Red, White and Blue Rooms

Rooms of true Americana are usually red, white and blue. Just look at the different plaids and checks in this room, upholstery on the sofa and chair and the toile and red flowered fabrics on the pillows and the plaids of the curtains (which are not symmetrical if you'll notice; another take on individuality and I've used this once or twice in unusual places also), bead board walls. Just adorable.

And who wouldn't love curling up in this bedroom? Pure Americana but luxurious with its pillows, vintage looking bed and the bed coverings!

This room just simply reminds me of an upscale farm house. I can't explain why but it does. I love the look of comfort and relaxation here with the small wood settee and the chaise lounge with a blanket strewn over it. I always, always have blankets thrown over a sofa or chair in my small family room for the comfort of friends who prefer to stay warmer than I do. ;-) And trust me, they take advantage of it. Which reminds me of one other thing! I have footstools all over my family and living rooms. They are for putting feet up. I can't sit without putting my feet up! But you would be surprised how uncomfortable people are with using those footstools. They think they're for gazing at I suppose. NOT SO! I want them to be comfortable and put their feet up on them. I can always wash or scrub them or even change the upholstery if it gets too bad and I tell them that. Most will still refuse to put their shoes on them. Silly! I put them there for THEM!

Monochromatic Room

A pretty good example of a monochromatic room is just below. Most people are drawn to them because of the lack of a lot of color and keeping the palette in just one tone with lighter and darker hues of that value. While it can be just about any "color" variation it tends to be mostly in the beiges, taupe and whites and tends to soothe them but some people just don't prefer color as we would normally think of it. And there is nothing wrong with that at all. The room below I think is beautiful. I, however, prefer more "color" and there is nothing wrong with that either.

I do love the mix of plain and checked fabrics on the sofa. The honey pine of the wood brings a certain contrast and it looks like a comfy room.

The bedroom is lush with pillows and bed coverings. All in all a very peaceful palette to this style of decorating.

Another monochromatic theme brings rich style to this living room. The furnishings are exquisite and more formal, but still providing the luxurious comfort most people want in their homes. I love this room also!

This dining room with the upholstered chairs brings pizzazz to the decorating. And who wouldn't enjoy sitting at a table with a "rose tree" centerpiece?! Gorgeous.

More Country Decor

While it may not look "country style", it is definitely country decorating. A different flair perhaps but country all the same. The style and fabric of the sofa will make them lean a bit more towards the formal vs. the informal. For me, mix and match is the perfect style, but that's my preference. Others may adhere to the "same wood" mantra of decor. I like the mix for this family because it shows a little less formality. As the architect Louis Sullivan stated: "Form follows function." I follow that quote almost religiously, from watches to sofas to cars. I want it to "work" (function) before its "beauty" (form). Comfort is first and foremost in my decorating selection. I want everyone to "feel" comfy and relaxed.

I'd call this a bit more formal country than farmhouse country, but it is gorgeous just the same.

I like sumptuous bedrooms, pillows lavishly thrown on the bed, lovely linens to sleep on, foam mattresses with a feather or preferably wool topper and a gorgeous covering to top it off. I also like soft cotton sheets. I put 2 bottom sheets on our bed and then one on top with maybe a blanket for winter but not summer. Hubs and I like it cold while sleeping. This bedroom is one I could live in but I like mine better. ;-) A couple's bedroom is THEIR room and should be romantic and off limits for the most part to anyone other than the couple. I'm a stickler for this. Of course, this is my own opinion.

I'd call this the "All-American" living room. It's "cute" and I like it. I had a wood sofa once and it had a fabric that I'd call Aztec. It was truly lovely and I got all kinds of compliments on it. Even when we were moving it from San Diego to 29 Palms, Calif. and the new neighbors were watching us move in I saw their eyes when that sofa came off the truck. Yes, it was "awe" I saw in their eyes and was confirmed when we got to know them. It was the most unusual fabric I'd ever seen. That's when we lived in southern California and I was into my "Mexican Colonial" stage. But, personally, I'd never have another sofa with wood arms. Just too hard for me to relax on.

By now you're probably as tired of looking at this house as I am tired of posting pictures of it!! But I keep adding little touches here and there to make it "me"! And besides, I want to showcase a sweet lady, Bertie, who gave me the tiny chandelier hanging over my sink. (I've purchased the most exquisite items from this lady and she is a true friend to me and has never ever disappointed me with any of her items. She's a tiny little pistol!!! She IS! And I just love her.) Plus I also had a tie of hubs that was ready for the trash bin but decided to "showcase" it because I love that tie! So I just tossed it up on that shelf and there it stays until I tire of it. :-) I've also used pretty ties of his as an accoutrement to a hanging picture. I think, however, that I need one more shelf there somewhere. I have a coupon that needs using! ;-)

Old Green Shutters Redone!

I've been busy, chicks. Just take a look at what can happen when your hubby takes you out into the country to look at the trailer he will eventually buy! Yessssssss, a yard sale with the most wonderful old shutters for $4.00 for the both of them. Squeeeeeealing with delight again! I think next time he'll leave me home........but I can sure hide in the back of his Montero, can't I?!?!?!

My Kitchen Thrill

Love Bunny had a 7 am church meeting sunday morning and got home about 9 am. I had on clothes from previous day since I hadn't showered yet prior to church. He was in the kitchen and I walked in and went up to give him a smoochie and hug (Smoochies are what my youngest grandsons and my son call them, just in case ya ever wanted to know. ;-) I end every single call to them with "smoochies for the boys"!), and he took my t-shirt bottom and started pulling it up! Faaaast!! Maaaaaaaan, was that a surprise, but let me continue. He pulled it up to my neck and I gasped! In that split second I wondered what in the heck he was doing while he was still in a suit. Well, he bent over and then kissed me and I looked at him in wonderment and he said "your shirt." I looked down and had forgotten that saturday night I had a Weight Watcher's chocolate cake and while ripping off the plastic sheet on the top I lost control (It WAS chocolate, after all!!) and narrowly missed dropping it on the floor. It landed on my "chest"! But I'm setting ya straight, chicks, that I would've been on my knees.......licking the chocolate cake off the floor if my "chest" hadn't stopped its further descent!!! To prove my story the shirt is pictured below and it ain't pretty: