A colourful weekend.

Hello! I hope you all had a lovely weekend? Our weekend was about colour. Painting. Painting the bedroom. I'm feeling like a hamster on its wheel. Trapped on a wheel of non-stop decorating. If we jump off the decorating wheel, it will be too much effort to start it again, so we're just tiring ourselves out following the motion of the wheel. It is worth it though, because we are getting things done. This is a photo of our bedroom before we got to work. We can't actually say this was the colour the previous owner chose. No. We chose it about four years ago! Now it looks to me like some depressing 70's bedsit. Funnny how tastes change isn't it? I think the idea at the time was that, it is a huge room, and by painting it a dark colour, it would make it feel cosier. But it doesn't work does it? It was only when we moved to the spare room, which has lovely bright colours in it, that I realised the colour of our bedroom walls was making me miserable. My clothes are all in there, and every time I went in to get clean clothes, or put clothes away, I'd feel slight despair. The power of colour hey?! So although we've been exhausting ourselves with decorating and DIY, the bedroom had to be done. We've not finished the decorating yet, still got to finish the woodwork. But we're almost there! And the difference with the new colour! I was just having a look at the before and after photos, and wow, what a difference. The before photo makes me feel queasy, the after photo makes me think, "yipee!!!!!!!". Here's the room from another angle. And another angle again. How did we live with that drab, depressing colour we used to have on the walls ?! HOW?! Well........... the duvet cover on the bed is usually white, not the red in the photo at the beginning of this post, so maybe I thought it looked more stylish than it did in reality! Anyway, hopefully the new colour, and new bits and pieces on the walls will transform the room. I've got a red and white quilt that has been hibernating for a few years. That will hang above our bed. And the chest of drawers and arm chair will move to different parts of the room. The colour we've used is called 'Blue Ground', by Farrow and Ball. Tonight I'll be doing more painting of the wood work............. We should be back in our newly decorated room by this weekend............... I can't wait, I just can't wait! And I just had to show you the view from our bedroom window this morning.......... it's that bright sunshine! I don't know which one is making me more cheery, the new wall colour, or the sunny day?!

Comments

[Pipany]

Your house is so beautiful Vanessa. The first colour is a little dark, but the new one is like spring has exploded. I love it - fresh yet restful, just perfect. Love your furniture too! xx

[The Curious Cat]

Oh my I didn't realise you illustrated books - some of which I used to come across when I worked at Walker Books. They are such a lovely publisher and I adore their books! Only recently come across your blog but I love it! Keep up the good work! xxx

[Talina]

oh it is lovely!!!!! lovely!!! I want to paint my work room in that shade of blue

[Denise]

What a difference, I know what you mean about taste changing in such a short space of time. The new colour is uplifting, it is going to look great when finished. Can't wait fot the reveal at the weekend.

[Helen Charlton]

There's nothing quite like F&B is there? That lovely fresh blue is gorgeous . . .can't wait to see the reveal.
I too have been head-down in a F&B paint chart today, funny how spring makes you want to paint things!!

[emma]

That's so funny Vanessa. I have been pondering a dark grey colour that I saw in a friend's house. It looks fab for her but you have made me realise what a stupid mistake I would be making painting dark grey in my house. Some times the sky is grey and the sea is grey - what was I thinking of - very depressing! My colours are very much aqua, turquoise and pinks etc. Thanks for steering me away from such a silly mistake!

Thanks for the virtual hug too! It really did mean a lot!

Love Emma xxxxx

PS are you doing any courses at you know whos house?

[Beth P]

Brown walls can be lovely, but I'm a blue girl myself. I love the color you've chosen. I can't wait to see the finished room and the hanging quilt.

[Jen]

I like both colors, actually, but tell me--is that moulding at the top of the wall?? It's beautiful! It must be a giant pain t o paint since it's so elaborate. Something i miss in my 1960's house.

[Casey]

I love the blue! It's very similar to the color in my own bedroom and I always feel very peaceful and calm in my room. I wish you many peaceful nights of sleep in your pretty new room!

[kitschen pink]

Oh my! that's the blue we have in the bathroom and its amazingly bright and cheery! What a lovely choice. Isn't it funny how our choices change over time. I wish it were possible to change wall colours with the seasons - or have lots of rooms, winter bedroom, spring bedroom, winter sitting room, summer sitting room.... HAHA! I need a stately home - then I'd never have to decide - just have a room in each colour and go into a different one depending upon my mood and the weather... of course I'd never ever be able to find my reading specs...t.xx (LOVE the tall skirting boards too!).

[Tam]

Colour to make you go 'Ahhhhhh'! Waaaaaay better, the old colour looks so dirgy in comparison. The 'Hearld' will look amazing with that background. x

[Helen Lambert]

I love the thought of decorating and the planing and the tidy up and re arranging afterwards...but oh how i hate it when you are half way through and feel you will never finish..Pete does the cutting in and paintwork and Polls and I get the rollers...which we love till we discover spashes of paint eveywhere including us and our poor arms are aching....your room is going to lok lovely...you are giving me the itch...I fancy doing the bathroom now.....

[Sumea]

I love your blue heaven. colour therapists say it's a perfect colour for a bedroom.
x
Sumea

[jus]

Hi,
This is the first time I've visited your blog and it's lovely! That blue is gorgeous...one of my favourite colours too.
Have a wonderful weekend,x