Monday, April 19, 2010

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.


5 comments:

  1. good mantra. I should print it out and put in on my computer screen. It would stop me from online shopping. Maybe from working too. oh well...

    I agree, white interiors are soothing but I would just need to throw in some art and fun pillows.

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  2. I wanna play this game. I just began putting our apartment through some rigorous editing a few weeks ago. Our bedroom is almost done and I've been reveling in the before and after picks, which are very satisfying. My list of things I'm on the look out for is 22 items long and has been sub categorized into "expensive", "inexpensive" and "I'm gonna make it myself". The list includes things like, wooden switch plates, desk chair, small side table and Himalayan salt rock lamp, you know, for ions.

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  3. i've been struggling a bit lately with this same issue. I look around at so much stuff, and really want to pare it back to the statement/investment things that i know i'll never tire of.

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  4. I agree with you on the mantras. Good idea... I have things in my house that I bought because they were a good deal, and i like them, but I don't know if they are even my style, or I just like them in the design sense. (Does that make sense?) I need to do an assessment on my house as well. Thanks for the inspiration! Sarah 2.0 here I come!

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  5. Hi #7!

    I've recently had the very same revelation (epiphany?) about color. Neutrals are sooo soothing to look at, but color is (for me, and you too it seems) just so much more comfortable to live with.

    And too much wood? Did that, too, until the illustrious Jenny over at http://www.myfavoriteandmybest.com/ gave me a talking to, and showed me the error of my ways.

    Looking forward to watching you on DTs (yes, another MFAMB reference!)

    xox,
    Susan

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