| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| dg7954 |
Posted - Oct 10 2005 : 06:45:43 AM
As an interior designer, when I meet a client for the first time, I always look at how they present themselves to the world. I can always guess what their present interior looks like, and am very rarely wrong. People decorate their enviroment as an extension of how they decorate themselves. This is a helpful clue to how they want their home to look. If comfort is the main priority and design is the least, then I know they want a space that is more functional and comfortable than one that is design oriented and fussy. If they are a stickler for detail, then I know that it will be important that everything matches and works together. Do you dress "country", wear mainly jeans, soft comfortable shirts and tops, and very little jewelry or makeup? Does your home feel the same way? Or, do you change your jewelry to match the seasons, like wearing pumpkin earrings, or Christmas jewelry? Do you do that in your home as well?
Are you a neat freak, and wouldn't dream of leaving the house unless you look fresh, pressed and pulled together? The type of fabrics, colors, and textures that we chose to wear are usually the same for what we like in our homes. I know I have been successful with a client when I see how that person "fits" in their new space. They usually look right and almost become part of the space. I find this study of people to be so interesting. Please tell me if you do too. |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Celticheart |
Posted - Jan 01 2006 : 01:15:21 AM
Well that does it! For the last two years I've been thinking of reupholstering my living room furniture in denim. Now I know why.
I'm going to do it.
Marcia
"I suppose the pleasure of country life lies really in the eternally renewed evidence of the determination to live." Vita Sackville-West
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| Snowden Cottage |
Posted - Dec 28 2005 : 3:46:08 PM
I'm kinda new around here..but just had to make a comment on this whole concept of dressing the way we decorate. I sat with my mouth open when I came across this post! It is so absolutely true!! Once I started looking around and thinking about it..I was blown away! And it has rung true all my life! All the way from being a little girl to now..34 years of marriage and 52 years old!! WOW...well that's it..just had to get that out! Loving this farmgirl connection! GB Mumsie
Live simply... Love deeply...Hope forever! |
| Patti |
Posted - Dec 22 2005 : 10:07:31 AM
My husband and I just moved into a condo for a year while our house is being built. Since we were moving almost 1000 miles and didn't know where we would live when we arrived here in VA, we only moved about one-third of our household. The rest is in long term storage. With our furniture greatly pared down and everything in a different place, it became new to my eye which caused me to think about my decorating over the thirty years we've been married. When we started out, it was all earth tones and dark wood, later it became country of the Mary Emerling style with light pine and baskets, and after that a more evolved Martha Stewart-influenced style with those subtle greens and blues like the eggs from her famous hens, and more functional pieces like I remember from my grandmother's house. Those styles have fused in our temporary home and, I find, look pleasing and comfortable together. I can't say whether it's age, experience, or fewer disposable dollars now that I'm not working, but I think I don't need to chase the trend anymore. I've found my style. It's called ecclectic. Anyway, that's what I'm calling it. |
| cajungal |
Posted - Dec 20 2005 : 1:25:23 PM
I'm glad this topic got revived or I would've never seen it. I read each entry and pictured all of you in my mind. What great descriptions. I would guess that most of the ladies at this Farm are the comfy cozy type.
What insight you have, Diane. You have a great outlook to help the people you decorate for. I bet you make their living space feel just right for them.
I love bright colors and I used to dress in bright colors because that's what I like to look at. Well, then I did one of those make-up color thingies and was defined as an Autumn (red hair, freckles, etc...) and was told that the bright colors weren't best for me to wear. So, when I need to look "nice" I wear all the earth tones that complement my hair and complexion. But, in our home , we have red walls!
It would be interesting to know if we decorate the way we eat, too! The red walls in my home are a paint color called Cajun Spice. The yellow walls are Butter Cookie. The beige walls are Warm Honey. The sage green in my bedroom is Green Tea. I must have been hungry when I was paint shopping.
Blessings!
Catherine
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
| twigs |
Posted - Dec 20 2005 : 09:30:20 AM
you know when i was younger i was the one who matched everything even down to my undies, hee hee, didnt leave the house without makeup on hair done etc....house was victorian style and it resembled me.....
but i have since let go of what i was raised with and found what i love the true me....bib overalls, jeans, comfy sweaters, and no foo foo hair, i still love my jewlrey and wear them all the time, and have toned down my makeup to just lipstick....and my style is primitive all the way and i love it.....
i do find that my store is more deced out than my house now days just not enough time in the days.
twigs
May you be surrounded by the things of olde that make you feel like a treasure! |
| n/a |
Posted - Oct 27 2005 : 09:46:38 AM
Diane, thank you so much. I have often thought about what works with a denim pair of jeans. Everything! I love cashmere and lace, as well as every type of t-shirt and sweater. Thanks for the boost, I can't wait to move forward with the room.
When I feel spring coming I have to plant or I’ll go crazy! |
| dg7954 |
Posted - Oct 27 2005 : 08:07:55 AM
Tammy, absolutely! Denim is the most neutral color to use. Think about how you dress. Wouldn't you wear a wine colored sweater with jeans? Actually, demin goes with every color I can think of. I like the idea of pulling a color from one room into another for continuity. I personally don't have a color scheme in any room in my house except for the bedroom. I like the drama of using one to three colors in a room, but I love the freedom of using any color any time. My livingroom has white walls with a sage green ceiling and wall trim and hardwood floors. This, Tammy, is just like demin to me. I have art of all colors on the walls, and everything works. It gives me the freedom to put whatever I feel like in the room just because I like it, and not worrying about it clashing with my color scheme. So, unless you are completely in love with one or two colors, try throwing in other ones. The demin will not only go with it all, but will ground the room and pull it all together. |
| Kay in Kentucky |
Posted - Oct 26 2005 : 5:11:07 PM
I wonder what my style says about me?
I wear a uniform at work and my hair style is dictated by work rules so I keep it cut to collar length I don't bother with makup anymore, to much bother at 4:30 or 5 am going to work. After work I get out of the uniform as fast as I can and into something comfy and now warm.
I don't Like the fussy, busy look, I decorate with books; books here there everywhere, projects and work all over. I am eliminating a lot of curios I collected in travels, just don't seem important to me anymore.
I Don't need fancy china, or silverplate; don't want to polish stuff or worry about stuff. Tools of the trade have their own beauty like a well made cutting board or kitchen knife; well worn clothes have character and blend in with well worn rooms and buildings. I guess I go for farm plain. Jewlery is another worry and around animals can be a hazard; what does it do but decorate. A pair of good earings and a watch that works suits me. I leave the ring in the box while working in the barn; it may save a finger. Plain Jane that's me. My fancy stuff is tea cups/pots, good books, photos of family and friends. I also decorate with animals pets here and there; a cat on the back of the sofa a dog on the floor beside me, a horse in the pasture, chickens in the yard, friends were ever they feel comfortable.
Kay
My blog;
http://oakspringfarm.blogspot.com |
| n/a |
Posted - Oct 26 2005 : 12:00:12 PM
Diane, I think you are right on the nose. I love people watching this is going to be my next observation for sure.
When I lived in CA, I worked 60+ hours a week in very expensive suits. Everything tailored everything matched. I decorated my house in whites, very luxurious.
When we moved to rural Oregon coast, my white couch didn't fit in and thank goodness neither did the suits. I switched to jeans (everyday) hiking boots, especially with mud and dust all around. So I decided to recover my great-room furniture in denim. I chose a blue with a dark blue leaf print. The print makes it a little dressier but it's very casual.
Now I am busy trying to put together the room. I have a beautiful set of tables (round with a leaf carving on the sides). My hall is painted taupe, I am thinking about carrying this into the great-room. my current accent colors are taupe & wine. Do you think the wine will still go with the denim? I've thought about painting a wall slate blue that carries into the dinning nook (which currently is all taupe along with the kitchen). What do you think?
When I feel spring coming I have to plant or I’ll go crazy! |
| Horseyrider |
Posted - Oct 24 2005 : 06:44:58 AM
I'm having a little trouble wrapping my brain around this one.
I dress a certain way because I have to. I end up having to change clothes quite a few times during the day because of the different things I have to do, and I can't wear certain things I'd like to because my lifestyle is too rough.
This time of year, I'm wearing lots of sweats and turtlenecks to keep warm outside doing chores in the morning. Then if I have errands or a trip to the chiro, I change into jeans. If I have horses to work, I change into boots and breeches. I have clothes for going out in public, and clothes that I can get dirty or get medicine on (from the horses) without having a heart attack. I generally change again for chores, and again for bed.
I have lovely high quality jewelry that I can't wear because I spend the bulk of my time around the horses. Even the widest band rings get egg shaped in time due to the amount I have to do with my hands. Bracelets get broken, so I'm limited to a few short necklaces and earrings, as well as a watch. Watch has to have a large face and second hand so I can take a pulse anytime; no pretty bracelet watches for me.
I even choose my coats according to performance. Lots of coats aimed toward riders have plenty of pockets for gloves, hoof picks, treats, cell phone, etc. Some even have reflective parts. Water repellent, wind resistant, microfiber, technical gear. It's horrid to be out for hours on end in something that makes you uncomfortable or inconvenienced. You can look like drek and not care. But nothing pretty or fashionable for me.
My house is almost like an afterthought. I go in spurts of decorating, but then time allowances cause it to fizzle. My kitchen is small and you would call stuck in the eighties, except for a new JennAir stove and Bosch dishwasher. I loff them! Both perform exceptionally. My diningroom is all antique furniture, oak with a hardwood floor, long windows, cookbooks, etc. It's a weird mix of rustic stuff and cut crystal, lace and pottery. My livingroom is probably the best looking room, in sage and pink. It's kind of English cottage, with floral couch and loveseat, an antique mohogany Baker breakfront with a hidden desk inside and a teapot collection in the glass on top. There's also a beautiful three legged curved glass curio that's from the turn of the last century, covered in gold leaf. It's our reading and music room, mainly. Family room is rough wood and leather, primitive stuff, old family pics, and dog hair. Especially dog hair.
I have lots of antiques and family things, yet my choice in jewelry is clean modern lines. I'd like to dress up more, but can't due to what I do. NObody wears slacks to clean stalls or work a horse. Skirts? I have a few, but couldn't tell you when I last wore one. I think in theory I would decorate the way I dress, but I can't dress the way I like due to my lifestyle, and can't decorate the way I'd like due to finances.
Oh well. |
| phillytoo |
Posted - Oct 23 2005 : 1:36:16 PM
whole wall of vintage family photos all copied in sepia tones, framed in white , off white, and a soft gold, and the walls were a lovely shade of sage green. That color and the sepia tone went so well together, and I think that color would go well with your other rooms, and with antiques like your trunk.
That sounds lovely.
Shades of green in the home are so popular now too. I think we can credit Martha Stewart with that trend, don't you agree?
I have a lot of pink floral things in my bedroom which would be a good accent with a soft green too, similar to what I have in my living room.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Phyllis |
| Fabulous Farm Femmes |
Posted - Oct 23 2005 : 11:35:40 AM
Phillytoo, I saw the prettiest bedroom in a magazine once. They had a whole wall of vintage family photos all copied in sepia tones, framed in white , off white, and a soft gold, and the walls were a lovely shade of sage green. That color and the sepia tone went so well together, and I think that color would go well with your other rooms, and with antiques like your trunk. |
| phillytoo |
Posted - Oct 22 2005 : 5:42:51 PM
Diane, I wish you could come and help me decorate MY house.
I'm a casual dressing person. Whenever I do have to dress for an occassion, I can hardly wait to change into my "comfy" clothes when I return home.
In our home, I have found 3 things to be constant over our 32 years of marriage. I've always decorated using: ANTIQUES (from our own ancestors or bought), HANDMADE items that I've either made myself or that were handmade by someone else, and items from NATURE like rocks and shells.
The colors in my living room are moss green and pink; our family room has Autumn colors of brown, orange, gold, and beige; the dining room has red and gold tones with beige carpet and cherry furniture.
My kitchen is cobalt blue and white, with oak cupboards and a round antique table.
I want to re-do my master bed and bath, but am not sure what I want to do with it. I'd like to keep it "old fashioned" looking with the antique trunk and old family photos, but don't know what color to paint it or what kind of window treatments to use. It has one big bay window with a window seat on which I have several plants.
Anyone have any ideas or suggestions for me???
phillytoo |
| MeadowLark |
Posted - Oct 22 2005 : 09:07:42 AM
I have always been a bit bohemian, old fashioned and dress for comfort first...I love a mixture of earth colors/nuetrals with strong colors like reds...oranges and golds. I love the color red ( I am an Aries) but wear it sparingly now that I am middle aged and the color is not as high in my face. I have a bright throw on a cream couch and varied prints and colors in pillows for accents. It is a hodge podge, but I guess that is what I am too. I have a chocolate leather club chair that I accent with a bright orange mohair throw. And the ottoman is a 5 dollar flea market find that is worn out crewel upholstery and wooden legs but I love it.
If I keep a green bough in my heart, the singing bird will come. |
| ByHzGrace |
Posted - Oct 22 2005 : 08:07:42 AM
I be peckin here perched in my turquoise and green tankini and high top laced up brown doc martins all I can do is hoot. I AM shacky tacky!!!! |
| sleepless reader |
Posted - Oct 22 2005 : 07:04:44 AM
Jewelry is the shiny stuff we have and keep in boxes, or tossed on the dresser top. you might put it on once in a while and then, just before you leave the house, toss it back ontop the dresser. Sound familiar???
Sharon
Life is messy. Wear your apron! |
| Linda Houston |
Posted - Oct 22 2005 : 06:47:49 AM
In the past I have always worn and decorated in strong jewel colors. I love jewelry of all kinds and wear lots of it. I moved to New Mexico and loved the desert colors...and you guessed it. I have more muted colors and accents rather than my strong jewels colors.
I am more natural looking (i don't know if that's a good thing) My mother always told me "I was a woman that took dress." and she is correct. I worked for years and retired last Feb, so now I am not as professional looking. I still love my jewelry...I have wonderful peices from everywhere I have lived and just cheap stuff. I don't care about the cost, just what suits my taste.
My home reflects this. My lifestyle, attitude. values and what I spend my time on has changed. Remember I am 60 and at that age one has the right to do whatever feels right !!!!! As I write this I realize that I also have strong colors in my life- so maybe I am a mixed -up older farm girl....yea, that describes me !!!!! |
| Whimsy_girl |
Posted - Oct 21 2005 : 9:38:41 PM
Thats hilarious. I always start out looking very well put together, but it always seems like 10 minutes out the door I am a rumpled mess with flyaways in my hair, a smudge on my glasses, and an errent hair stuck in my lipstick... same goes for my house, I'll get it all how I want it but I can only keep it that way for about 10 minutes before the hidden clutter springs out of it's hiding places :)
you can be oh so smart, or you can be oh so positive. I wasted a lot of time being smart I prefer being positive. |
| hapyhrt |
Posted - Oct 13 2005 : 12:39:11 AM
What a fascinating topic! Thanks Diane for sharing your wonderful decorative insights with us!  I think you are so right that many people do dress the way they decorate, atleast it fits me to a "T"!
I've always been drawn to the simple things in life and country decorating makes my heart smile! Just like my home, simple and casual is the way I enjoy dressing and years ago finally gave up the fight to keep up with fashion trends. It's jeans and tee shirts for this gal, sneakers, very little make-up, if any and a simple hair style that pretty much does whatever it wants regardless of what I think looks best! LOL I hate to dress up for special occasions (weddings, parties, etc.) and feel so "out of sorts" when I have to dig out the good dress clothes. Owning one fancy dress (which truth be known- hardly fits these days, )is more than enough for this simple country heart!
Great topic Diane, thanks for sharing!
"Think happy thoughts...any others aren't worth your time!" Ü |
| dg7954 |
Posted - Oct 12 2005 : 08:35:39 AM
Anne, your home sounds lovely. You have a great sense of color and an imagination to go with it. I love the vintage theme as well.
Thanks for sharing. |
| asnedecor |
Posted - Oct 12 2005 : 06:45:35 AM
Diane -
Sounds like you're right, I do like the clean, scrubbed look. If only my husband could get on board with the clean part :) I didn't mention the one bedroom we finished, it's painted Laura's Ashley pale green apple with pale cowslip as trim (another shade of pale yellow). The walls have also been treated to bit of painting technique of splatter. Solid green with tiny splatters of the yellow and a Laura Ashley gold (more like dark mustard). You can't really see the splatter at first glance until you start to look close at the walls. I also painted a dragonfly on the slant part of the ceiling above the bed and a grasshopper over by one of our windows. The floor is refinished original fir plank. Then accent colors are pale lavendar, some bits of pink and wedgewood blue. Again this room flows pretty good off of the yellow out in the upstairs hall. I am trying to still keep with furniture that goes with the age of the house, from the early 1900's to up into the 40's, like someone has lived there all this time and has slowly accumlated things over the years.
Anne
"Second star to the right, straight on till morning" Peter Pan
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| westernhorse51 |
Posted - Oct 12 2005 : 06:16:29 AM
Hi Diane, I'm not the first cap. to like pastels, the first for you I guess. My older sister also a cap. is worse then me. I dont really think, at least for me, it has much to do with what sign I am I always just loved pastels, the colors make me happy, the're warm and inviting. I want my home to convey that. Michele
she selects wool and flax and works with eager hands Prov.31:13 |
| dg7954 |
Posted - Oct 12 2005 : 05:52:52 AM
Anne, I think your home sounds great. It sounds like you do dress the way you decorate. You are very much involved with the lines of things. Your feeling about how you have used a continuous line of woodwork to finish off a room and continue the line through your other rooms sounds like your hair to me!!!! It is a clean lines that work against another surface. Your colors are natural (like you), and there sounds like there is a simplicity along with the feeling of a fresh, clean, scrubbed look. You don't like frilly with alot of detais, things must be clean, but warm and bright as well. Fresh is the word I would use. |
| asnedecor |
Posted - Oct 11 2005 : 5:56:02 PM
Diane -
After reading all of the posts I am trying to figure out if I really do dress the way I decorate. I love jeans and comfortable slacks, hair is naturally stick straight so I either pull part of it back and let it lay down my back or make sure it is cut to collar length with bangs (boring but it works). No more makeup, too early for me at 5 am to put makeup on, just go with the fresh wash face look. Jewelry is eclectic - local artists, sterling silver, semi precious stones kinda stuff. Usually a kitty pin or dragon fly (my favorites). House is an old 1912 farmhouse style, narrow siding, front porch, not very wide but pretty deep, two story. Slowly doing the remodel. We've put in hardwood downstairs (grade 2 red oak, shows knots and discoloring in the wood). Light fixtures are reproduction early 1900 electric(pressed milk glass, etc) Color in living room is called "dried seaweed", kinda a dark with yellow undertones, moss green with pale straw as the trim (very pale yellow). Same yellow is used on the walls in the adjoining front entry hall/stairwell, with a ice cream white trim. The stairs going up are painted too, risers the white, the actual step the moss green. The railing spindles are the white same with the newel post, except the top rail is the green and the topper on the post is green (make sense). You getting the picture, I coordinate the rooms, having the colors flow in some way. Furniture is a mix of reupholstred 30's/40's style, with some "trash to treasure" finds and items my dad builds. I'm sure this all sounds pretty thrown together, but it works.
Anne
"Second star to the right, straight on till morning" Peter Pan
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| lareyna |
Posted - Oct 11 2005 : 5:40:54 PM
What is JEWELERY???
http://bumpercrop.blogspot.com/
I was Country before Country was COOL |
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