Category: Decorating

My number one non-essential wish right now would be to discover a few thousand dollars in my pocket, then whiz through my home updating furniture and adding graphic color and pattern all over the place using paint, wallpaper and, most of all, fabric.

My number one mental/emotional health challenge right now is gray skies.  They’re really getting to me in spite of all my efforts to pretend that it’s sunny.    On a gray day last week I said to my husband, “I want to paint something a bright color.”  (I actually wanted to paint three or four things, but I didn’t say that.  It might have worried him.)  He argued that it wouldn’t change anything, that happiness is something we choose no matter what the weather is outside.

And while I agree with him wholeheartedly, I must also argue that color and paint can start us down the road of cheerfulness on ugly days.  So I fed the family dinner, watched my husband leave for some meetings, let the children play (what is spring break for, after all?) and got out my paint brush.


The formerly all-white cabinet in my dining room got a little makeover.




Not only does the blue look spectacular, the white now pops and the entire piece suddenly has nicer lines and more character.


I’ve always loved the look of shelves painted a contrasting color on the inside.  I’m not sure why I’ve never done it before, but now I’m eying all the shelves in our house.


The dining room is north facing and in the center of our house, so it really gets very little natural light.  I love the butter yellow on the walls for that reason.  It’s the perfect color for the room, and helps to lighten it up.  Now, however, I’ve got a gorgeous splash of paradise in the middle of the room.

I pared down the silver pieces on the shelves.  I’ve got an idea brewing for them, but for now this is great.


Even the view from the kitchen is improved by this reflection in the mirror.


And when I come downstairs this is the first thing I see:


My favorite little gravy boat now enjoys a place on the shelf.  I like how it looks against the blue.


Yes, happiness is a choice.   But paint sure helps.

Jennifer