Monday, 26 May 2014

Refreshing the Soul with a Bit of Paint

This past weekend was gorgeous! It has only been the second weekend since spring sprang that has been filled with sunshine, warmth and an overall sense of aaaahhh! And what did I do? I spent it INSIDE.

Knowing that my daughter was camping this weekend, I figured I would take advantage of having only one child around and start the redecorating I had been putting off. So I made arrangements with my wonderful aunt to embark on this little project. Had I known it was going to be as beautiful as it was, I may have postponed. In the end I'm glad I didn't. This was a long time coming. 

I've been in my home for just over five years. I remember the day I found this little gem of a condo. As soon as I walked in I knew this had to be mine. And mine it became. I moved in four weeks later and slowly filled this space with pieces of me. 

For the most part, the main living space and kitchen have stayed the same. It was easy to inject who I am in these rooms. It was the bedroom I struggled with. You see my bedroom not only serves as the place I go to lay my head; it also serves as my workspace. And I couldn't figure out how to make the two work. 

For the past few months, I have been scouring magazines, paint samples, furniture catalogue and I finally made a decision. It was quiet obvious once I figured it out. As most of you wonderful readers know, I have this overwhelming desire, this insatiable craving to move to Paris. Well, I can't move to Paris at the moment but why not bring a bit of that Parisian flair to me? And so the plans for redecorating began about a month ago. 

I wanted airy, I wanted romantic, I wanted beautiful. First was the colour. I had to cover the dull light purple walls that surrounded me. Choosing a colour is extremely difficult. I love colour; from warm yellows to midnights blues. How on earth would I decide? I ruled out all the dark, saturated colours filled with intense hues. I wanted a blissful paradise. Usually I'd veer towards my favourite colour or a variation of it but red was opposite of the feel I wanted. The colour had to be light and fresh. And then I saw it. A photo of a bedroom that had the most intricate wall paper behind the bed. It had beautiful drawings of birds all set against a lovely shade of blue. That was the colour I wanted. It called to me and would fit perfectly into my vision. 

A couple of weeks prior I had gone shopping for new bedding and purchased very simple white on white duvet with tiny silver squares strewn across. This fit in fabulously with my Parisian theme. There is something very sophisticated about white bedding. 

Over the past few weeks, I have also purchased a few other items for this transformation. A set of grey bamboo sheets that are softer than anything I have ever felt before. I also found a beautiful cast iron head board in a very elegantly scrolled design painted in antique white (to be delivered this week) The last item that I found was a lamp with a very plain glass base and turquoise shade. Little by little my room, my sanctuary, is coming together.  Next on my list are curtains and new dressers. 

I am finally feeling as though this room says Audrey. I was always hidden in there but something wasn't right. It dawned on me when I started planning. This room, although I lived in it, still had my past lingering in it. The furniture belonged to my ex and despite my purging everything that screamed him, the bedroom furniture was something I never even thought to rid myself of. It was just furniture. It wasn't until I rediscovered who I am did I feel the need to get rid of it. Perhaps that is why I waited to redecorate.

My first night in the newly painted room with new bedding and some wonderful new accessories felt refreshing. I can't wait to finish it.

Talk to me! What space in your home is a total reflection of who you are? Which room are you just itching to change and why?

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