audreyjojo's Profile

The evolution of one's style can be conscious and unconscious too. One day I looked around and all my clothes and stuff in my house was black, white, gray and brown, and it occurred to me that maybe those are "my" colors that I had collected over so many years without much thought. It was instinct or some unconscious expression.

On the other hand, I was a strict modernist in my twenties, dreaming of stark white rooms with uncomfortable yet artsy chairs. In my thirties, I tried to branch out, to look at other styles: traditional, hollywood regency, rustic, granny chic, whatever, but guess what? I just needed to admit I'm a modernist and embrace it.

To answer your question directly: what influences my decorating taste has less and less to do with what is trendy or considered playing by the decorating rules, it has to do with being totally honest about what I like, ignoring the rules and making a home that works for me and reflects who I am.

I've decided to make a budget for home projects, so instead of feeling guilty/shameful about spending money on my house, those costs are accounted for and no longer considered frivolous. Each month I decide on a little project in the area of $100 that will improve the home's actual value or at least my comfort in/appreciation of it.

My wish list:
- Replace 3 old and uncool bathroom faucets with new, better looking ones (BTW, way more than $100, ouch).
- Replace the dining room light fixture with a cheap and cool Japanese paper lantern, preferably really oversized.
- Art for the giant blank white wall behind my couch
- Create a landing strip: hang hooks, install shelves near the front door for storing coats, purses, etc.
- Hang shelves in the bathroom for more functional space, get the bath toys and basket with magazines off the floor.
- Create an "outdoor room" on my small patio - a space for my son to play, and arrange a living-room-like space for cocktails, eating, tending the BBQ. Again, not a $100, but I'm excited by the cheap and cute outdoor stuff at Ikea, previews of which are on design blogs right now.

Thanks for the opportunity to actually sit and write this out. Wish me luck! :-)

I have always loved this color combo but never had a "canvas" before. Now I do - I did this color combo for my baby son's room and use it often with his outfits (baby blue onesie plus red pants, pretty darn cute). I guess I was inspired by Nacho Libre.