Look who grew a pair and painted their dining room a crazy turquoise!

Yep. I did it.  Brian and my smurfy dreams have come true, our dining room is turquoise.
Here's why I did it:
a. it's awesome.
b. it's exciting.
c. We have a pretty dark apartment, unfortunately, and I feel like in rooms where there is a lot of pretty, natural light then you really don't need a lot of color on the walls, the light reflecting around the room creates visual interest on its own.   BUT, in a not so light apartment dimmish natural light on a lightish colored wall can be boring - which mine was (although if you guys want a good neutral that has a lot of pigments in it and changes slightly throughout the day as light moves around it, look at BM Novemeber rain).

Oh. and here's the real reasons.  We are saving for a house (we have about $12 now) and have decided to stay in this pretty good, really cheap, big outdoor space, great neighborhood (Los Feliz) apartment until we do.   I have never really invested in stuff that you can't take with you (like the wallpaper i already ordered), but if we are here for 3 years or less, then I want to have a super fun apartment for our last rental.  It might look a little cookoo, but we entertain a lot (we have friends over nightly) so I want to just embrace our last place, have some 20-something fun (i know, i know i'm 30), before I start baking one in the oven.  Will I get sick of this color and the wallpaper? yep, eventually.  But it's just an apartment.  It's just a wall treatment.  It's a good place to take risks.  Sofas? maybe not the right place to take a $2500 risk, but spend $20 on a gallon of turquoise semi-gloss and see how much more fun you'll have in your dining room - which is also my office and connected to the living room - i make it sound like its a big space that I give four course dinners to twelve guests, and it aint.

And also, i'm gearing up for Design Sponge and Apartment therapy house tours.  I want those readers, bad.

So I chose a few colors from the Benjamin Moore PREVIEW fandeck to start.  The preview has a lot more modern colors than the classic; it has a bunch of super saturated teals and turquoises.  I had to choose one that would work well with my crazy indigo rug, but not match it too perfectly (nor did I want it to be that dark).  I ended up choosing Carribean Azure.  I love it.  And yes, get semi-gloss.  It reflects the light around the room, and frankly gloss on your walls is back - especially for a young, urbanish space.  (I was also loving 'Bermuda blue' and for a darker color check out 'Twilight' (I'm sold already, hello!) or 'Marine Blue')

It's a bit greener than the picture at the top looks  and lighter.  As soon as I finish the wallpaper and refinish a couple pieces of furniture, reupholster their cushions,  repaint the rest of the apartment a color that works with the wallpaper and buy a couple occasional tables, THEN i'll get photos taken and post them. Not that you are all waiting on the edge of your seat, but I kind of am.

Today's tasks - re-finishing this chair

I got it at the flea market for $35.  Today i'm going to strip it and stain in a dark walnut (so it'll look like teak, basically).  I'll see how it looks stripped, it might look pretty really light. And then as soon as the wallpaper is up I can decide what color to reupholster that orange vinyl cushion - no me likey.  

And yes, i did dedicate the last few days and beginning of next week to personal house projects.  I'll go back to work next wednesday, I promise....