Monday, November 16, 2009

bedroom makeover...

i'm sitting here listening to a relaxing yet inspiring mix of the weepies, the watson twins and grizzly bear, watching the rain and dreaming up a new bedroom.

since the master bedroom became mine again, and i am no longer sharing it with someone, i've had the urge to really make it mine. it's been an interesting transition going from co-habitation to an empty bed, and while it hasn't necessarily been hard, it's hasn't really been easy either. i think part of my moving on process is to paint away the wall color that i settled on because he wanted a "rustic tuscany" feel...to replace the bedspread that i purchased, even though it wasn't even close to my favorite, because it was more traditional and masculine than my super modern-feminine taste...to finally be able add the vintage, thrifted, quirky and sometimes downright weird knicknacks and art pieces to my shelves and walls that used to curl is lip but make me smile. i really think this is important.

one color that i always turn to is aqua. it seems to be all the rage these days, but it really has been my favorite since childhood and will probably always be my go-to color. the color is calming yet invigorating. light and crisp but also rich and vibrant. the color itself is a contradiction, and i really think that's why it speaks to me and appeals to me so deeply.

my struggle these last few months has been choosing a secondary, or accent color. this color will still play a huge role in the room, being incorporated into bed linens, draperies, wall art, possible wall treatment, bathroom accessories, etc. i've spent countless hours flipping through home improvement magazines, looking through flickr for color inspiration and staring at the paint chip wall at lowes and i've narrowed it down to two choices, but i can't seem to make that final leap.

aqua and green:

spaceball.gif1. FLoc of ..., 2. Aqua, 3. Above the camping ground, 4. wall with outlet and grass, 5. closer*look, 6. Barn
the shades of water against rich green hills in the rainforest...these colors are complimentary because they are adjacent on the color wheel. aqua and green will promote a cool, crisp and calming environment. light and airy, and uber relaxing.

aqua and orange:

1. Reasons to be cheerful (Part 158), 2. gerbera aqua, 3. New York - Brooklyn Bridge Sunset, 4. All Souls Giants and Ghouls, 5. Aqua Grace, 6. Drooping Grace, Aloe

a sunset...muted dirty aqua blues and greens with pops of a deep yet vibrant pumpkin orange...these colors pop well against each other because they are exactly opposite of each other on the color wheel. these colors would create a rich and cozy bedroom retreat.

can't you see why i am so torn?!?

here's what i think...one step at a time. i know that aqua will be the main color in the room, so maybe i should focus on choosing the perfect shade...because we all know how hard that can be! do i want a bright aqua? a muted aqua? clean? crisp? dirty? more to the blue side? more the the green? an aqua with a greyish tone? decisions, decisions...

for this decision, i'm turning to you, my fellow crafters...an artist at heart has a natural eye for color...the ability to fit the puzzle pieces together and create the perfect color palette. won't you help me decide? leave the name and brand of your favorite shade of aqua, green and orange and let me know which you prefer. i'm excited to see what you talented folks have to say!

xo
emjay


ps...on another note, i think i'm stealing jamie's idea for "meet me on monday" and will be back with that post later this evening :]

9 comments:

Lindsay said...

I wish Joseph would let me paint my room an avocado or light olive color :( It would go with my bedspread perfectly! I think the aqua with a thin line of orange would look super chic! Let me know what you end up deciding!!

Unknown said...

so cool I want to do my living room in aqua and red can't wait to see what you come up with :)

Jamie said...

I really love both but I am currently obsessed with aqua and orange myself so I'd probably vote for that one. ;)

Anonymous said...

i did my studio [aka former garage] in aqua and matched it with yellow and pink. i love it.

so i vote for yellow and aqua, even though its not on your list.

Anonymous said...

I vote for a caribbean ocean color aqua with rust color orange. Yum!

Ashley said...

hmm... you COULD use both... If it were me, I'd use a dirtyish aqua with a nice green (like in the flock of picture) as my secondary and pops of orange, like throw pillows and knick knacks. :)

Whatever you come up with, I hope you have fun... :)

Brianna Soloski said...

I like the aqua and orange combo the best. It's different enough without being too out there.

onecraftylibrarian.wordpress.com

...on the brink of something beautiful said...

I'm trying to do the same thing. I tried the blue/white/khaki look, but it's not coming together for me for whatever reason. I love redecorating though and making it more yourself. :)

I also happened to stumble upon this bit of eye candy. maybe it will inspire you too. http://weheartit.com/entry/856516

ails said...

I'm going for the aqua wall with faucet and rust or burnt orange for accents. ^_^

Can't wait to see your make-over! ^_^