Friday, April 2, 2004

Indulge Your Inner Decorator

Notice how those home improvement type shows are on TV all the time?  I think they're sort of feeding into this overall American consciousness that, "Hmm, maybe I shouldn't be living in a sh*thole."

Well, I'm planning to repaint and recarpet my condo.  This is an awesome statement on my part -- I've needed to recarpet since the day I moved in (you can still see the pawprints from the prior owner's dog running down the carpet), but I resisted because I didn't know what carpet to put in.

I've got to decide now.  It's that whole one-project-leads-to-another thing.  I ordered a shutter for my bedroom window.  Before I install it, I need to remove the old window covering, and touch up the paint.  So I might as well repaint the bedroom now.  And if I'm going to go the trouble of repainting the room, I might as well recarpet too.  (Why move furniture twice, eh?)

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to help me pick a carpet color.  (And if we come up with something good here, we'll move on to the much harder task of the living room/dining room/hallway.)

Here are some photos of the bedroom. 

Yes, the walls are periwinkle.  My plan is to keep the walls vaguely that color.  That is, I want to use the comforter as a jumping off point, and take one of the lighter purple colors for the walls.

I also want to repaint the french doors (and the doorway to the bathroom) in an off-white color that matches the incoming shutters.  I am toying with putting in some moulding around the ceiling and floor also in that color.  My tentative idea for the carpet is green -- either a pale moss green or something much darker (both from the comforter).

So... 
Moulding -- Yes?  No?  Partial?
Carpet -- Pale green?  Dark green?  Other?
Ceiling -- Off white?  Match the walls?  Other?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Moulding - Definitely, but i think i'd go with a different color to offset what you already have going. Carpet - I kind of like mint green. Ceiling - the jury is out, but here is a quirky idea: maybe do it the same color as the carpet? I'm not too sure about that, though. Or maybe a pale yellow, to brighten up the room.

Anonymous said...

NZ,
I'll save you from my suggestion. As an individual on the lamb from fashion police, I can claim no understanding of color. I wear clothing. I usually wear matched socks. Beyond that I don't have a clue and stopped trying. I wish you luck, but won't comment either way.
Gordy

Anonymous said...

I'm currently building a house right now, so I'm going through the same stuff you are. What colors to choose, what furniture, what window treatments, etc.

http://journals.aol.com/slowmotionlife/slowmotionlife/entries/411

I put in some good "design" tool links in that entry. You can also go to pergo.com and click on eShowroom. My friend designed that site and there are a lot of great design tools for paint.

Anonymous said...

The ironic thing is that when I hit the link to see a larger picture, the screen is larger sure, but the picture is actually smaller.

Anonymous said...

1. Yes to the moulding. It really adds a perfect finishing touch.
2. I'd go with a light carpet (really helps to open up a room), but be sure to get some sort of stain proof treatment.
3. If you paint the ceiling the same color as the walls, it helps heighten a room. If it's the same color as the trim, it will add a nice finishing touch. (Be daring! Do something different.)