A Wild Hair

Everyone once in a while, most often when I'm in the deep middle of a project (like the bathroom), I get this wild hair to change up the entire house. I plop myself into a loathing pattern and walk around saying: "I hate this green!, I hate that couch! I hate these chairs! Why do we even have this stupid table?!" etc.. Scott just shakes his head, knowing that in a few days I'll walk the same pattern and say, "I love our house!, Isn't this pretty?!, You know, this green is still my favorite color!"

Today however, I have one of those wild hairs. A long one that aches for a home based in cool neutrals, like flax and linen, burlap and grain. Anyone who got their decorating kicks in the early years/months of HGTV's Rate my Space, surely knows the rooms of hpj185. When I saw her rooms I immediately fell in love, and consequently, spiralled into a wild haired fit!

Her real name is Heidi, and she works as a hair stylist and salon owner in the DC Area (courtesy of Internet research - I don't know her). Her rooms are fresh and light, sophisticated and elegant. From the moment I saw this living room I knew her other spaces would be just as fantastic and she didn't disappoint!

Her family room off of the kitchen was again a wash of neutrals ... as is the entire house, except for a metallic bronze bathroom remodel. I ached for a smaller cream sofa once I saw this photo, and I ached for white woodwork and neutral walls. I showed it all to Scott who said, "It's nice - very Bentwood" which means, very "Country Club New Build". I agree that the architectural elements in the house are very new, not having the amount of character that you find in the older homes of this area ... but I still coveted the decorative belongings of hpj, and it's this wild hair that begs for strong enough extensions to lift that couch right out of the room and live on it in my own.

A better picture of the room, from the kitchen. Before Joni and Cote de Texas, this was my virtual exposure to seagrass and linen, silk and bamboo roman shades.

Aren't these chairs lovely? Oh how I long to run out today and replace my medieval set with one of these provincial numbers and linen cushioned chairs with beautiful patinaed faux finish. My heart beats in longing rhythms for this look, that chandelier, those sconces, that mirror.

And as the wild hair grows, I suppose the most captivating of all inspirational images I found from hpj185 is of her bedroom:

Yes, in fact, this is the very room I love so. The room that makes me want to go from the sage walls, and rich natural woodwork, to warm green-greys and matte white panels. From the warm and velvety richness of my multi-colored antique rugs to the earthy, textural feeling of seagrass and jute. From the heavy silk and quilted bedding, to a soft white duvet, and from the warmth and masculinity of those leather club chairs, to white english rolled arm chair and ottoman combos, with vintage toile pillows and burlwood side tables. Yes, my American Express is sitting on the desk right now, and the catalogs are open ...