4 years is enough time to realize what needs to be done in a house.
Being forced to live on one income is enough to force the DIY route.
It took TWO years to pick colors and stick with them long enough to get them on the walls in the living room. One color was all wrong and required a redo. We made some mistakes in the execution of the makeover and chalked it up to lessons learned. There is one border which still requires paint and the light fixture hasn't been changed out - mainly because I can't find anything I like.
We jumped from the living room to the guest bedroom which we decided to turn into a playroom for Little Man. Walls painted. Ceiling fan installed. Still needed: finish painting shelves and hang; buy and hang new curtain; take down door, sand, paint and rehang; spray paint closet bi folds. You notice I said still needed as in hasn't been done. So of course we start looking at the dining room and the hallway. I'd say one of these days we will learn to complete one project before starting the next but I'd be lying.
In our defense, the house, with the exception of 2 bedrooms and bathrooms was all the same boring pale beige. The entire freaking house - beige. The next realtor and/or interior designer who says "neutral color" one more time is having their vocal cords removed. COLOR people (been watching way to much David Bromstad, aw hell too much HGTV period). Seriously, Ray Charles would have a problem with the color or lack thereof, in this house.
We are also still riding the high of the living room. The colors are perfect -yellow with one gray wall and a pearl gray for the trim. I even painted the built-in with the gray and trimmed it with the pearl. The room rocks. It came out great. Once we finish the playroom, we can move the last of the toys out, get some end tables and reclaim the space. Pictures from our travels adorn the walls, inspiring new vacation plans (when we are back on dual income of course).
That high almost came crashing down as we tried to find a color for the dining room that would work with the living room AND a color for the hallway that would join the two rooms. Holy crap is that a freaking nightmare. John jumped to his comfort zone - blue. I let out a high-pitched shriek inside my head. As much as I dislike the neutrals right now, I dislike blue as well. I don't want another blue room. Smurf Attach play room may have ruined blue for me forever. So I had John pull up the color wheel to see what was opposite of yellow.
Purple.
BAHAHAHAHA!
Hmmm.... well, we used gray as the neutral and I love the pearl gray trim so much I really want to continue it through the house so maybe if we looked at a gray with purple undertones. Off we go to Lowes and we pick two 3 colors. Swatches go up and holy freaking crap that is purple not gray. What the HELL was I thinking?
Even scarier? John liked the color. WHAT? It's freaking PURPLE. I'm talking LAVENDER. I'm talking GIRLIE. Holy shit he's lost his mind.
I told him to step out of his comfort zone so I let him talk me into it. He was convinced it was the right color. We managed to get one wall painted this weekend and believe it or not, I love it. I can't wait to finish this room.
Then my mom reminded me of something from my childhood.
The first time dad decided to paint the house (exterior), he made the mistake of talking to us kids. OK, he made the mistake of talking to me. Being such the intelligent, wise child I naturally assumed that he would automatically take my suggestion because what could be better than a purple house? So here we are, 20+ years later and I'm finally getting my purple house. Yes, the color we picked for the hallway is also within the purple family. I'm still not convinced but ready to tell John that once again, he was right. I'm sure he'll have the entire house wired for sound so he can capture that conversation for prosperity.
Ah, if only Dad were alive to see this.
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