac first wife? Far worse, I'm afraid. A bland, undecorated bedroom. Ahhhhh, the horror!

Not for much longer. Over the last few months, our embarrassing bedroom has undergone a slow transformation. First we swapped mismatched dressers for a pair with gorgeous Regency styling. Then I painted the dingy walls with Behr's soothing "Misty Morn" (a big step for a girl who's a bit color-shy).

I removed clunky shuttered closet doors and bent-up old window blinds and upgraded to simple bronze curtain rods. Menswear-patterned drapery panels accessorized with gold clip rings will add texture and give our low-ceilinged hovel the impression of height. I'm considering a coat of blue paint on the ceiling to add to this illusion.

There isn't much wall space to work with, but I'd like to frame and hang our print of a vintage skull illustration. My vanity will get a chic new mirror as soon as budget allows.

But first, we can't ignore the biggest thing in our tiny room: the bed. And this is where I need your input. Is this fabulous, or is Adam's first wife actually crazy?

We'll be using a gift card to purchase the stripe sheet set in feather gray from West Elm, which is both affordable and practical. I'd originally thought that I'd want to top the bed with a plain gray duvet, but then... I fell in love with the Heirloom Rose comforter cover and shams from Garnet Hill. I'm mad about the combination of stripes and oversized floral. The gender-neutral color palette prevents the roses and ruffles from getting overly romantic, and the mix of pattern and scale is so bold. 

Am I this bold? Can I commit to this look without being committed? I'm 99% sure that I can, but I want your opinions!

Pretty in Pink

Those of you who live with men know that decorating for two can be a challenge. By "a challenge" I mean, this is not going to happen in my house as long as Adam is living there too:

Photo Courtesy of Traditional Home Magazine

Bedroom Design by Dee Elms & Andrew Terrat

'Pale pink with a canopy bed," calls to mind a spoiled 5-year-old's princess bedroom, but this is no such thing. Beneath the candy colors, this room is all sophistication. Textural finishes, graphic black lines... and I love how the opening peony references the ikat pillow!

I've already pushed my luck enough with lavender walls and floral bath towels. But maybe I could sneak some of these into the house?

Molly Hatch Ceramics at Lola, from my iPhone

Photo Courtesy of Molly Hatch on Etsy

Isn't that uncanny? The sweet pastel pink, fresh green, touches of orange, and of course the crisp black outlines. These illustrated ceramic pieces by Molly Hatch have me smitten. Perhaps the boyfriend could bring home a bouquet of springy tea cups?

The Life Aquatic... They have it rather good in there.

Darn fish.  The new tank looks so good, I suspect they broke the old one on purpose.

I created a backdrop for the tank with some fabric remnants.  

The pattern helps it to blend with the rest of the house.

(By the way, I swear there are fish in there- they're just shy!)

Rosencrantz regards his new crystal decor.  Almost as shiny as he is.  Almost.

Linking it All Together

The hardest thing about living in a small apartment is the inevitable build-up of STUFF.  Too much clutter completely overwhelms an already tight space.  The rule of "less is more" doesn't apply only to objects- too many disparate patterns and colors only contribute tension.  If you feel stressed at home, it may be time to start editing.

If you're like me, and you love STUFF... getting rid of it can feel like shaving your head.  Heck, it might be refreshing when you're done, but no no no! 

 

However, maximizing your space doesn't have to mean going minimalist.  If you simply can't bear to part with your things, make sure they match.  Most of us have a handle on the concept of a color scheme- but have you thought about a pattern theme?  If you're already working with a harmonious color palette, find a couple patterns you like and repeat them (uh, within reason).  Subtle repetition (even in different scales or colors) helps the eye move around the room, unifying dissimilar items- and even blending in a little bit of clutter.

I recently wrote about a favorite find of mine- my pair of Chinoiserie lamps.  Since I've had them, their interlocking circle pattern has been catching my eye everywhere!

Pottery Barn recently used this pattern for a line of desktop items.  I picked out a bright red and white frame:

As modeled by Matilda and... Matilda.

These pierced ceramic candleholders were just a few dollars each at Target.  I usually use the larger one to keep remotes handy.  I love how the white one mimics my glowing lamps:

These look so neat when they flicker!

I spotted the perfect upholstery fabric and made pillows:

Now, that is style and comfort.

I'm still bummed that I missed out on the olive & bronze Andrea drapes at Ikea- but I'm watching them on eBay...

Count on Ikea to make it Mod!

Someday, I'd love to have a custom double wedding ring quilt made (though traditionally those are wedding presents- so I'm not holding my breath).  I envision one in very simple, tone-on-tone neutrals.

This could be the last piece in the puzzle!

As you can see, I sure do love my pretty things.  But, in the spirit of Spring Cleaning, I'll be sharing my tricks for weeding out excess stuff in a post later this week.  And- I promise to lead by example!  In the meantime, here's my motivator to get my act together.