Emily, 2.0

credits:  emma's blog; elle decor
So i've done some serious soul searching.  night upon night of praying. day after day of not so silent mediation.  And finally i was given the answers I needed.  Ready for it??
                                                   I, Emily Henderson.   Like.   Color.

credits:  domino, christine rudolph/mikkel vang
Shocking i know.  But i realized that as much as I dig all of these neutral palettes (way above) they simply aren't very 'me'.  I think that i'm not terribly sophisticated.  not a shock to most of you who know me.  I don't do 'tame' very well, or 'pared down' or 'clean' or 'modern' or 'perfect' ....geez, lay off a little wouldya? truth be told i'm a maximalist.  How much more of a self-important, pretentious blog post could this be?  not much, i know. I might puke in my own coffee, nope i love coffee too much.  Anyhoo, when the style gods give you an answer you feel like you should share it.  the world must know. The last couple months i've been working on interior design (or should I say 'styling' as i'm not certified) projects and when I got all done i realized that I have never 'designed' my own home.  Blasphemy!!  I have a lot of stuff i love and it all lives in a room together, but its not very cohesive, not as intentional as i want, and frankly it can look a bit junky all these pretty things living on top of each other.  These pics (above and below) are what i respond to most.  they excite me in a way that the neutral palette doesn't.  (gross, not like that).

credits:  i forget!! maybe City Sage, Flowers - Frolic and pink sofa, city sage
Now, now. don't think i'm turning into a crazy person. i'm not going to be buying a pink sofa, all my major pieces will still be neutral, but i'm amping up the color everywhere else - textiles, art, accessories...

SO.  i'm on a mission.  i have a few new mantras that i have written on my mirror for myself to repeat in the morning before i go shopping. They go something like this:

I will only purchase with intent.
My new posessions must be either functional or beautiful - that's been my mantra forever, but i'm really going to try to stick with it.
I will not buy any new vases or animal sculptures or lamps or weird portraits of people that creep my houseguests out - i have WAY too many.
I will mix my finishes (I have too much wood, need me some more ceramic, leather and metal pieces)
don't compromise, no matter how much of a 'once in a lifetime' opportunity it is (the flea market problem), wait until you find the perfect piece.

yea, the mirror isn't exactly functional anymore.

So starting tomorrow i'm on the search for the perfect items (perhaps even, dare i say, investment pieces???) for my new cohesive home.  i'll go through piece by piece what i'm looking for and hopefully through dutiful research and savvy negotiating skills I can find what i'm looking for, within my budget (again, i'm loaded, so much money, but still budgeting is kinda a fun hobby).

i welcome any and all suggestions.  er. maybe not any  and all. but surely, some and most.