I’m just curious everyone’s thoughts on this, and how it affects your decorating style at your own home? Maybe it’s just me, but when I see all of these beautiful white rooms all across the internet, I want it too! BUT, then I have to remember me, and my style, and remember that I am a color gal. I love color. As beautiful as the all white look is, I know that that isn’t me. And just adding a few pops of color by using accessories wouldn’t be good enough for me. I love color on the walls. But that is hard for me too because I love too many colors! Arghh. :)
The whole downstairs of our home is pretty warm, and we have dark brown leather furniture in the living room. And honestly I love it. It feels so cozy to me. Is it necessary to really try and “lighten” things up? Do we have to do that everywhere in our home? Is this just a trend happening now or because it’s summer time? Will everyone be trying to “darken” up come Fall and Winter? Yes, I have lightened some things up and love it. I pretty much went crazy with the Heirloom White when I started reading blogs. :) Ahhh, I could go on and on with this post…
So, I see an all white kitchen like this and fall in love…
And then I see a different room with black walls and fall in love also…
Oh, what a conundrum! I love too many things. I need several different houses I guess so I could decorate them all in different ways. :) I really do struggle with this though.
So, how do you decorate? Are you easily influenced by what’s popular now, or do you do what you know you love and can live with? Am I the only one who has these thoughts?? <crickets, crickets>
xxoo,
Decorchick!
You’re not alone and I can think of several bloggers (self included) that have blogged similar posts to this one :)! I too feel like I need several home to adequately express all my passions…one at the beach, one in the country, one in the mountains, one in the city…oh..I already have the one in the city. I’m a color girl too but I’ve swallowed the koolaide when it’s come to lightening things up. It will be “my version” of light, but I do feel calmer in the rooms I’ve lightened. I just lightened up my blog background and header and I’m in love with it. So, yes, I guess I’m influenced by the lighter & brighter trend!
Haha thanks for your input Beth! I’ve swallowed the koolaide too in some areas and do love it! But I just love too many other things too. ha!
Oh my word…are you reading my mind?! I can SO relate! We have darker colors and earth-tones in my house…and when I see these blogs with light white beachy colors I get so inspired…and then I go back to my woodsy-earthy looks and love that too! I get so confused…working on a balance between the two :)
LOL, I know the feeling! :)
I am so with you on this. I read decorating magazines and I love that fresh, clean look of the white rooms. I have a close friend who paints all her walls in the same tone of neutral cream and I love her home. But I have to be true to myself, and I love color. I read recently on one of my favorite blogs that hunter green was “so 90’s” and it was said in a negative way. Well, my dining room is hunter green and I love it! My husband just cusom built built-in cabinets for me and they are painted hunter green to match the walls. My master bathroom is red with black and clear pine accents. I am sure someone might slap a date on that too! I think we should all decorate how we want with whatever makes us happy. But nothing says we can’t enjoy those pictures of the opposite decorating spectrum!
Haha that’s funny. You go girl! Kuddos for you to stickin to your guns and doing what YOU love!
I try not to be easily influenced. I will try out certain smaller projects for my home that don’t cost a lot and aren’t major changes, but I am not one who goes along with the crowd. I’ve gotta be practical and do what I love and what works best for me. A girl could spend every waking moment making changes to keep up with the trends and that’s just not practical. I think if we all try to focus on creating timeless decor and design for our homes, we will have lovely homes!
Nancy
Well said Nancy! I try to, but it’s hard. lol
with the way the econmy is i can’t just change my home to things that are in style or things i love just is not happening. i think that is why i have found myself reading so many beautiful blogs and living through there beautiful homes. As for now i have to be happy with my home and find small things to change to make it better. And i am a old timer who has been given alot very old antiques that are beautiful wood tones i find my self *gasping* at some items painted even though when done they are beautiful. I have a long way to go to be at the point many of the bloggers are now. ( hope this made sense lol sometimes i just ramble along)
Oh I hear ya Chris. Nothing wrong at all with being practical. :)
Boy am I glad I found your blog. I too am a color gal! While I think the all white/cream rooms are beautiful, I would get soooo bored! God created color for a reason and that’s to decorate in my opinion. When you look around at the sky, the ocean, the grass, the sunsets…do you see white? I wouldn’t ever say anything negative about a cream room but it’s just not me! I love to be surrounded by color and I am!! Great post!
xo
LeAnn
LOL great points LeAnn!! I think God loves color too. :) Glad I found another color gal. :)
Oh and I forgot to add, I used to follow the trends, now I just follow my heart and buy and decorate with what I love.
Great question! I try to stick with what works for our lifestyle (no pristine gleaming chrome-and-glass, no bright white upholstery, etc.) but I find that looking at books and magazines helps me find ways to make everything fit together well. I’m also very fortunate that I have one small room (my office/dressing room) where I can indulge the shabby/romantic style that really speaks to me personally… while accommodating the rest of the family’s tastes in other parts of the house.
Good for you Janet! That’s great you have that 1 spot where you are free to do what you want. I bet that’s fun!
No, you are not alone and thankfully from the sounds of it, I’m not either. I can totally relate to the idea of wanting several homes to reflect and cater to my love of change and desire to “try on” different design trends. Thank goodness for spray paint! :) Sometimes it’s in the “trying on” of different styles that we find our true design self. At least that’s what I’m telling myself (and my husband). :)
Haha, so true Kristen. Maybe that’s my problem is that I want to try too many different things. I should just stick to what I know I like! But… yea right. :)
I think the white rooms are beautiful but I enjoy them without wanting one. Kinda like I enjoyed my sister’s great dane but I didn’t want one of those either!
My home is very eclectic but my unifying theme is “travel”. By keeping a thread of color running thru – in my case soft green – I have a kitchen with a slightly Tuscan feel, a living room that is more “Ralph Lauren”, a guest room that is European and a master bedroom that is ‘ocean’. No room screams a theme, just a whisper. And you find the same accent colors in every room.
Hahaha, I don’t blame you for not wanting a great dane either!
Ahh your home sounds lovely and well thought out. May have to try your method. :) Although, I think I do that too…maybe?
I can relate…where we live in AZ, more often than not people use alot of earth tones and warmer colors in their decor. Just take a peek at the very popular Phoenix Home & Garden magazine…it is usually filled with lots of wood, stone and darker colors. I have alot of dark colors in my home, I do think it adds something to add in some lighter colors for more variety, so I have been trying to do that…I always think of Candice Olsen who does a great job of mixing it up.
Just wanted you to know that I made your dollar store hurricanes yesterday…so fun : ) Thanks for the inspiration Emily!
http://theprojectshoppe.blogspot.com/2010/08/thrifty-hurricanes.html
Oh yes, Candice is the bomb! I wish she was my friend. :) I’ll have to look at that magazine and see what y’all do there in AZ. :)
LOVE your hurricanes!!
Emily I do understand. I love warm colors as well and have them in almost every room. I think the *rules* we see and trends are not for everyone. We should decorate with what makes us feel comfortable in our own homes. The welcoming feeling will extend to others when they see the love and care we put into it. Your home is gorgeous!
Have a blessed day sweet friend.
~Melissa :)
Very well said Melissa! And thank you so much! Every time I see your home I fall in love with all of your colors. It is very welcoming and cozy. I just love that!! xxoo
You are definitley not the only one. I two want a few different houses and mention it to my husband often! He looks at me like I am crazy! Which I am but thats ok! While I love the dark, rich colors, when I see the white with pops of color I really go crazy! When we first moved into this house everything was the dark, rich colors and I felt I never could get it right! And then I went white and everything feels right! Ya know that feeling? So do what feels right? When you walk into your room do you smile and sigh with contentment? Then that is right!!
Ahh you are right Holly. I do feel like that. I guess I should just stay away from HGTV and magazines. Better yet, the internet, but yea right!!
Some say white isn’t a color. I myself am a color lover. Color affects my moods. Color is cozy and warm and inviting. I love the all white look. I am in awe of their ability to do it. But, it isn’t me. And to top it off, I have seven kids running around. It wouldn’t be white for long. I understand this struggle. But liking something doesn’t mean we have to imitate it. Trends come and go. Stay true to yourself and enjoy your home. Remember, it wasn’t too long ago that avocado green was all the rage for kitchen appliances. My mother in law loves orange and staying true to this desire, she puts it everywhere she can find it…in varying hues…sink, tub, toilet, carpet, flooring, photos, etc. Be a trend setter instead of follower. There are those of us that would love seeing photos of homes with color.
Oh boy 7 kids!! LOL oh my, what if the green appliances came back?? Would everyone spray paint them?! haha. That would be some interesting blogging for sure. :) I’m so glad you like color!!
Hi…I too, am drawn to all the new decorating trends, but love color too much! I think I could do a mostly white kitchen, but I want my other rooms to be filled with color!
I think I’m in the same boat with you on the white kitchen. I think that would be nice? Ahh but I love dark cherry cabs too. :) haha
While I love looking at all the pictures in home mags and catalogs, I stick with what I and my family love. I am a firm believer that your house and the way it is decorated reflects your family and their personalities, it is what makes it unique. Hence all the “different” design looks out there! I think if we all went with what is “in” we’d be bored to tears!!
Haha yes we probably would be Lauren! That would be very boring I suppose. :) I’m glad you stick to what you love. :)
I can totally relate. I’m drawn to serene, neutral tones- cream, mocha, wheat, white- but I also love funky, bright colors and pattern. To satisfy both sides of my decor personality, I plan to decorate two rooms in my house – my office and the guest bedroom- in the more fun, colorful, vibrant way. I know that the house won’t be completely “cohesive” that way, but that’s okay with me. Completely all white rooms are impractical to me. Even in my “all white” kitchen, I have dark brown hardwood floors, a dark wood island, and stainless steel appliances for contrast. The other accessories like wooden cutting boards and flowers also provide some warmth. I think any home that is true to the owner’s personality is a lovely home:) I could go on and on, but it’s only supposed to be a comment, not a novel!
Oh I would kill for your kitchen. Seriously. Does that sound scary? haha.
I like looking at all the ideas I see but many times they just don’t “fit” with my own home. I’m not willing to start over from scratch and I love the colors I have currently, even they are not trendy. Ex: Hunter green. Love it, always have. I don’t want a seashell theme, don’t want to paint any of my furniture white, etc. But, I think looking at all the ideas makes me more certain of what I want and gives me inspiration!
Ahh well good for you Gina! I’m so glad there are strong people in the world like you, unlike myself. Ha!
I think its mostly what you said about liking so many things! I like a lot of design styles and colors. But, at the end I must realize what “my” style is! And thanks for chiming in on my Chocolate walls yesterday, I’m going to keep them…For now anyways!
Oh good for you! Something about that chocolate and the white crisp bedding is just beautiful. But if you ever change it in the future, I totally understand too. Lol.
Thanks for stopping by, Emily!
Oh yes, I wrote a post about this a few months ago, called Finding your Style. I fear so many will jump on the all white bandwagon & then regret it later. I love that look too, but will never go that direction in my own house. The closest I have to that is my Antique White DR, which I dearly love, but I also love color and will never get rid of the color in my home.
We all have to remember that these trends come and go and come around again in a different way. And that’s what this all white trend is. A fad for now until something else comes along. And it will, believe me it will!
Oh thanks Rhoda for reminding me “this too shall pass.” Ha!
I love the Antique White in your DR. Especially with the dark furniture. Beautiful!
I hear ya! I do the exact same thing. I love one thing and at the same time love something else completely contrasting. I feel like I have an eclectic design style. (AKA dissociative DECORATING identity disorder. ;) Sometimes I feel like a design schizo! My philosophy is to suround yourself with things that make you feel good. I like a more traditional look, with a few “trends” thrown in here and there. I think with anything too trendy, one might grow tired of. Having said this, if you do things on the cheap, you don’t feel too bad about changing those little things out when you are bored of them.
Great post…thanks for sharing and making us all feel more “normal” ;)
-In my case, I use the term “normal” very loosely.-
LOL oh my gosh this was hilarious! Everything you said was spot on with how I feel, unfortunately. Haha.
I’m so glad I’m not a loner. Thanks for being “normal” with me. :)
I have a hard time with this too. Even when I try to recreate something I see, my own personal style creeps in and it ends up looking totally different. I don’t know why I tend to see that as a bad thing. I love color. Really, as much as I love white…it just isn’t cozy. Relaxing, calming and peaceful yes, but not cozy. That’s why I can’t make myself have a completely white room. The blend of styles is what makes us each unique.
Well said Miranda! You are totally right. White is all of those things, but is lacking the cozy part. I think I need to write that on my chalkboard so I don’t forget when I get tempted with the next all white redo. Haha.
Very thought provoking post and comments. Now I’d like to add my 2 cents worth. lol
I live in Alaska. During the dark months I crave light, during the 24 hours of daylight summer months I go berserk and find myself hiding from all the light. It’s quite obnoxious how a person feels with such extremes. We are more balanced now. Thankfully!
I love the airy bright whites, neutrals , with pops of color so very much. I also love warm earth tones. To settle my decorating dilemmas and also the issues with night/day extremes, the upstairs is light and downstairs is darker. I suggest keeping neutral walls to people who like switching up colors often. Always be true to your tastes! And the other bit of advice is to remain true to the design of the home. I fought my house to accept Tuscan/Mediterranean and it looked positively ridiculous with the traditional lines. So that’s my 2 cents worth :))
Blessings and happy decorating:)
Shanna
Thanks so much for chiming in Shanna! Lol, great advice too. I too am creating the upstairs to have a different vibe. I’m gonna have some fun with it! :)
Oh, my dad lived in Anchorage for several years and I got to visit a few times. I loved it so much there. I wish Texas had snowmobiles. Oh, and some snow. :(
I’m still finding my (first) style! I am a beach girl for sure, and am going to try a “sand” color for walls. Woodwork is already white which I LOVE. I get really confused when I look at too many magazines because I do love color, but realize I want to be able to switch it out easily hence the proposed sand color for the walls. I love the picture of that kitchen, but I would grow bored quickly (though am considering painting my oak(ish)kitchen cabinets white to offset the dark countertop. )My furniture is a mix of contemporary and antiques (which I won’t paint – they glow after being orange or lemon oiled). So maybe that Queene Anne chair will end up with a white & tan tropical leaf pattern and ditto for the barrel back chair. I can accent with lime, turquoise, creams. Christmas change out the turquoise for reds…………..it’s a plan.
That sounds like a great plan and sounds like you know what you are after. Good for you!!
Thanks and thank you for taking the time to reply! It’s only taken 4 years in the house! My son & I built it with Habitat For Humanity and I was pretty sick of painting for A. LONG. TIME. It was a multiple 4 house build and ours was the 4th house! :) And forget putting holes in my walls for pictures!!! That’s slowly changing, too. Did I mention I’m a beach-nut LIVING IN THE MIDDLE OF LOCAL FARM COUNTRY??
My current project is a small case like the one you just did with black outside and beadboard paper inside. Mine will be Key Lime Pie outside and cream inside and will sit on the landing of my stairs. Can’t wait to get started! This is daring for me! Must be getting old enough not to care! :)
I do this all the time. I have a white kitchen and hate it with a passion! You see.every.little.spot! UGH!
Oh no!! I bet it’s so pretty though when all the spots are gone! lol.
I typically like trends when it comes to colors and patterns, so I stick to large pieces and walls being neutral. I also spray paint a lot of accessories and swap at fabrics to update my looks.
You sound smart Nikki! :)
Thanks goodness it isn’t just me! I was beginning to think I was crazy or something. I love all the whites and grays too, BUT I live in a house with kids, the dirty little creatures, and nothing stays white in my house for very long! I used to be afraid of color, but now I looove it! I love my yellow living room and my red kitchen, and green bedroom. I’m with you. It makes it cozy. It’s so warm and inviting, like a fireplace.
We stayed in a little cottage for our anniversary and it was all white. I was beautiful with white washed floors and white bedding and curtains and white slipcovered furniture, but I was terrified I was gonna get it dirty the whole weekend. WAAY to much stress for my everyday life.
Hahaha “dirty little creatures.” Ahh gotta love kids! I’m so glad you love color too!
I”ve never been around white slipcovered furniture. I don’t know how I would react to that! Probably the same way. :)
I’m not really influenced by the trends. I mean, I like to keep my things updated looking to some degree, but like you, I know what my style is. So, no matter how many times I might try something new because I love the look, it just never works for me in the long run.
Most of my decorating has fall/earthy tones to it. I can try other things, like I’m loving fun, bright colors like bright pink and turqoise in a room right now….but I know in the end, it won’t last.
Oh wow, bright pink and turquoise would be so pretty. I love red/turq, and orange/turq combos too. Yummy!
I’m probably older than most of you and can remember back when all our walls were white and we very seldom had color on our walls, wallpaper maybe, but white walls were the norm. Then color came in and we all started painting our walls and rooms in different colors, now it looks like white is back in again, it’s probably the way the paint companies make money off of us that try to keep up with the trend.
Oh Linda never thought of that! I wonder??
I enjoy looking at the pictures and trends, but I always end up sticking with the colors and styles I love. Maybe if I had more money to throw around I would be more tempted to change things up. Then again, maybe not ;)
Ha, well good for you! You are smart!
I love the calm coolness of a white room but it is just not practical for me having 3 small grandchildren who lucky for me spend a lot of time at my home. I tend to long for light colors in the summer and dark rich colors in the winter. I get my white fix by using light colored window treatments and a lot of antique white trim in my home. That works for me.
That sounds lovely Pam. I think the window treatments are probably the best option to keep things a little light. Good point!
I try not to be but it is hard. I think I’m somewhere in between. I like the white look but I like color also. I think it was all the white walls when we lived in base housing that drove me nuts. So, now that I can paint I will! But being here, near the coast now, I am leaning toward a more lighter palette.
It is hard Anita. I definitely know I couldn’t have just plain white walls. Nothing wrong with a lighter palette if that’s what you do! That’s what coastal living is all about right?! :)
I’m the same way!! Living room and dining room are natural with greens and browns. Bathroom is kinda French. Bedroom is beachy. Ahhhh, several homes would be nice!
Ahh good I’m not alone!!
I don’t believe in following trends…what is passe will eventually be in vogue again if you wait long enough.
This all white phase in decorating smacks of smart marketing ploy for the next new thing which will most likely move from monochromatic schemes to wildly colorful simply because maintaining an all white space is highly impractable for most (not all, but definitely most).
I do appreciate looking at well designed rooms…and call me strange, sometimes even badly designed rooms…because to me the space you live in speaks volumes about the occupants when you really think about it. But do they inspire me to create something similar? Naaahhh.
Hahaha great input Cheryl!! These paint companies must be making a killing right now! lol.
Good for you not being a follower! :)
Oh my goodness! I have been thinking this same thing the past few weeks! I absolutely love the white and robin’s egg blue, but that just seems like a summer color scheme to me! What about fall? Fall is my fav season and one of the reasons is because of all the rich, warm colors! How will robin’s egg blue fit in there? If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them! :)
Hey Jessica I was wondering the same thing too what people do come Fall when all they have is blue? Blue and red look great together, but it’s hard for me to imagine pretty pumpkins as an accessory in a room like that. Ha! But come Christmas, blue and silver looks beautiful together, and I can totally see silver pine cones and silver starfish in apothecary jars. :) See, it’s so confusing! :) I’m sure it works, otherwise people wouldn’t do it.
I love all the rich fall colors too. Can’t wait, it’s almost here!!
I appreciate the look of the white rooms, but it’s just not me. We were a military family and spent years living in military quarters where we had no choice, it was only white walls. I always swore when we had our own home, it would be full of COLOR!!! I love looking at home decor mags and books, but I’m never swayed to follow someone else’s ideas for what a home should look like. My hubby leaves all the decor choices to me(he’s color blind) and I only pick what makes me feel comfortable and happy. I guess my style is quite a mixed bag and I’m ok with that. Mostly, I want my home to feel welcoming and full of love for all who enter. That’s my style!
Well your style sounds great and I’m sure your home is very welcoming! Mine is very mixed too and I love it like that. :)
thank you a million times over for letting me know that i am not the only one!!!
i just like things that look good! if it is color… great! white? awesome! 2 tone? fabulous!
if someone can take a picture of their decor and make it look cute… i’m immediately lusting. but i don’t get the same satisfaction when i’m copying as i do when i go with my style. i wish i knew a good way to “just say no” to things i’m positive wouldn’t cut it in my home.
but until then… i’ll remain ambiguous and lustful over all the too-expensive, too preppy, too dull pottery barn accessories i can get my eyes on!! :)
Hahaha that was great!! You are normal, yay!!! :)
You are not alone! I love white. Always have; always will. Nearly everything in my house is white (or some shade/tint of). I’ve played around with color SO many times that I think each room has been painted at six times in the 4 years that we’ve lived here! The two rooms that I love the most are white so I’ve made the decision to go ALL white. The walls will now be white (it actually has a subtle gray shade to it). Sounds crazy with infant twins and a 7-yr-old but at least I know it’s clean and everything in my home is washable or it doesn’t come through the front door! Period. I’ve tried color (which I why most of my house is painted like a coffee shop…Restoration Hardware’s “Latte” and “Espresso”) but it’s hard with 1500 sq ft. I need white walls to brighten this place up a bit.
Am I easily infjluenced by the trends? No.
Am I over the moon that the new “trend” is white? Yes. Blogland is full of inspiration right now.
Do I have to filter all the wonderful ideas here in blogland? As hard as it is, absolutely.
I think that regardless of the trends, if we stay true to what makes us happy and compliments the style of our home, we’ll all have our own beautiful and unique spaces whether it’s comfy, cozy and white or comfy, cozy, and red.
Jami
Well said Jami!! I think your home is fabulous, and I love all of your white and gray. And your zinc! Oh my!! :)
Since I am just really starting to do any kind of decorating and am just starting to find out what I like, I would say that I am not that easily influenced by decorating trends. The pocket book helps keep that in check! I tend to be a bit behind the times by a few years when it comes to decorating stuff, I think. I really like is color as well and I am drawn to the French Provincal style for a lot of things.
I hear ya! Im all about color. I daydream about these white rooms too until that thought-bubble is burst by my 20 month old toddler running up to me and smearing what I believe is chocolate all over my dress (is that chocolate or ??) All it takes to snap me out of it is thinking about cleaning those immaculate rooms. NO THANKS!
We haved moved every year of our marriage and now we move every 3 years, so I have had lots of houses to try out different styles. Its fun especially when you decorate according to the style or the house and the region, BUT its also very expensive and never ending. It seems like I am always decorating, second guessing my decisions, and then once its perfect I move and have to do it all over again. Of course nothing from the old house fits the new too. Ugh, I guess the grass is always greener eh?
I am easily influenced by the “all white” look but it is not for our family and the type of house we live in, so I just dream. I really want each room in our house to be unique and the decorating process has been slow going. It could go a lot faster if the $$$ flowed a little more freely ;) Our living room has more of a rustic feel while my sitting room is described as “the girl room” by the women who have visited us. I then have a spare bedroom that we have our instruments in which has more of a western theme. By doing the rooms in themes it has allowed me to be a little more eclectic in my style.
My wife and I have done our home in what we call OUR shabby chic for years. While we love the painted furniture with the chips of paint knocked off, we also love color on our walls. I once painted our whole house WHITE, a stark cold hospital white, it was awful. It was the days before there so many warm tones of white. We lived with that mess for about a year and then we broke out the colors again and we love it. We are all so very different and need to make any style our own. So though I love to look at all of the decorating magazines we always just take away something from the room and make it our own.
blessings to you and yours
Curtis & Sherrie
Visiting from New Friend Friday but I already read your blog and love all the inspiration!
I go with things that I love while still drawing inspiration from other places whether they be white or color. You are right though. There are so many times that I see a pic of something that just blows me away, but then I wonder…
Could I really do this?! What a decorating dilemma. :)
Just stopping by from New Friend Friday. Hello friend!
I am like you…I can appreciate a beautiful crisp white room, but I have to have my color, and the warmer the better.